Organizations that deal with biohazardous materials typically invest in the personal protective equipment (PPE) and disposable clothing necessary to prevent workers from getting sick. While preventative measures are admirable, preparing for a worst-case scenario remains equally important.

Understanding how to manage infection control with PPE breaches prompts companies to gain the knowledge to create policies and best practices to avert serious and sometimes fatal consequences.

What is a PPE Breach?

A personal protective equipment breach refers to a risk management situation in which a device or article of disposable clothing has been compromised. Although a faulty respirator may qualify as a PPE breach, the most common instances involve broken eyewear and tears in protective clothing and accessories.

Any gap between clothing (exposed skin), rip, or improperly fitted PPE or disposable clothing may allow biohazards to make skin or eye contact, as well as being inhaled into the lungs. These are examples that put workers at risk.

Biological Agents

This class of biohazard involves organisms known to cause diseases in human beings. Things like viruses, parasites, fungi, and bacteria can enter the PPE through tears in the protective gear or clothing, making contact that could lead to absorption or inhalation.

Biotoxins

Biotoxins are poisonous substances from living or dead organisms. When these types of PPE breaches occur, insects, animals, and even plants can negatively impact first responders, researchers, and other professionals. It’s essential to keep in mind that disease-ridden animal carcasses leave bacteria and other dangers in the landscape long after they decay or are removed.

Human Blood

It’s important to know that human blood does not necessarily pose a threat in and of itself. That being said, people carry a variety of diseases that can be transmitted through contact, particularly if someone has an open wound or gets jabbed by a used syringe.

Blood-borne dangers include pathogens like Hepatitis B, Hepatitis C, and HIV, among others. That’s why the need to determine PPE breach safety for healthcare workers and first responders cannot be understated.

Human Matter

Bodily fluids and waste such as urine, feces, or saliva place workers in sanitation and processing plants at inherent risk. A simple slip and fall with less-than-secure disposable protective clothing, and some of the most lethal bacteria and viruses, can lead to skin contact or enter the body through the eyes, nose, or mouth. This is one example of why biohazard risk management plays a prominent role in waste processing plants.

Diseased Livestock & Poultry

There are a wide range of diseases that can be transmitted from animals to humans. For example, avian influenza, also known as the H5N1 bird flu, has run rampant across the U.S. in recent years.

Officials ordered the destruction of upwards of 150 million chickens. Approximately 20 million were laying hens, driving up the cost of eggs at the grocery store. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) indicated that more than 60 humans contracted H5N1, and one person died.

Biting and Stinging Insects

People who work outdoors are continually exposed to biting insects. While bees, hornets, and other stinging insects pose an allergic reaction, mosquitoes sometimes carry deadly diseases. In recent years, cases of Eastern Equine Encephalitis have ticked up, prompting municipalities to test mosquitoes for the virus.

Occupations Most Impacted by PPE Breaches

Of the occupations likely to experience a biohazard incident, people in the medical field assume the greatest risk. The CDC suggests that a high percentage of healthcare professionals come in contact with HIV, Hepatitis B and C through needle punctures.

Those are reasons why PPE breach safety for healthcare workers calls for stringent protocols and industry-leading disposable personal protective clothing and accessories. These rank among the other occupations that remain at risk of biohazard contact and PPE breaches.

  • Agricultural Workers: It may be a well-known fact that farmers and ranchers require PPE to shield them from pesticides, herbicides, and fertilizers that increase the risk of cancer and other ailments. Few outside the agricultural sector realize that livestock and stored foods also present biohazard dangers.

    Farmers and ranchers are routinely exposed to things such as bacteria, allergens, parasites, and viruses. There are also significant risks associated with decaying animals, plants, and excrement. From cleaning out a pigsty to hosing down chicken coups, and everything in between, the AG sector is risky.
  • Food Service Employees: Biohazards such as E.coli and Salmonella spread easily from hands to surfaces, making them an almost all-present health threat in food processing and service occupations. Raw meats, chickens, eggs, and even slightly tainted vegetables can be rife with bacteria and parasites.
  • Wastewater Treatment Staff: The risk of biohazards may be no more prevalent than in any sector than wastewater treatment facilities. The greywater and solids that make their way from residential and commercial toilets and drains are the epitome of a health threat.

    Wastewater treatment workers need PPE and disposable clothing to defend against E. coli, Salmonella, Legionella, Shigella, Hepatitis A, Giardia, roundworms, and fungi such as Aspergillus, to name a few.
  • Law Enforcement, Crime Scene Workers, and First Responders: These occupations also come into harm’s way when they respond to incidents and injuries. Puncture wounds from dirty needles, the presence of unknown biohazards, and blood-borne diseases make these occupations exceedingly dangerous. That’s why it’s critical to wear PPE and to know what to do in the event of a biohazard breach.

How to Manage Infection Control with PPE Breaches

The first step in managing infection control calls for conducting a hazardous material assessment. Knowing the more prevalent risks, and even those less likely to lead to exposure, allows workplace safety managers to create a cohesive response policy. Decision-makers are then tasked with determining suitable PPE, disposable clothing assets, and establishing a complete inventory.

A designated space to strip off street clothes and to wash and put on appropriate PPE minimizes the threat of cross-contamination. A doffing area must also offer access to post-shift washing and putting street clothes back on that is away from the contaminated PPE. These are items to consider when stockpiling biohazard-resistant PPE and disposable clothing.

  • Splash-Resistant Coveralls with Hoods
  • Gloves
  • Footwear Coverings
  • Lab Coats and Gowns
  • Respirators and Breathable Masks
  • Goggles and Face Shields

 

Biohazard PPE Breach Protocols and Safety Measures

In the event of a PPE biohazard breach, the organization would be wise to have mitigation and safety measures firmly in place.

  • Eyewash stations: If a worker has a potential biohazard splash into their eyes, immediately flushing it with water at a designated location is a must. Depending on the severity, it may be necessary for another worker to escort or guide the worker to the eyewash station to prevent additional injuries caused by tripping or slipping.
  • First Aid Kits: Puncture wounds and skin contact through the PPE typically call for a trained professional using a first aid kit to cleanse and bandage the wound, when appropriate. Promptly transport the affected worker to a medical facility. Conveying the type of biohazard to medical professionals will help them effectively treat any infection.
  • Double-Gloving: It’s often recommended that workers wear two layers of gloves, known as “double gloving”. This offers added protection from seepage or needle sticks. Some workers wear two different colored gloves—the contrasting colors allow them to quickly identify punctures or tears in the outer glove. In fact, double gloving can reduce exposure to bloodborne pathogens by up to 87%.
  • Layering of Protective Clothing: The use of lightweight, breathable layers of disposable protective clothing helps reduce seepage and offers an added layer of protection between the skin and biohazards. It’s common for medical professionals to wear disposable scrubs or aprons underneath their coveralls and/or work uniform.
  • Spill Kits and/or Emergency Clean-Up Crews: A wastewater spill or contamination site will also require clean-up crews to eliminate biohazards from the immediate area. Sometimes, harsh cleansing agents are employed to ensure the threat has been removed and staff members can resume work. These biohazard removal professionals will also need access to PPE and disposable personal clothing and accessories.