Bloodborne Pathogen Program

BLOODBORNE PATHOGEN PROGRAM

 

Imagine this scenario: At your car wash, an employee is cleaning the industrial vacuums while another is detailing the interior of a vehicle. One receives a cut from a needle, or some other sharp object, causing the other to rush to their aid. Are the injured worker and the person coming to their aid aware of the procedures in place to protect them from contracting an infectious disease? Are there even written procedures available? If not, your business is in violation of the OSHA standard for Bloodborne Pathogens 29 CRF 1910.1030.

Your wash’s documented procedures should establish a minimum set of rules to prevent exposure to bloodborne pathogens whenever an incident arises that may expose a worker to an unknown infection. They must also outline your company’s policy regarding who is authorized to respond to an incident where there might be exposure to a potentially infectious condition.

Bloodborne pathogens are defined as pathogenic microorganisms that are present in human blood and can cause disease. Two well-known examples are HIV and Hepatitis B. Bodily fluids are also included in this category since it is not always visibly possible to determine if there is the presence of contaminated blood.

OSHA requires that employers provide a written policy, acting as a communication of hazards, to every employee. Here are a few guidelines regarding the process:

• Provide the policy when an employee first begins their job
• Update the procedures whenever changes occur
• Provide the written policy annually
• Write the policy in terms and languages appropriate for comprehension from all employees
• Make the Hepatitis B vaccine, as well as any appropriate medication associated with the disease, available to all employees. Include an option for any employee to opt out of this offer
• A free post-exposure evaluation must be offered to employees
• Perform a hazard assessment survey for the jobs where a bloodborne pathogen exposure may exist. Any PPE that is required as a result of this study must be made available to the employees. PPE must be usable and accessible to all employees. Make sure the equipment can be safely cleaned, or disposed of, and are replaced immediately when found to be unusable. Provide clear direction on how to safely dispose of any contaminated equipment and create a procedure to ensure the PPE has been properly removed from the site
• Include an exposure control plan
• Provide a specific training program
• Develop an acceptance and declination form for Hepatitis B vaccinations and keep a copy on file.

If this seems like an overwhelming task to implement, there are a few free programs out there that offer training and can be a big assist to developing what you need.  Don’t delay, add this to your safety plan now!

Remember: A Safe Wash Protects People and Profits!

Choosing Chemicals Can Be a Deadly Decision

Choosing Chemicals Can Be a Deadly Decision

 

On August 21, 2015, the CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) reported that “exposure to hydrofluoric acid (HF) causes corrosive chemical burns and potentially fatal systemic toxicity.” They referred to examples in Washington State where “during 2001-2013 there was a fatality associated with a truck wash worker who ingested the substance, along with 48 occupational cases. Among those injured, seven were hospitalized, two required surgery.”

Is this information really significant for car washers? Here are some of the headlines that were circulating a few days after the report was released:

·    The NY Times - Car wash chemical dangerous to workers

·    The Spokesman-Review - Car wash chemical a danger to workers

·    Kurt Niland - CDC finds High Rate Of Chemical burns Among Carwash Workers

·    Business Examiner Media Group - Workers burned by car wash chemicals

There is a common theme in all of these headlines; they all refer to car washes! However, if you read the report, it also names truck drivers, auto detailers and truck washes. But what industry did the media pick up on? Car washes.

Most of us know this is not a new topic. Much has been written over the years about HF and ABF (Ammonium bifluoride). Both of these chemicals are very dangerous, causing many car wash owners to discontinue using these products. Unfortunately these chemicals still exists in the industry for cleaning wheels and tunnel walls.

Here are a few reminders of what to be aware of when handling these products:

·    Skin contact is often undetected until after the injury has occurred, since the chemicals tend to penetrate the skin quickly and attacks the bones. This delays any sense of pain, giving the effected worker the illusion that nothing is wrong.  By the time they feel the consequences of being exposed to the chemical, the damage has already occurred.

