The protective actions for exposure prone employees and students are outlined in the Hazard Control Policy of the School (Appendix B) and detailed in the companion manual entitled, Hazard Control in the Dental Environment. A copy of the manual is available in the Office of Clinical Affairs (Room B-426) during normal business hours. A brief summary of these actions includes:

A. Use of Personal Protective Equipment

All students, faculty, and staff will use appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE), and mechanical protective devices or procedures to minimize skin contact with potentially infectious or contaminated materials. These precautions will be maintained during the treatment of patients or in laboratory procedures with items potentially contaminated with blood, saliva, or gingival fluids. Such equipment shall include the use of medical gloves, disposable face mask (or face shields), protective eyewear, and clinic attire. School-owned clinic attire is to be laundered by University-contracted services at University expense.

B. Personal Hygiene

All individuals with patient contact will adhere to high standards of personal hygiene and will dress in a clean, professional manner appropriate to the care provided. Strategies such as the following are to be routinely employed when engaged in patient care, or when handling potentially infectious items:

Hair shall be cleared away from the face, and should not contact the patient or area of operation. Facial hair shall be covered by a face mask or shield.
Jewelry shall not be worn on the hands during patient treatment. Necklaces with long chains, bracelets, and watches must be worn inside the clinic gown.
Fingernails must be clean and trimmed short.
Individuals with injured, cracked skin, or dermatitis should exercise particular caution and use appropriate barriers when treating patients until the lesions are healed.

Handwashing is mandatory before and after treatment (before and after changing gloves), or after handling items that may have been contaminated by patient contact, and when hands are obviously soiled. Handwashing is required also following toilet use, after contact with the hair, face, or glasses, before eating, and when gloves are torn prior to regloving.

C. Training in Disease Transmission and Infection Control

Faculty, students, and staff are to receive annual training in personal protection against bloodborne pathogens at University expense and during working hours as described in Section III above.

D. Immunization Management

All employees, volunteers, and students with occupational exposure to bloodborne pathogens are required to have the immunizations (and subsequent boosters) listed in Hazard Control in the Dental Environment. These immunizations will be provided by the University of Washington at no cost to the individual. Temporary health care workers who are employees of an employment service must provide certification by their employing agency that they are in compliance with the OSHA "Bloodborne Pathogens Standard" prior to engaging in activities which would expose them to an anticipated exposure to blood, saliva, or other infectious materials.

Hepatitis B vaccination shall be offered after the training in infection control and within 10 days of assignment to a position of occupational exposure without any prescreening as a prerequisite to qualify for the vaccination. Individuals may decline the vaccine by signing the informed refusal form below. However, signing such a refusal does not waive the individual's right to University-sponsored vaccinations if they change their mind in the future.

The Safety Coordinator will provide maintain copies of such refusal statements when appropriate as well as maintain immunization records of employees, volunteers, and students and notify them when they are due for booster vaccinations and TB testing as long as they are affiliated with the School of Dentistry.