Moxie Media’s Bloodborne Pathogens Training Course
Moxie’s bloodborne pathogens training program is designed to teach students how to reduce the risks of bloodborne pathogens. In particular, this course illustrates how pathogens spread, how to avoid exposure, and what to do if exposure occurs.
Medical workers are exposed to blood and body fluids every day on the job. But many other jobs you might not think of have exposure risks too. And, as a result, there are many workers who should be aware of the hazards of contact with blood or other infectious fluids.
OSHA’s Bloodborne Pathogens Standard
OSHA created the Bloodborne Pathogens Standard 29 CFR 1910.1030 to help prevent serious occupational infections among employees. Specifically, OSHA’s standard applies to any worker who can reasonably anticipate job-related contact with blood or other potentially infectious materials.
This program will help you understand and comply with OSHA’s Bloodborne Pathogens Standard and prevent and mitigate on-the-job bloodborne infections.
Course Topics Include:
- Bloodborne Diseases
- Exposure Control Plan
- Methods for Preventing Exposure & Universal Precautions
- Post-exposure Response
Common Causes of Bloodborne Pathogens
Bloodborne pathogens can enter the body in a variety of ways. For example, pathogens can spread through open cuts, nicks, skin abrasions, dermatitis, and acne. What’s more, the mucous membranes of your mouth, eyes, or nose can also be a source of exposure.
Another major cause of the spread of pathogens are contaminated surfaces. And some organisms can live on room temperature surfaces for up to a week.
The three most common bloodborne pathogens are human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), hepatitis B virus (HBV), and hepatitis C virus (HCV). HIV, HBV and HCV all spread through contact with the blood of an infected person.
Most commonly this contact is during sex with an infected partner, from unsafe injections, exposures to sharp instruments, or contact with open sores or wounds.
On a jobsite, exposure would primarily be from open wounds or from contaminated sharp objects.
Exposure Control and Infection Prevention
Even if you do not come into contact with body fluids on the job every day, you may have exposure at some point. When an on site injury or accident occurs, exposure is common. Using universal precautions is a great way to make sure that contact is safe.
The idea behind universal precautions is simple. Basically, treat all body fluids as if they contain bloodborne pathogens that could kill you.
You should always wear gloves when you may come into contact with blood or body fluids. And always cover any cuts or scrapes on your body and remove jewelry before putting on gloves. Also, wear protective coverings, such as a mask, eyewear, face mask, and a gown if there is a risk that blood or other body fluids could splash.
After any potential exposure, thoroughly wash your hands with soap and warm water.
Engineering controls are another method for protecting yourself against pathogens. These strategies are designed to protect workers from hazardous conditions by physically placing a barrier between the worker and the hazards.
Even something as simple as a broom and dustpan when cleaning up broken glass can be an important engineering control.
Similarly, work practice controls also reduce the chance of exposure, but do so by altering the manner in which a task is performed. For example, prohibit eating or drinking in an area where there is likely to be contact with blood or body fluids.
Demo Our Bloodborne Pathogen course for Free!
In the course of your job you may come across many situations that put you in contact with potentially contaminated blood or body fluid. However, if you follow the guidelines outlined in this course, you can feel secure that you took the right steps to prevent infection.
Request a free demo of our courses today!
For questions or inquiries, please contact us online or give us a call at 504-733-6907. You can find more OSHA safety training in our full course library.