·    If HF is used in a spray form, it can be accidently ingested and can cause internal burns.

·    An alert circulated by the Oregon OSHA division in May of 2013 stated that “an HF burn covering less than two percent of your body can kill you.”

There are a few precautions you can take if you are using HF or similar chemicals:

·    Train all employees regarding the hazards associated with these chemicals

·    Wear goggles and face shields (not glasses)

·    Wear an apron approved for use with corrosive chemicals

·    Wear neoprene and nitrile gloves

·    Wear appropriate shoes (no sneakers)

·    Use engineering and administrative controls to limit exposure

·    Consider using equally effective alternative products for HF and ABF

Some first aid ideas if someone comes in contact with these chemicals:

·         In the event an employee’s skin is exposed, immediately apply 15 minutes of continuous water flow to the affected area.

·         As soon as possible, transport the exposed employee to a medical facility. Be sure to take a copy of the MSDS/SDS document with you.

·         If you have a trained first aid person available, they should apply calcium gluconate gel for skin burns. This should help limit the tissue damage. If the injury is eye related, they can also apply sterile one percent calcium gluconate in saline drops.

After reading this blog, many may believe that they don’t have this exposure. I implore you to be sure you read every chemical label to be sure you know exactly what you’re up against. Some years ago, I did a survey at a car wash and found an unmarked pail sitting in the car wash tunnel. The manager explained that they used this cleaner for the wash tunnel walls. We found the original pail that the chemical came from and it was labeled simply, wall cleaner. After reading the label more carefully we learned it had HF as an ingredient. The manager was shocked!

There is no doubt that these chemicals are great cleaning products at the wash. They’re also the most deadly! Don’t sacrifice your employees’ safety; make the smart decision and look for alternatives. Finally, be sure to read all chemical labels and avoid unwelcomed surprises. Your chemical suppliers are a great reference, make sure you use them!

For reference, these are the new pictograms you should be looking out for:

Remember, A Safe Wash Protects People and Profits!

ENFORCEMENT PRACTICES FOR 

EMPLOYEES  

OSHA defines personal protective equipment as equipment worn to minimize exposure to serious workplace injuries and illnesses. These injuries and illnesses may result from contact with chemical, radiological, physical, electrical, mechanical, or other workplace hazards. Personal protective equipment may include items such as gloves, safety glasses and shoes, earplugs, etc.

With that said, as the saying goes, "you can lead the horse to water, but you can't make him drink" So, the question is, you can provide the items needed to protect the employee, but how do you make them use it? OSHA requires more than availability.

There was an interesting article in Safety/NewsAlert titled "Is it enough to provide safety gear, or do you have to make 'em use it"? Article Link Even though this pertained to a workers compensation case, it raises a good question that I believe every operator should ask themselves. What do I do to promote the use of the devices that will keep my employees safe?

 The following are some ideas that should be part of your list:

• Are employees held accountable for not using protective equipment? How severe should the punishment be? Termination?
• How easy do you make it to find the equipment you want them to use? Are they in a properly labeled container in close proximity of the hazard?
  

  
• Do you train the employees to understand the risks of not using the protection and show them how and when to use it?
• Do you have written policies regarding the company's expectation for using the safety equipment?
• Is the equipment clean and comfortable to use?
• Do you have a maintenance plan to keep the equipment in good working condition?
• Did you assign a person to monitor a personal protection program? Are you aware of how effective it is?
• Do you use signage to warn employees of the hazards and advise them what equipment to use? Are the signs readable and in the proper language?
  

  

  
  
• Do you encourage employees to report unsafe conditions that would require protection equipment? (Front line eyes & ears)

Car wash tunnels and especially equipment rooms are usually the areas that pose the most serious threats to your employee's well-being. This makes the use of personal protection equipment by your employee one of the most important aspects of any safety program. At a minimum, these questions should become a checklist along with any additional ideas you may have to engage the staff to use these devices.

