Infection Control and Prevention in the Workplace
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What are example awareness raising activities for infection control and prevention?Distribute credible information on your workplace wellness bulletin boards, e-blasts or intranet such as:
- Information about adult immunizations against tetantus, diphtheria, shingles, and pneumococcal disease from the Ontario Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care
- Posters and videos on hand hygiene from Infection Prevention and Control Canada
- Posters, factsheets, videos on the flu from the Government of Canada
- Posters on cold and flu from the Public Services Health & Safety Association
- Tips to avoid getting sick from the Windsor-Essex County Health Unit
Resources to promote:
- Sexual and Reproductive Health Awareness Week (Feb 11-15)
- World Tuberculosis Day (March 24)
- World Hand Hygiene Day (May 6, 2019)
- World Hepatitis Day (July 28)
- Infection Control Week from Infection Prevention and Control Canada (3rd week in October)
What are example education and skill-building activities for infection control and prevention?Host a Lunch & Learn, education session, or training on:
- Hand hygiene and respiratory etiquette. A “Germ Glow” kit can be purchased for demonstration on how easily germs are passed from person to person.
- Use of personal protective equipment
- Safe food handling
- Preventing diseases relevant to the workplace (i.e., Lyme Disease and West Nile Virus for outdoor workers, or cholera and hepatitis A and B for workers travelling to endemic countries)
- Diseases prevented by immunizations
Host an archived Healthy at Work webinar from the Windsor-Essex County Health Unit:
Conduct hand hygiene audits.
What are example environmental supports for infection control and prevention?- Host an onsite flu clinic in the fall. Contact cdip@wechu.org call 519-258-2146 ext. 3200 for a list of possible flu clinic providers.
- Offer paid personal time for employees to receive their flu vaccine at a local pharmacy or clinic.
- Offer paid sick leave to reduce the spread of illness.
- Encourage employees to take sick leave if exhibiting the following symptoms: fever, cough, diarrhea, and vomiting.
- Eliminate the need for employees to supply employers with a doctor’s note after taking sick time
- Place hand-washing stations and signs throughout your workplace.
- Supply alcohol-based hand sanitizer at workstations.
- Supply hand lotion to employees to help maintain skin integrity.
- Supply disinfectant wipes throughout workplace to allow employees to clean surfaces as they become contaminated.
- Ensure adequate environmental cleaning products are used for high touch surfaces.
- Provide sharps containers for safe needle disposal.
- Provide open topped waste bins to allow for the discarding of waste without touching the bin.
- Provide a refrigerator specifically for employee lunches and snacks.
- Provide personal protective equipment as appropriate, especially in First Aid Kits.
- Provide disposable gloves as appropriate, especially for those who handle food.
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Refer workers to community resources for immunizations if travel is required for work.
What are example supportive policies for infection control and prevention?Infection Prevention and Control Policy to assign an individual or team to identify and respond concerns.
Influenza Immunization Policy
Immunization Policy to determine what immunizations are recommended as a condition of employment for new employees.
Employee TB Screening Policy
Post-Exposure to Blood and Bodily Fluids Policy
Needle Safety Policy
Workplace Environmental Cleaning Policy