Emery County School District

Policy: GBGG - Handling Blood & Body Fluids

Date Adopted: 5 December 1989

Current Review / Revision: 11 December 1997

The Emery County School District Board of Education recognizes that blood and body fluids may transmit infectious agents to employees or students who come in contact with such fluids. Therefore, every reasonable precaution shall be taken to minimize their risk of exposure to such infections. To this end, the administration will prepare guidelines for schools to follow.

The following guidelines are established to protect students and employees from exposure to infectious agents (e.g., HIV Virus) that may be carried in blood or other body fluids. School principals are to ensure that these guidelines are implemented in their schools.

Avoiding Contact with Body Fluids

When possible, direct skin contact with body fluids should be avoided. Disposable gloves should be available in the classroom, the office of the custodian, nurse, or principal. Gloves are recommended when direct hand contact with body fluids is anticipated (e.g., treating bloody noses, handling clothes soiled by incontinence, cleaning small spills by hand). If contact is made with body fluids, hands (gloved or ungloved) should always be washed after contact. Gloves used for this purpose should be put into a plastic bag or lined trash can, secured, and disposed of daily.

Sanitary Napkins

Women's and girl's restrooms shall be supplied with trash cans that are lined with a plastic bag for disposal of sanitary napkins. The bags from such trash cans shall be secured and disposed of daily. If hand contact with sanitary napkins becomes necessary, disposable gloves should be worn.

If Direct Skin or Clothing Contact Occurs

In many instances, unanticipated skin contact with body fluids may occur in situations where gloves may be immediately unavailable (e.g., when wiping a runny nose, applying pressure to a bleeding injury outside the classroom, helping a child in the bathroom). In these instances, hands and other affected skin areas of all exposed persons should be routinely washed with soap and water after direct contact has ceased. Clothing and other non-disposable items (e.g., towels used to wipe up body fluid) that are soaked through with body fluids should be placed in plastic bags (use gloves). Clothing should be sent home for washing with appropriate directions to parents/teachers. (See section following Laundry Instructions for Clothing Soiled with Body Fluids). Contaminated disposable items (e.g., tissues, paper towels, sanitary napkins) should be handled with disposable gloves.

Removing Spilled Body Fluids from The Environment

Schools should have standard procedures in place for removing body fluids (e.g., vomitus). Such procedures should be reviewed to determine whether appropriate cleaning and disinfection steps have been included. Schools should stock sanitary absorbent agents specifically intended for cleaning body fluid spills (e.g., ZGOOP, Parson Mfg. Co., Philadelphia, PA). Disposable gloves should be worn when using these agents. The dry material is applied to the area,

left for a few minutes to absorb the fluid, and then vacuumed or swept up. The vacuum bag or sweeping should be disposed of in a plastic bag. Broom and dustpan should be rinsed in a disinfectant. No special handling is required for vacuuming equipment.

Hand Washing Procedures

Proper hand washing requires the use of soap and warm water and vigorous washing under a stream of running warm water for approximately 10-15 seconds. Soap suspends easily removable soil and microorganisms allowing them to be washed off. Running water is necessary to carry away dirt and debris. Rinse under running warm water. Use paper towels to thoroughly dry hands and turn off faucet.

Disinfectants

An intermediate level disinfectant should be used to clean surfaces contaminated with body fluids. Such disinfectants will kill vegetative bacteria, fungi, tubercle bacillus, and viruses. The disinfectant should be registered by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPOA) for use as a disinfectant in medical facilities and hospitals. Various classes of disinfectants are listed below. Hypochlorite solution (bleach) is preferred for objects that may be put into the mouth.

1. Ethyl or isopropyl alcohol (70%).

2. Phenolic germicidal detergent in a one percent (1%) aqueous solution.

3. Sodium Hypochlorite with at least 100 ppm available chlorine.

4. Quaternary ammonium germicidal detergent in two percent (2%) aqueous solution.

5. Iodophor germicidal detergent with 500 ppm available iodine.

Disinfection of Hard Surfaces and Care of Equipment

After removing the soil, a disinfectant is applied. Mops should be soaked in the disinfectant after use and rinsed thoroughly or washed in a hot water cycle before rinse. Disposable cleaning equipment and water should be placed in a toilet or plastic bag as appropriate. Non-disposable cleaning equipment (dust pans, buckets) should the thoroughly rinsed in the disinfectant. The disinfectant solution should be promptly disposed down a drain pipe. Remove gloves and discard in appropriate receptacles.

Disinfection of Rugs

Apply sanitary absorbent agent, let dry and vacuum. If necessary, mechanically remove with dust pan and broom, then apply rug shampoo (a germicidal detergent) with a brush and re-vacuum. Rinse dust pan and broom in disinfectant. If necessary, wash brush with soap and water. Dispose of non-reusable cleaning equipment as noted above.

Laundry Instructions for Clothing Soiled with Body Fluids

The most important factor in laundering clothing contaminated in the school setting is elimination of potentially infectious agents by soap and water. Addition of bleach will further reduce the number of potentially infectious agents. Clothing soaked with body fluids should be washed separately from other items. Presoaking may be required for heavily soiled clothing. Otherwise, wash and dry as usual. If the material is bleachable, add one-half (1/2) cup household bleach to the wash cycle. If material is not colorfast, add one-half (1/2) cup non-clorox bleach to the wash cycle.