Standard precautions

Introduction

Standard Precautions are injury or infection control practices designed to prevent or reduce harms in health care settings. Standard Precautions should be applied when caring for all persons regardless of their presumed infectious status. Below is a brief summary of standard precautions. Some of these practices may be more applicable to your workplace than others. Although many community workers will not have much physical contact with their clients, where there is the possibility of physical contact and/or contact with sharps, having a basic understanding of standard precautions is useful. As with the first aid information above, the information below should not be used as a replacement for proper training on Standard Precautions.

Hand washing

• Hand washing is the single most important aspect of Standard Precautions. Hands must be washed and dried immediately before and after any direct patient contact;
• If hands are not visibly soiled, an alcohol based hand rub may be used when washing facilities are limited or not available. When hands are visibly soiled they must be washed; and
• Cuts and abrasions of the skin must be covered by a waterproof dressing and dressings changed as necessary. Workers with Dermatitis or weeping lesions on their hands should seek advice from their line manager/Infection control nurse.

Personal protective equipment (PPE)

PPE includes the use of gowns, gloves, masks, goggles and face visors. Many of which will not be needed in most settings where people are working with AOD affected clients.

• Safety glasses and gloves should be used whenever there is the potential for exposure to blood or body substances;
• Wearing gloves does not replace the need for hand washing. Hands should be washed before use of gloves as well as after removal of gloves; and
• Clothing contaminated with blood or body substances should be removed as soon as practicable and before contact with other persons.

Prevention of sharps (needle stick) injuries

• Care must be taken when handling sharps at all times;
• The employee using the ‘sharp’ is responsible for safe disposal;
• Sharps should be disposed of into a clearly labelled puncture resistance container that meets Australian Standard AS/NZS 4261:1994 and AS/NZS 3825:1998;
• To prevent injury, needles should not be re-sheathed unless an approved recapping device is used. Needles should not be bent or broken by hand, removed from disposable syringes or manipulated by hand, unless using an approved device; and
• Sharp containers must not be overfilled, and must be securely sealed with a lid before disposal.

Disposal of waste

The disposal of waste should adhere to the Code of Practice for Management of Clinical and Related Wastes ANZCWMIG 4th Edition 2004 Department of Environmental Protection, Waste Management Division, Code of Practice for the Management of Clinical and Related Waste, 1988 and any subsequent revision. Broken glass can in particular present a safety hazard and should be disposed of thoroughly.

Linen

Soiled linen should be handled as little as possible to prevent gross microbial contamination of the air and of the persons handling the linen. Linen that is soiled with blood, excreta or body substances must be placed in an impervious bag for transportation to conform with AS/NZS 4146:2000.

Body substance spills

Body Substance spills should be cleaned up promptly. Protective equipment should be worn. Wash the area with detergent and water, using disposable cloths then dry thoroughly.

Source

HDWA Operation Instruction OP1331/00

Drug and Alcohol Office of WA (in press) Crisis Referral Tool for AOD Services: The Drug and Alcohol Office: Perth, WA