Exposure to potential bloodborne pathogens

Anyone exposed to blood, saliva, or other body fluids visibly contaminated with blood are at risk. Some people are at higher risk of being exposed, such as first responders and health care workers. People can be exposed to bloodborne pathogens through many different ways, such as:

• When blood or body fluid from one person enters the body of another person (e.g., someone’s blood splashes into someone else’s mouth, a human bite that breaks the skin); or
• When an object contaminated with blood or body fluid enters into another person’s body (e.g., getting stuck by a used needle).

• Practice good hand hygiene. Wash your hands with soap and water for at least 15 seconds.
• Your skin is a barrier against germs. Protect your skin by keeping it well moisturized. Cover up cuts or wounds.
• Wear the proper personal protection equipment, such as gloves, if there is a chance that you may be exposed to blood or body fluids. Clean and disinfect all equipment and work surfaces soiled by blood or body fluids. Follow your workplace policies and procedures.
• Dispose of sharps properly and carefully in sharps containers. Follow your workplace policies and procedures.
• Do not share personal objects, such as razors, water bottles, needles, or other drug-related equipment.
• Get vaccinated. Make sure you are up-to-date with your hepatitis B vaccinations.
• Practice safer sex and use condoms and/or dental dams.
• Prior to travelling, visit a travel health clinic or your primary health care provider to assess your risk and get education about how to prevent exposure.
• Ask your doctor or nurse practitioner to assess your current risk for exposure and see if you require screening tests for bloodborne infections.

• In addition to caring for your wound, the emergency department staff will take your blood to be tested for HIV, hepatitis B, and hepatitis C as a baseline. If you are infected, it may take time for it to show in the blood. Baseline blood work tells you if you have had these infections before the injury and determines if you are already protected from Hepatitis B. It also helps you with any future claims for compensation if this exposure was related to your work. Not doing this baseline blood work may jeopardize any future claims. Your family doctor may obtain these results by calling the main Public Health Laboratory or request it from the hospital’s records management department.
• The emergency department staff will assess whether you need treatment or preventative measures.
• If you are eligible for the Mandatory Blood Testing Act [4], make sure to inform the health care provider that you would like to apply for the Act and ask that they complete the necessary forms (see below).
• If the exposure occurred while you were working, the health care provider will also help you fill Workplace Safety and Insurance Board (WSIB) forms [5].