2.11 Attachment 10 NAVAVSCOLSCOMINST 5100.1 Chapter 24 SAFETY AND OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH AND HIGH-RISK TRAINING SAFETY PROGRAMS.pdf

NAVAVSCOLSCOMINST 5100.1E

N7

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CHAPTER 24

INFECTION CONTROL PROGRAM

24.01 Background. An effective Infection Control (IC) Program is essential to reduce the occurrence of infections among students, staff, and visitors. This guidance will serve in promoting and accomplishing the following goals:

24.02 Purpose. The purpose of this program is to reduce risks of infections. This is accomplished by identifying, classifying, reporting, and investigating the circumstances of and recommending standards and procedures to reduce the transmission of infectious agents and improve the quality of life.

a. Prevention and control of infections through surveillance programs.

b. Use of proper work practices and exposure controls.

c. Uniform method of reporting occupational exposure and infection.

d. Training and orientation of staff members.

e. Dedicated cooperation and compliance by staff.

24.03 Action. All staff personnel shall familiarize themselves with the contents of this chapter and perform their duties accordingly. Pertinent information resulting from infection control inspections, surveillance programs or from outside sources (i.e. Center for Disease Control

(CDC)) must be disseminated and/or published for general staff interest or decimated at the next

GMT.

24.04 Policy.

a. The CSO/TSA will oversee the Infection Control Program and ensure compliance.

b. Department Heads/OICs will ensure that infection control policies and procedures are established for their departments. They will also develop and ensure compliance with departmental specific infection control policies and standard operating procedures.

c. All command personnel are responsible for the prevention, control, and reporting of communicable diseases.

24.05 Responsibilities.

a. Command Safety Officer/Training Safety Administrator. The CSO/TSA shall:

(1) Report all infection control trends and concerns to the CO, Department Heads/OICs, and DSRs.

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(2) Recommend and implement command policies and procedures relating to infection control.

(3) Provide health and infection control education to the DMRs as requested.

(4) Ensure any relevant new IC information is disseminated throughout the command.

(5) Review proposals for acquiring new products or equipment that may have an impact on infection control (i.e. cleaning products, soap dispensers, or rescue equipment).

(6) Review Navy directives and current medical and public health literature to keep current with new infection control policies, procedures, and trends.

(7) Ensure all departmental specific infection control procedures are in compliance with the guidelines set forth by higher authority and are updated annually. The Safety Officer must approve all revisions.

(8) Inform the CO via the Department Heads of all matters affecting infection control, including out-breaks or conditions which place students or staff at increased risk of acquiring infectious disease.

(9) Take immediate action when an events occur which clearly present a significant health risk to students or staff. The CSO/TSA is authorized to institute immediate control measures or to initiate an investigation as deemed appropriate. The CO and Department Head(s) will be notified immediately of actions taken or planned.

(10) Assist the DSR with the investigation. The investigation shall focus on identifying the suspected or confirmed infections and determine the most probable source and/or cause of the infection.

(11) Advise students and staff to report all complications or adverse results, including infections that may have occurred as a result of treatment they received here or at a Medical

Treatment Facility (MTF).

b. Department/Division Medical Representative.

(1) Monitor medical waste disposal, general cleanliness of command spaces, and other aspects of department sanitation.

(2) Contribute to staff education.

(a) Develop lesson plans for infection control education.

(b) Conduct training on infection control policies and procedures via orientation and in-service classes.

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(c) Ensure infection control-related classes are attended by all personnel at least annually and that attendance is documented in ESAMS.

(d) Ensure personnel responsible for conducting inspections are aware of the command infection control policies and their responsibility to report discrepancies to the CSO/TSA.

(e) Ensure any relevant new IC information is disseminated throughout their department.

(3) Inform the CSO/TSA via the Department Head(s) of all matters affecting infection control, including out-breaks or conditions which place students or staff at increased risk of acquiring an infectious disease.

(4) Take immediate action when an event occurs within their departments that clearly present a significant health risk to students or staff. The DMR is authorized to institute immediate control measures or to initiate an investigation as deemed appropriate. The CSO/TSA and Department Head(s) will be notified immediately of actions taken or planned.

(5) Investigate suspected or confirmed infections to determine the most probable source and/or cause.

(6) Advise students and staff to report all complications or adverse results, including infections that may have occurred as a result of treatment they received here or at a MTF.

