Use appropriate personal protective equipment The OSHA Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) standard (29 CFR 1910.132) requires employers to assess the workplace to determine what hazards are present and then choose the appropriate PPE to protect workers. Employers must select PPE that will protect workers against Ebola virus and other hazards to which they may be exposed. Workers with different job tasks, for instance, those who load waste containers onto trucks compared to those who empty containers onto processing lines, may have very different exposures and require different PPE. Workers must wear PPE to help minimize exposure to the virus via mucous membranes and broken skin, or through inhalation of bio-aerosols. Examples of PPE that may be needed during waste handling, treatment, transport, and disposal include: ● Nitrile gloves (consider using double-gloves and/or puncture- resistant gloves for extra protection). ● Goggles or face shields. ● Fluid-resistant or impermeable gowns or coveralls, and aprons. ● Facemasks that cover the nose and mouth. ● Dedicated washable shoes with protective shoe coverings. ● N95 respirators, Powered Air Purifying Respirators (PAPRs), or other respiratory protection devices. Collecting and transporting waste ● Under the Bloodborne Pathogens standard, 29 CFR 1910.1030, and other OSHA requirements, employers already must protect workers who collect and transport waste from exposure to infectious agents, such as the hepatitis B virus and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), in the waste they handle on a daily basis. Although exposure to these other agents may be more likely, employers are also required to protect workers from exposure to the Ebola virus. ● Following stringent packaging protocols, including decontaminating waste containers at the point of origin, may reduce the risk of exposure to Ebola virus and other infectious agents for workers involved in collecting packaged waste. ● Place containers of waste as low as possible on dollies, hand trucks, or carts and in trucks or other transport vehicles to prevent toppling and spillage. Secure containers, especially Processing waste in a treatment/disposal facility ● Under the Bloodborne Pathogens standard, 29 CFR 1910.1030, and other OSHA requirements, employers already must protect workers who process waste in a treatment/disposal facility from exposure to all infectious agents, as noted above. Workers who are exposed to waste before it is completely treated and decontaminated, including when opening containers to load waste onto processing lines or into autoclaves or incinerators, may be at higher risk for exposure to Ebola virus and other infectious agents than workers with job tasks such as handling waste products that have already been treated, such as incinerator ash or waste that already was appropriately autoclaved at its point of origin. Waste that has been properly treated and decontaminated is no longer infectious. Again, containers of waste must be placed as low as possible on dollies, hand Disinfectants for Ebola virus ● Use an EPA-registered disinfectant with label claims for use against nonenveloped viruses (e.g., norovirus, rotavirus, adenovirus, poliovirus) to treat contamination/spills and to disinfect nonporous surfaces after bulk spill material has been removed. ● Nonenveloped viruses are typically more difficult to destroy than enveloped viruses, such as Ebola. Stronger disinfectants used to destroy nonenveloped viruses are also capable of inactivating enveloped viruses.
● OSHA’s PPE Selection Matrix is intended to help employers select appropriate PPE for protecting workers who may be exposed to Ebola virus on the job: https://www.osha.gov/ sites/default/files/publications/OSHA3761.pdf. The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) also provides recommendations for the selection and use of protective clothing and respirators for protection against biological agents: https://www.cdc.gov/niosh/docs/2009- 132. ● Training, practice, and observation of workers in correct donning and doffing of PPE are important infection control measures. Workers should put on PPE in a way that minimizes the risk of skin and mucous membrane contact with potentially infectious materials and remove PPE in a way that avoids self-contamination. This includes decontaminating PPE before and between removal steps: https://www.cdc. gov/vhf/ebola/healthcare-us/ppe/guidance.html. The order of PPE removal may vary depending on the type of PPE a worker uses, the nature of the work tasks being performed, and which devices or garments are contaminated, among other factors. stacked ones, within vehicles using suitable straps or tie- downs. ● Employers must take steps to protect workers from exposure to contaminated waste containers and to protect workers when they must handle waste containers that are visibly soiled or otherwise known or suspected of having Ebola-virus contamination. ● Use proper protections, including additional or more protective PPE, if handling waste containers with visible contamination from blood, body fluids, or other potentially infectious or unknown material. Employers may consider additional or more protective PPE for waste collection and transport workers if they determine another more serious hazard(s) exists. ● Follow DOT HMR, at https://www.phmsa.dot.gov. trucks, or carts and when stacking to prevent toppling and spillage. Secure stacked containers using suitable shelves, straps, or other equipment. ● Employers must consider increasing levels of PPE for waste processing and treatment/disposal workers if they determine that a more serious hazard exists. ● Follow applicable EPA, state, and local regulations for hospital/medical/infectious waste incinerators. ● Workers tasked with processing reusable collection and storage containers, conducting housekeeping within processing facilities, or cleaning transport vehicles may refer to OSHA’s “Cleaning and Decontamination of Ebola on Surfaces” Fact Sheet for additional guidance: https://www. osha.gov/sites/default/files/publications/OSHA_FS-3756.pdf. ● EPA List L outlines selected registered antimicrobial products for use against the Ebola virus: https://www.epa.gov/sites/ default/files/2018.10.01/documents/2018.10.01.listl_.pdf. ● Always follow the manufacturer’s instructions (e.g., concentration, application method, and contact time) for the specific disinfectant. ● Never mix chemical disinfectants and cleaners together. Certain combinations of chemicals can be deadly or can reduce the effectiveness of the disinfectant.
Book Code: FTX1624
Page 95
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