CLINICAL LAB SCIENEC

CHAPTER 6: INTRODUCTION TO INFECTION CONTROL 153
Disposal and Decontamination
Decontamination of work areas, nondisposable equipment, and supplies should
be practiced on a daily basis. Students should be taught to properly and effectively
decontaminate work areas daily, as well as how to properly dispose of
biohazardous wastes and chemical hazards according to policies. Disposal of
these items must also be performed in a manner to protect sanitation workers
and other employees. Disposable equipment should be cleaned before disposal,
and contaminated waste materials should be properly stored and identified by
marking them before disposal. Needles and other sharps that may have come in
contact with blood are disposed of in rigid sharps containers. Needles should
never be recapped, bent, or broken before disposal as these activities often result
in an accidental needle stick or a cut from sharp objects, including glass. The
clipping or breaking of needles may also create aerosols or splatter, creating an
additional reason to not mechanically destroy needles. Even bed linen is handled
while wearing gloves and is transported in a linen cart that is closed and has a
protective cover that is impermeable to liquids.
Summary
Diseases that are caused by various organisms and that are transmitted
from person to person and from inanimate object to a person have been the
scourge of humanity throughout humans’ inhabitation of the earth. More
people have died of infection than by any other illness or injury, even including
the millions killed in wars. Organisms such as HBV and HIV (as well
as hepatitis C virus) are mainly transmitted through blood and other body
fluids. TB, which is the chief disease transmitted through airborne means, is
of vital and growing importance. All of these disease organisms are virulent
and are sufficiently contagious that they have specific government regulations
requiring training, the offering of immunization where possible, and preventive
practices designed to minimize the occurrences of infection by these
organisms. Of no less importance is the possibility of contracting other types
of disabling conditions through exposure to chemicals. Such exposure may
have severe health consequences.
A significant number of people working in scientific fields have contributed
to advances in protecting the entire populace from being unwittingly exposed
to dangerous pathogens and chemicals. Agencies of the federal government and
some state agencies have been organized to determine causes of disease outbreaks
and to provide research into the prevention of these diseases. Visitors
from foreign countries where immunization is not routinely performed may
require immunization for a number of diseases before they enter the country.
Local health departments are found in every state, and a chief focus is to
immunize or to facilitate the immunization of the entire population against diseases
that have a vaccine available. We now have immunization against HBV
and hepatitis A virus, but as of yet no effective vaccine exists for the AIDS virus
(HIV). Work practices and engineered practices are required to prevent the contraction
of a number of diseases and to protect health care workers, patients, and
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