Exposure Control Plan for Bloodborned pathogens

Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)
When there is a potential for occupational exposure, SIUC provides, at no cost to the employee, appropriate personal protective equipment such as, but not limited to, gloves, gowns, laboratory coats, face shields or masks and eye protection, and mouthpieces, resuscitation bags, pocket masks, or other ventilation devices. Personal protective equipment is "appropriate" to the situation when it does not permit blood or other potentially infectious materials to pass through to or reach the employee's work clothes, undergarments, skin, eyes, mouth, or other mucous membranes under normal conditions of use and for the duration of time which the protective equipment will be used.
Use of PPE
SIUC requires that employees use appropriate personal protective equipment. An employee may temporarily and briefly decline to use personal protective equipment when, under rare and extraordinary circumstances, it is the employee's professional judgment that in the specific instance its use would have prevented the delivery of health care or public safety services or would have posed an increased hazard to the safety of the worker or co-worker. When the employee makes this judgment, the circumstances shall be reported to the CEHS to be investigated and documented in order to determine whether changes can be instituted to prevent such occurrences in the future.
Accessibility of PPE
Appropriate personal protective equipment in appropriate sizes is readily accessible at the worksite or is issued to employees. Hypoallergenic gloves, glove liners, powderless gloves, or other similar alternatives shall be readily accessible to those employees who are allergic to the gloves normally provided.
Cleaning, Laundering, Replacement and Disposal of PPE
1. SIUC shall clean, launder, and dispose of personal protective equipment at no cost to employees.
2. SIUC shall repair or replace personal protective equipment as needed to maintain its effectiveness, at no cost to employees.
3. SIUC employees must report defective personal protective equipment to their supervisor or Department head as appropriate.
4. If a garment(s) is penetrated by blood or other potentially infectious materials, the garment(s) shall be removed immediately or as soon as feasible and handled appropriately.
5. All personal protective equipment shall be removed prior to leaving the work area.
6. When personal protective equipment is removed it shall be placed in an appropriately designated area or container for storage, washing, decontamination, or disposal.
7. EVERY SITE SHALL ESTABLISH A METHOD FOR COLLECTING AND LAUNDERING PERSONAL CLOTHING THAT IS PENETRATED BY BLOOD OR OTHER POTENTIALLY INFECTIOUS MATERIALS (see OECP 104.10 Contaminated Employee-owned Clothing Procedure).
Gloves
Gloves shall be worn when it can be reasonably anticipated that the employee may have hand contact with blood, other potentially infectious materials, mucous membranes, and non-intact skin; when performing venipuncture procedures and when handling or touching contaminated items or surfaces.
1. Disposable (single use) gloves, such as surgical or examination gloves, shall be replaced as soon as practical when contaminated or as soon as feasible if they are torn, punctured or when their ability to function as a barrier is compromised.
2. Disposable (single use) gloves shall not be washed or decontaminated for reuse.
3. Utility gloves may be decontaminated for reuse if the integrity of the glove is not compromised. However, they must be discarded if they are cracked, peeling, torn, punctured, or exhibit other signs of deterioration or when their ability to function as a barrier is compromised.
Masks, Eye Protection, and Face Shields
Masks in combination with eye protection devices, such as goggles or glasses with solid side shields or chin-length face shields, shall be worn whenever splashes, spray, spatter, or droplets of blood or other potentially infectious materials may be generated and eye, nose, or mouth contamination can be reasonably anticipated.
Gowns, Aprons, and Other Protective Body Clothing
Appropriate protective clothing, such as, but not limited to, gowns, aprons, lab coats, clinic jackets, or similar outer garments, shall be worn in occupational exposure situations. The type and characteristics will depend upon the task and degree of exposure anticipated.
Surgical caps or hoods and/or shoe covers or boots
Surgical caps or hoods and/or shoe covers or boots shall be worn in instances when gross contamination can reasonably be anticipated (e.g., autopsies, orthopedic surgery).