Keep in mind, as employers, there are at least two reasons compliance is critical to your business. First, if an employee is hurt and depending on the severity of an injury, OSHA may elect to levy fines for what they may consider non-compliance with the intent of the regulation. Secondly, even more importantly, an injured worker will cost your company a great deal of time and money. Begin today!

For additional information on personal protection equipment, please visit the following links to car wash safety 101.
Link 1
Link 2

Let us know what questions you would add to our list.

Remember, a safe wash protects people and profits!






A few notes about OSHA requirements:

1. If you are using compressed air for cleaning purposes, the P.S.I. must be less than 30 to be OSHA compliant.
2. Eye wash stations - each area in the wash where employees are exposed to injurious corrosive materials must have suitable facilities for drenching or flushing of eyes or body parts available.  To comply install an eye wash station and shower.  Also keep in mind that OSHA requires 15 minutes of continuous water to meet their guidelines.
3. Circuit breakers must be marked to indicate their purpose.
4. Employers must develop and implement lock out procedures for employees that are repairing, servicing and performing maintenance on the car washing machinery. This means that locks, tags, chains, wedges, key blocks, adapter pins, self locking fasteners or any other hardware needed for isolating, securing or locking machines or equipment from their energy sources must be provided by the employer .

OSHA Reminder - By December 2013 all employees must be trained on the new safety data sheets.

Personal Protective Equipment Basics - Part 2

Many of you may remember a few years ago when a young female employee lost her fingers due to exposure to HF (Hydrofluoric Acid). In this particular instance the accident occurred because the acid was already inside the glove via transfer spillage. The point is, having the right protection is only part of the preventive measures necessary for safety. Keep this in mind as you review the items listed below.

Hand Protection: The one thing to remember with gloves is there is no one glove that provides protection for every type of hazard. Knowing both the hazard you are guarding against, and the type of protection required ensures you will properly protect your hands in all circumstances. Most gloves are designed for a specific hazard or task.

Gloves used for chemical protection are not good for general tasks or with every type of chemical. Just because a glove is right for one type of chemical doesn’t mean it is good with every chemical. It is important to match the right glove to the right chemical.

General work gloves, such as leather gloves, are good for protection against cuts, slivers and blisters, but won’t protect against electrical shock or chemical exposure. Leather gloves are good when handling rough work or material.

Cut-resistant gloves are designed to improve the employee’s grip when holding oily metal parts and to protect hands against metal burrs or other cut hazards. They won’t provide protection against corrosive chemicals.

The important thing to remember about gloves is there is no one glove that will guard against every hazard. Depending on your job, you may need more than one pair of gloves to guard against different types of hazards.

Eye and Face Protection: Eye and face protective equipment provides the user with good protection when worn properly. When equipment doesn’t fit well, it will not provide proper protection and may cause a greater hazard. Adjust all safety equipment to your size so it fits properly and will protect you. Safety glasses must have side shields that are mounted to the frame. The glasses themselves should be adjusted so they fit properly around your ears and on your nose so they don’t keep sliding down. Face shields provide protection for the whole face where glasses only protect the eyes. They have adjustment ratchets on the headband that must be adjusted to the individual user’s head. Goggles provide good protection for eyes against dusts and mists. They should be adjusted properly so they fit snug on your face and there are no gaps between the goggle and your face. Vented goggles help to prevent goggles from fogging up in warm locations.

Foot Protection: Obviously the slip and fall hazard around carwashes is substantial. Be sure that all employees footwear is designed for best traction in a wet environment. Keep in mind that shoes can loose their traction value with wear and even though they look acceptable they may not be.


Summary
There are many different types of personal protective equipment that will help keep you safe. Make sure you are always wearing the right equipment for the right job. Make sure all the equipment is adjusted properly and that you keep all the protective equipment clean. Never use any equipment that is broken or is not working properly. Damaged protective equipment provides no protection at all.