What Should You Do If You Are Exposed To Potentially Infectious Materials?

by | Last updated on January 24, 2024

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  1. Wash needlesticks and cuts with soap and water.
  2. Flush splashes to nose, mouth, or skin with water.
  3. Irrigate eyes with clean water, saline, or sterile wash.
  4. Report all exposures promptly to ensure that you receive appropriate followup care.

What should you do if exposed to infectious materials?

Wash exposed skin, cuts, and needlestick injuries thoroughly with soap and water . If you have been splashed by potentially infectious fluids around the eyes, nose or mouth, flush the area with water. Immediately report the incident to emergency medical services.

What should you do if you accidentally become exposed to potentially infectious materials according to OSHA guidelines?

If you are stuck by a needle or other sharp or get blood or other potentially infectious materials in your eyes, nose, mouth, or on broken skin, immediately flood the exposed area with water and clean any wound with soap and water or a skin disinfectant if available .

What should you do if you have been exposed to potentially infectious bodily fluid?

Wash the area with warm water and soap . If you are splashed with blood or body fluids and your skin has an open wound, healing sore, or scratch, wash the area well with soap and water. If you are splashed in the eyes, nose or mouth, rinse well with water.

What should you do if potentially infectious materials splashed into eyes?

Eye or mouth exposures: If your eyes are splattered with blood or Other Potentially Infectious Material (OPIM), immediately flush with water or saline eyewash for five minutes . If blood or OPIM is splashed on your face or in your mouth, rinse with water for five minutes.

Can you catch a bloodborne disease if an infected person sneezes or coughs on you?

Bloodborne pathogens like Hepatitis B (HBV), Hepatitis C (HCV) , and Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) are spread by direct contact with and/or body fluids. These diseases are NOT spread by casual contact (coughing, sneezing, hugging, etc.) or by food or water.

What is the first thing you should do if you are exposed to blood or body fluid?

  • Wash your hands immediately after any exposure to blood or body fluids, even if you wear gloves.
  • If you get splashed in the eyes, nose, or mouth, flush with water.
  • If you are pricked by a needle (needlestick), contact your doctor right away for further advice.

What is the first step following an exposure incident?

When a worker experiences an exposure incident, the employer must make immediate confidential medical evaluation and follow-up available to the worker .

What is considered a BBP exposure?

An exposure to a bloodborne pathogen is defined as: 1) a percutaneous injury, such as a needlestick or a laceration from a sharp object , or; 2) contact of a mucous membrane or non-intact skin (i.e., skin that is abraded, chapped, or has dermatitis) with blood, tissue, or other body fluids that are potentially ...

What is the first step in responding to an exposure incident?

  1. Wash wounds and skin with soap and water.
  2. Flush mucous membranes with water.
  3. DO NOT USE instrument involved on patient!
  4. Employee must report incident immediately to supervisor/employer.

What is the only body fluid that is not considered infectious?

Unless visible blood is present, the following body fluids are NOT considered to be potentially infectious: feces . nasal secretions . saliva .

Which bodily fluids can transmit infection?

  • blood,
  • semen (cum),
  • pre-seminal fluid (pre-cum),
  • rectal fluids,
  • vaginal fluids, and.
  • breast milk.

What diseases are spread through bodily fluids?

  • hepatitis B – blood, saliva, semen and vaginal fluids.
  • hepatitis C – blood.
  • human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection – blood, semen and vaginal fluids, breastmilk.
  • cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection – saliva, semen and vaginal fluids, urine, etc.

What steps should you take if you suffer a work related exposure?

  1. Wash needlesticks and cuts with soap and water.
  2. Flush splashes to nose, mouth, or skin with water.
  3. Irrigate eyes with clean water, saline, or sterile wash.
  4. Report all exposures promptly to ensure that you receive appropriate followup care.

What should you do first if potentially infectious material is splashed?

1. Wash the exposed area thoroughly with soap and running water . Use non-abrasive, antibacterial soap if possible. If blood is splashed in the eye or mucous membrane, flush the affected area with running water for at least 15 minutes.

What is the best way to minimize exposure to possibly contaminated laundry?

Bag contaminated laundry at the location of use . Do not sort or rinse laundry at the location where it was used. 3. Place wet contaminated laundry in leak-proof, and color-coded or labeled containers, at the location where it was used.

Rebecca Patel
Author
Rebecca Patel
Rebecca is a beauty and style expert with over 10 years of experience in the industry. She is a licensed esthetician and has worked with top brands in the beauty industry. Rebecca is passionate about helping people feel confident and beautiful in their own skin, and she uses her expertise to create informative and helpful content that educates readers on the latest trends and techniques in the beauty world.