Standards And Guidelines In Relation To Occupational Exposure To Infectiius Agents Flashcards
(75 cards)
What do the WHO international health regulations 2005 do?
Define Public Health Emergencies of International concern (PHEIC)
Holds a list of diseases whose occurrence must always be notified to WHO (small pox, wild type polio, new subtypes of human influenza and SARS)
Holds algorithm for countries to decide whether other incidents might constitute a PHEIC.
What might constitute a PHEIC?
A case of VHF in a country
Who should a PHEIC be reported to?
The agency designated as the National Focus.
They are responsibly for notifying the WHO.
Who is the National Focus in England?
Public Health England
What are the three pieces of UK health and safety legislation covering occupational exposure to infectious agents?
Health and Safety at work Act 1974
Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations 2002 (COSHH)
Reporting of Injuries, Disease and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations 2013 (RIDDOR)
What are the key outlines of the Health and Safety at work Act 1974?
Duty on EMPLOYERS to ensure as far as is reasonable practicable, the health, safety and welfare of workers.
Including provision of: PPE, Occupational health services, Vaccines and other protective measures to reduce the risk of exposure to infectious agents.
Duty on EMPLOYEES to cooperate with employers to comply with health and safety legislation.
What is the key summary/intentions of COSHH 2002?
protect workers from the risks of exposure to substances with the potential to cause harm if they are inhaled, ingested or come into contact with or are absorbed through the skin.
Substances = chemical or biological agents.
What does the definition of biological agent include, as set out by COSHH?
Micro-organisms inc bacteria, viruses, fungi and prions (TSEs)
Parasites e.g malarial parasites, amoebas and trypanosomes
Larger parasites e.g. microscopic ova and larval forms of helminths.
Define category ‘a’ of exposure to biological agents as set out by COSHH
Deliberate intention to work with a biological agent i.e. research, teaching or diagnosis.
Define category ‘b’ of exposure to biological agents as set out by COSHH
Exposure arises out of the work activity but is incidental to it i.e. not direct work with agent itself e.g. health care, food production, refuse disposal
Define category ‘c’ of exposure to biological agents as set out by COSHH
Exposure which does not arise out of the work activity itself e.g. respiratory infection from one worker to another
Which categories of exposure does COSHH apply to?
A and B
Which characteristics are used to classify biological agents into their hazard groups?
Ability to cause infection
Severity of disease that may result
Risk that the infection will spread to the community
Availability of vaccines and effective treatment.
Define Group 1 categorisation of biological agents under COSHH
Unlikely to cause human illness
Define Group 2 categorisation of biological agents under COSHH
Can cause human disease and may be a hazard to employees.
Unlikely to spread to the community
Effective prophylaxis or treatment available
Define Group 3 categorisation of biological agents under COSHH
Cause severe human disease and may be serious hazard to employees
may spread to the community
usually effective prophylaxis or treatment
Define Group 4 categorisation of biological agents under COSHH
Causes severe human disease and is a serious hazard to employees
likely to spread to the community
usually no effect prophylaxis or treatment available.
Examples of Hazard group 3 organisms
B. anthracis Burkholderia pseudomallei C. burnetti E. coli 0157 Salmonella typhimurium Echinococcus granulosus Penicillium marneffei Rabies HIV SARS virus Flaviviruses inclduing: Dengue, west nile and yellow fever
Examples of Hazard Group 4 organisms
Ebola virus
Marburg
Lassa fever
What does ACDP stand for and what does it do?
Advisory committee on Dangerous Pathogens
Categorises infectious agents into groups 2-4 as described in COSHH
What are the key aims/intentions of RIDDOR?
Ensure that injuries, accidents and dangerous incidents arising from work are reported to the relearnt enforcing authority.
Includes reporting of acute illness requiring medical treatment due to exposure of infectious agent, its toxin or infected material. e.g. needlesticks
Includes reporting of notifiable occupational disease
Statutory - reportable by law.
Name some examples of guidelines available at national level to reduce the risk of exposure to infectious agents
The Health and Safety Executive
The Department of Health
The Health Protection Agency
Examples of guidelines set out by local NHS organisations to reduce the risk of exposure to infectious agents
Organisation or departmental policies
Occupational health policies
infection prevention and control policies.
Name three other UK surveillance mechanisms for exposure to infectious agents at work
SIDAW - surveillance of infectious disease at work
UK surveillance of significant occupational exposures to blood borne viruses in healthcare workers by the HPA
Local surveillance schemes i.e. they eye of the needle.
