Bloodborne Pathogens (BBP)

Individuals who are infected with Hepatitis B Virus (HBV) or Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) may not show symptoms and may not know they are infectious. For this reason, all human blood and body fluids should be considered as if infectious, and all precautions should be taken to avoid contact. This simple rule is known as "universal precautions."

In the workplace, bloodborne pathogens (BBP) may be transmitted when blood or other infectious body fluids come in contact with mucous membranes (your eyes, nose, mouth); non-intact skin (due to cuts, abrasions, burns, rashes, paper cuts); or by handling or touching contaminated materials or surfaces. Bloodborne pathogens are also transmitted by "injection" under the skin via an contaminated sharp object puncturing or cutting the skin causing a wound.

Hepatitis B Virus versus Human Immunodeficiency Virus:
- Hepatitis B Virus is more persistent than HIV and is able to survive for at least one week in dried blood on environmental surfaces. However, HIV will not survive for more than a few minutes when exposed to room temperature air, and will usually die within seconds.
- A teaspoon of infected blood may contain over one billion HBV particles, while a teaspoon of infected HIV blood contains about 15 HIV particles.
- Hepatitis B Virus usually has mild symptoms which makes diagnosis difficult. HIV infections usually are not diagnosed for years and symptoms may not appear for many months or years.
- Hepatitis B can be prevented with a vaccine. At the present time there is no preventive vaccine for HIV.
- No cure is presently available for HBV or HIV.

If you administer first aid to an injured person in the workplace and there is a potential for contacting any body fluids, you should adhere to the following "universal precaution" guidelines:
- Wear impervious gloves when there is a chance of exposure to blood or body fluids.
- Wear a face shield to protect your entire face, and safety goggles to provide the most complete eye protection.
- Use resuscitation devices when performing cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR).
- Report all BBP exposures, or potential exposures to your supervisor immediately.
- Immediately wash your hands and affected areas with soap and warm water.
- Flush your eyes, nose or other mucous membrane areas with water, if exposed.
- Wash down areas which body fluids may have been contacted with the use of a mild solution of household water and bleach (10:1).

This information is provided by: Assurance Agency  http://www.assuranceagency.com

Automated External Defibrillators (AEDs)

Overview
Nearly 350,000 people die of sudden cardiac arrest each year. Currently, the chances of surviving sudden cardiac arrest (SCA) without the aid of an automatic external defibrillator (AED) are one in twenty.

However, with an AED, chances of survival improve to one in three. The use of AEDs could save 100,000 lives per year!

What is SCA?
The heart normally has a rhythmic beat which causes the blood to move in a consistent, predictable way. When someone has an SCA event, the heart begins to pump irregularly and ineffectively. This is called ventricular fibrillation (VF). VF is not to be confused with the heart attack where blood flow to the heart muscle is blocked. With VF, the blood stops circulating adequately, breathing stops, and eventually the victim will die.

Another SCA event is ventricular tachycardia (VT), when the heart muscles start to “quiver” instead of working together to push blood through the system.

CPR alone does not replace defibrillation in an SCA incident. CPR can only assist the victim for a short time until medical help arrives. However, medical assistance can be many minutes away. According to the American Heart Association, the chances of survival decrease 10 percent with each passing minute that the heart beat is not returned to normal. Very few people have survived SCA after 10 minutes with no medical treatment.

Unfortunately, we don’t know why SCAs occur, nor how to prevent them. We do know, however, how to fix them if they occur—AEDs.

What is an AED?
You’ve seen full-sized defibrillators on television. When the doctor shouts “Clear” and shocks the victim, they are using a defibrillator. The AED works the same—it shocks the heart back into a normal rhythm to restore a pulse.

Manufacturers have developed lighter, smaller, battery-operated, computer-controlled models which nearly anyone can use.

Signs and symptoms of SCA
Symptoms of SCA are very sudden and dramatic. Typically, the victim will collapse, and show no sign of a pulse. At this point, emergency medical help must be summoned, and the AED used.

