July 6 is National Injury Prevention Day and in recognition, the SEIU-West Worker Safety Committee wrote this piece about infection control in order to help stop the spread of infectious diseases/viruses.
Routine practices are a set of infection control strategies and standards designed to protect workers from exposure to potential sources of infectious diseases. Routine practices are based on the premise that all blood, body fluids, secretions, excretions, mucous membranes, non-intact skin or soiled items are potentially infectious.
There are 5 major components to routine practices. They are: risk assessment, hand hygiene, personal protective equipment, environmental and administrative controls.
Risk Assessment
Before any task is performed, conduct a risk assessment to evaluate the risk of disease transmission. The risk assessment should take into account the following:
Appropriate strategies such as hand hygiene, waste management, and the use of personal protective equipment are then selected to reduce the risk of exposure and disease transmission.
It is suggested that the following questions be asked while assessing the risk:
Hand Hygiene
Hand hygiene is the act of removing or destroying microorganisms on the hands while maintaining good hand integrity (keeping the skin healthy). Hand hygiene can be performed with an alcohol-based hand sanitizer (when hands are not visibly soiled) or with soap and water (especially when hands are visibly soiled).
In healthcare settings, alcohol-based hand sanitizer is preferred when hands are not visibly soiled. For healthcare providers, using sanitizer is said to take less time than hand washing, and the mechanical rubbing action is important to kill transient bacteria. The sanitizer is also less drying to the skin when hands are cleaned repetitively. The sanitizer should contain between 70 and 90% alcohol.
Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)
PPE includes gloves, gowns, lab coats, shoe covers, goggles, glasses with side shields, masks, and resuscitation bags. PPE is particularly needed when disease transmission may occur through touching, spraying, aerosolization, or splashing of blood, bodily fluids, mucous membranes, non-intact skin, body tissues, and contaminated equipment and surfaces. PPE can help create a barrier between the exposed worker and the source of microorganisms.
Gloves are for single-patient and single-procedure use only. Only disposable gloves should be used in the prevention of disease transmission. Gloves must be removed and replaced when they become heavily soiled and when working between patients and between dirty and clean tasks. Gloves should always be removed using a glove-to-glove or skin-to-skin technique which will prevent contaminating the hands. The use of gloves does not replace the need for hand hygiene. Gloves often create a moist environment that facilitates the growth of microorganisms. Hands should be properly washed before the gloves are put on and after the gloves are removed. Hand hygiene is also needed before and after the replacement of gloves during a procedure or in between tasks.
Gowns can be either reusable or disposable. These steps of gown donning and removal should be followed:
Gown Donning
Gown Doffing (Steps to remove PPE)
Turn the gown inside out during removal. Continue folding the gown inward on to itself away from you until it is small enough to discard. Put in hamper or, if disposable, put in garbage.
EXIT ROOM & CLOSE DOOR
Face protection can provide an effective barrier to protect a worker’s eyes, nose or mouth from coming into contact with sprays or aerosolized body fluids. There are different types and combinations of face protection, such as a mask with safety glasses, goggles, face shield (with safety glasses or goggles), or a mask with an attached visor (and safety glasses or goggles).
Environmental Controls
Environmental control refers to controlling and minimizing the level of microorganisms in the environment. Environmental control measures include:
Administrative Controls
Administrative controls include employee training, supervisory competency, immunization, cough etiquette, workplace policies and procedures that are strictly enforced, and sufficient staffing. Administrative controls are critical to ensure that the principles of routine practices are effectively and properly executed in the workplace.
What are additional precautions?
In addition to routine practices, some workplaces apply additional precautions to prevent and control specific infectious agents. The methods of additional precautions are based on the mode of transmission -- contact, droplet, and airborne. Some microorganisms that require additional precautions include COVID-19 Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus (MRSA), Vanomycin-resistant enterococci (VRE), or other diseases caused by antibiotic or antimicrobial resistant bacteria or organisms.
Additional precautions include following routine practices, plus:
Are routine practices required by law?
Occupational health and safety is regulated in Canada in each of the fourteen jurisdictions (provincial, territorial, and federal). Some jurisdictions may have also developed specific modifications of infection control guidelines. For more information on these, contact the departments responsible for occupational health and safety or for public health in your province.
Where can I find more information?
Call the SEIU-West Member Resource Centre (MRC) at 1-888-999-SEIU (7348) or via the website at https://www.seiuwest.ca/contact
April 28 is National Day of Mourning, a day held each year dedicated to remembering workers who have lost their lives on the job or been stricken by job-related illnesses. It also reminds us that improving workplace health and safety is an ongoing struggle.
Would you like to be a delegate at the 2025 SEIU-West Convention? It's being held in Saskatoon May 27-29.
April 22 is Earth Day, a day for people worldwide to unite in a global movement to acknowledge the climate crisis and seize the opportunities of a zero-carbon future.