Infection Prevention Manual

EXPOSURE CONTROL PLAN EMPLOYEE PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT The Agency shall provide to all employees at no cost appropriate protective equipment which may include but not be limited to gloves, gowns or aprons, masks, eye protection and face shields. The employee shall use protective equipment when there is exposure or the possibility of exposure to blood, body fluids including amnionic, pericardial, peritoneal, pleural, synovial, cerebrospinal fluids, semen and vaginal secretions, or any body fluid visibly contaminated with blood. The Agency shall insure that appropriate personnel protective equipment in all appropriate sizes is readily accessible and issued to the employees. If a garment is contaminated, it should be removed as soon as feasible and disposed of in accordance with the Agency's policy on hazardous waste. Hypoallergenic supplies shall bemade available to allergic employees. The employee shall wear protective equipment unless the employee temporarily declines use when under rare circumstances it was the employee's professional judgment that in the specific instance its use would have impaired health care delivery or would have posed an increased hazard to the safety of the worker or co-worker. The circumstance will be documented in order to determine whether changes can be instituted to prevent such occurrences in the future. Gloves, gowns, aprons and other protective equipment shall be worn at any time an employee is at risk of occupational exposure.