Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) is important in any setting where a worker may encounter bloodborne pathogens. Bloodborne pathogens are viruses that can be transmitted through the exchange of bodily fluids and cause diseases such as Hepatitis B, Hepatitis C, HIV/AIDS, and others. Transmission of these viruses can happen through direct contact with infected blood or other body fluids; therefore it’s important to use proper PPE when working around patients who may be contagious.
What are bloodborne pathogens?
Bloodborne pathogens are microorganisms that can be transmitted through contact with blood and other bodily fluids. The most common of these are HIV, hepatitis B virus (HBV), hepatitis C virus (HCV), and human T-lymphotropic virus 1 (HTLV-1).
HIV is a virus that causes AIDS when left untreated. If you contract HIV through a contaminated needle or other sharp object, it will take several weeks for symptoms to appear in your body due to how long it takes for the virus to enter your bloodstream. During this time period, it's possible for someone who has been exposed to the disease but has not yet developed antibodies against it--a sign of infection--to pass along their illness before realizing what happened or even knowing they were exposed themselves!
HBV causes inflammation of the liver as well as jaundice if left untreated; HCV can lead to liver cancer; HTLV-1 leads to leukemia or lymphoma if left untreated
Why is PPE important?
PPE is a must in any medical or industrial setting. It protects the wearer from bloodborne pathogens, which can be transmitted through contact with bodily fluids and/or infected sharps (hypodermic needles). When PPE is used correctly and consistently, it prevents transmission of bloodborne pathogens and helps to maintain safety practices that are critical parts of infection prevention and control.
Always wear PPE when in contact with a patient. This includes gloves, masks/face shields, shoe covers or boots if appropriate for your work environment, gowns if appropriate for your work environment (i.e., operating room), goggles/glasses/face shields when appropriate for your work environment (i.e., operating room), etcetera... Clean all PPE regularly by washing hands first and then disinfecting all items according to manufacturer instructions before reuse after each job change where there has been potential exposure risk associated with patient care activities performed during that time period; train people on the proper use of all types including glove selection based upon different task requirements so everyone knows how best suited their specific needs might be better served before making final decisions based upon individual preferences only; monitor equipment regularly for correct functioning using quality assurance protocols designed specifically for this purpose rather than relying solely upon intuition since intuition may lead one astray sometimes under pressure situations where mistakes could cost lives instead saving them."
What kind of PPE should I use?
The selection of PPE should be based on the hazards present in your workplace. The type of work you do will also influence which type and amount of protection is necessary. For example, if you're working with bloodborne pathogens that cause illnesses like hepatitis B or C, it's important to use gloves and face shields because these diseases can be transmitted by contact with body fluids such as blood and saliva. If there isn't a risk for these diseases being transmitted through airborne particles (for example), goggles may not be necessary for someone who wears contacts or glasses regularly at work---but it's still important to wear them when handling chemicals that could irritate eyesight!
There are two main types: chemical-resistant gloves (CRG) and barrier creams/lotions (BCL). Both offer different levels of protection against different hazards so make sure whichever one you choose matches up with what needs protecting most!
How do I clean and maintain my PPE?
There is no one-size-fits-all solution for cleaning and maintaining your PPE. The best way to ensure that you have the right gear for the job is to know what type of work environment you will be working in, which materials you will be handling, and how much time you have to clean and maintain your PPE after each use.
If you're not sure what type of material(s) are present at a particular site or job site location then we recommend using a registered disinfectant on all parts of the body protector prior to use (except those parts made from natural rubber). You should also wash hands thoroughly with soap after removing any part of the body protector for any reason other than eating or drinking."
Using Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) is a critical part of safety practices in any medical or industrial setting.
Personal protective equipment (PPE) is any equipment designed to protect the wearer against hazards. PPE can be used to protect against chemical, biological, radiological, and physical hazards. PPE must be selected based on the hazard and the task. For example:
- If you are working in an area where there is a risk of exposure to bloodborne pathogens (such as hepatitis B virus) then you should wear a pair of protective gloves when handling soiled material or cleaning up spills or splashes of blood/body fluids.
- You may also need to wear goggles if there's an increased risk that your eyes could be injured by flying debris when using power tools such as saws or grinders during construction projects at home; however, this isn't required by standards because these tools are not considered "tools" under those guidelines but rather "equipment" which means they don't require eye protection unless specifically stated otherwise (i..e., goggles cannot be worn over prescription glasses).
Conclusion
We hope that this article has helped you understand the importance of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) and how it can help protect against bloodborne pathogens. It is our job as medical professionals to ensure that our patients are safe from harm, but we also need to take care of ourselves so we don't get sick in the process!