Human blood and body fluids potentially contain blood borne viruses (BBVs), and other agents.
The main BBVs of concern include the Hepatitis B and Hepatitis C Viruses which all cause a disease of the liver and the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV), which affects the immune system of the body.
The University Blood and Body Fluids Procedure outlines the process involved in assessing the risk of exposure and the action to take in the event of accidental contamination.
For more specialised work involving the handling and genetic modification of blood borne viruses there may be additional requirements and further information on risk assessment can be found in Safe Working and the Prevention of Infection in Clinical Laboratories and Similar Facilities and A Guide to the Genetically Modified Organisms (Contained Use) Regulations.
Sharps Guide
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The following guide outlines the basic steps for avoiding sharps injury:
Avoid leaving sharps lying around
Avoid re-sheathing any used needles/razors
Do not bend or break needles before discarding them
Place contaminated sharps/razors in disposal containers approved to BS EN ISO 23907 - 1:2019 immediately after use. Do not use makeshift containers, eg drinks cans, bottles, cardboard boxes, for sharps disposal
Do not place anything sharp inside a yellow hazardous waste bag as it may cause injury. They may find their way into domestic waste, presenting a hazard to staff collecting waste and/or members of the public
Do not try to retrieve items from a sharps container
Do not place sharps containers on the floor, window sills or above shoulder level. They should be stored above knee level and below shoulder level
Lock the container when it is three-quarters full using the closure mechanism. Do not try to press sharps down to make more room
Close the aperture to the sharps container when carrying or if left unsupervised, to prevent spillage or tampering
Place damaged sharps containers inside a larger sharps container
Carry sharps containers by the handle, away from the body
Keep all sharps waste in a designated, secure area until it is collectedLock the container prior to disposal and check local procedures for labelling requirements
Spillage
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Schools and Departments should specify the procedures, for example, spill kits and their location, decontamination procedures etc. Where relevant, this should also include the disinfectants to be used for dealing with a spillage and other forms of contamination.
All spills should be made as safe as soon as possible and staff should be protected by the appropriate use of protective clothing.
Accidental Contamination
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In the event of accidental contamination, the affected area should be washed thoroughly with running water and a first aider requested by calling extension 2222. If the skin is broken, encourage the wound to bleed, do not suck the wound or swallow any water used to wash out the mouth or nose.hsforms@gcu.ac.uk in accordance with the University’s incident reporting procedures.
Resources
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