The victim’s chest is bared, all visible jewelry or medicine patches are removed, and the electrode pads are attached. Once the electrical pads are attached, the AED is turned on. Many AEDs will prompt the operator through the necessary steps to use it. If the AED does not sense a shockable event, no shock is given. Others will function automatically, applying a shock to the victim after sounding a warning alarm.

Laws and liability
In May 2000, Congress passed the Cardiac Arrest Survival Act to establish a national standard that provides Good Samaritan immunity for cardiac arrest care providers, trainers, and owners of property where AEDs are kept.

A legal trend is starting to appear which suggests that failing to provide AEDs to respond to an SCA incident may be deemed as negligent.

Training Tips
Review the employee handout, and the user’s guide which comes with the AED. Point out the location of AEDs in your facility.

Review with the employees the signs and symptoms of sudden cardiac arrest and heart attack. Explain that in either case, early contact with emergency medical personnel is critical.

Explain how to summon emergency medical help, and the identities of the emergency medical responders at your facility. Explain to the participants how the company trains first aid responders to use the AEDs.

Where To Go For More Information
29 CFR 1910.151—First Aid.
OSHA CPL 2-2.53—Guidelines for first aid programs.
AED User’s Guide
Cardiac Arrest Survival Act (CASA)
Airline Passenger Safety Act
Applicable state regulations

This information was provided by: Assurance Agency  http://www.assuranceagency.com

Effects of Alcohol

This information briefly summarizes some of the some of the effects of a person that is hung over. Direct effects of alcohol vary with the individuals. In general, a person will excrete approximately one alcohol drink per hour. Consider the following:
An employee is out until 1:00 a.m. and has consumed 12 or more beers. They show up to work at 7:00 a.m. This employee is likely to have at least six alcohol drinks in his system at the time of starting the work. At this rate, the employee will start work intoxicated and eventually drift into a hangover and will probably be working in a very dangerous state during most of the workday.

ISSUES OF A HANGOVER
The following are some points to consider:
• A person with a hangover may have lower levels of alcohol in their system and may be “legally sober”.
• Any levels of alcohol in the system can affect the central nervous system, which will affect JUDGMENT and MOTOR SKILLS.
(Judgment and Motor Skills are critical components of working safely on a construction site.)

HANGOVER EFFECTS

A- Employees that are hung over are impaired from low sugar levels, dehydration and may still be legally intoxicated.
• Symptoms / Effects:
• Impaired judgment
• Decreased motor skills
• Potential for dizzy spells, etc.

B – Employees no longer under the influence of alcohol but still feeling hung over still have an effect:
• Symptoms / Effects:
• Impaired judgment
• Decreased motor skills
• Dizziness
• Increased potential to lose consciousness

This information is provided by Assurance Agency  http://www.assuranceagency.com

Air Contaminants

Overview
An air contaminant is any substance that is accidentally or unintentionally introduced into the air, having the effect of rendering the air toxic or harmful to some degree.

Who is covered?
29 CFR 1910.1000 Air contaminants protects employees from occupational exposure to air contaminants. The regulation applies to all workers who may be subjected to workplace air contaminants.

§1910.1000 lists various substances along with permissible exposure limits (PELs) for an eight-hour period. Your employer has a responsibility to notify you of potential hazards in the workplace, including air contaminants.

What must my employer do?
Your employer:
• Is responsible for controlling sources of air contamination by using engineering controls, or, if necessary, by using personal protective equipment (PPE).

• Must let you know what air contaminants are in the workplace and how you can protect yourself from them.

• Will discuss any necessary PPE with you and demonstrate proper use, cleaning, and storage of the equipment.

Must periodically test the air in the facility for the presence of air contaminants. You, or your representative, have a right to see the results of those tests.

If your employer chooses to use PPE in addition to engineering and work practice controls, the PPE must be provided free of charge.

This information is provided by: Assurance Agency  http://www.assuranceagency.com