24.06 Reportable Diseases. Reporting known or suspected communicable diseases or infections is essential to the success of preventative medicine and identifying the source and transmission of infection as well as preventing future occurrences.

24.07 Reporting Procedures. Command staff personnel shall promptly report all confirmed or suspected reportable diseases to the MTF, Preventive Medicine Department (PMD), and the

CSO/TSA, whether they originate in the command or community. Reporting such issues does not relieve staff personnel from initiating immediate infection control measures.

a. A Disease Alert Report, available from the CSO/TSA, shall be initiated by the individual identifying the necessity.

b. The CSO/TSA will relay reports to the MTF PMD who will contact the appropriate local and state agencies.

24.08 Immunizations and Periodic Medical Screening. The immunologic status of all students and staff must be determined and all susceptible personnel immunized, as appropriate. This includes obtaining an annual influenza vaccination and HIV screening. HBV requirements are outlined in Chapter 23 of this instruction.

24.09 Communicable Diseases Personnel. Students and staff who have a known communicable disease (carriers) or who have been exposed to communicable diseases, must report to a MTF for

24-4 medical evaluation. The MTF will determine their potential for transmission to others in the work environment and what, if any, restrictions, precautions, or additional testing is required based on the information provided by the employee and their medical record.

24.10 Miscellaneous Guidelines

a. Sterile Supplies

(1) Check all sterile medical supplies for expiration dates. Arrange these items so that items with the oldest expiration dates are used first.

(2) Examine prepackaged, sterilized medical supplies carefully before using them to ensure the integrity of the wrapper.

(3) Use sterile supplies (i.e. gloves and dressings) for general wound care.

b. Disposable Apparel and Supplies. Never reuse disposable apparel and supplies such as gloves, oxygen masks/tubing, or dressings.

c. Reusable Equipment

(1) Rinse soiled equipment in cold water. Wipe down with an EPA approved disinfectant.

(2) Clean stethoscope earpieces and diaphragms daily or more frequently, if necessary, with an EPA approved disinfectant. Wipe down the rubber hose and bulb of blood pressure cuff when soiled and launder cotton cuffs when they become dirty.

d. Respiratory Equipment

(1) Dismantle, clean and sterilize or disinfect bag valve mask, pocket masks, and portable suction units according to manufacturer’s instructions.

(2) Store bag valve mask/pocket masks in the original containers or in a clear plastic bag to prevent contamination. Place the date the bag valve mask/ pocket masks were sterilized or disinfected on the outside of the containers.

e. CPR Mannequins. Proper disinfection of the facial areas of these mannequins is essential to prevent communicable diseases from spreading from one student to another. Persons known to be infected with diseases transmitted through saliva will have their Basic Life Support (BLS) training deferred until the individual is no longer infectious, or proper arrangements can be made to test on a mannequin that will not be reused in training.

f. Housekeeping. Oversight for housekeeping is the responsibility of the building managers.

(1) Use only disinfectants and disinfectant detergents approved by the EPA and the Safety

Officer for disinfecting hard surfaces, such as floors, tables, equipment, etc. These products

24-5 must be used in strict conformance with the manufacturer’s instructions on the label and Chapter

8 of this instruction.

(2) Cleaning schedules and methods will vary according to the area, types of surfaces, and amount of soil. Each department will conduct a thorough field day to include floors, furniture, and all equipment in office spaces at a minimum of once a month. The cleaning schedule shall be in writing and available for inspection purposes.

(3) Vacuum carpets at least weekly to remove soil. If spills occur, clean the carpet accordingly. Shampooing of carpets must be conducted at least annually.

(4) Clean horizontal surfaces in student areas daily and whenever soiling or spills occur.

Change rinse water when dirty but not less than once for every three rooms cleaned. Cleaning should be accomplished from the least contaminated to the most contaminated area. All loose dirt and debris must be removed before washing or mopping.

(5) Launder mop heads at least weekly. Replace mop heads every other month.

(6) Clean vertical surfaces such as walls, curtains, and window blinds when soiled, but at least monthly.

(7) Use disposable cleaning cloths or sponges for cleaning furniture or equipment surfaces.

Cloths or sponges shall be laundered at least weekly. Dispose of cloths or sponges as required but at least every other month.

(8) Strip and wax floors at least twice per year.

(9) Line all office waste baskets with disposable bags and empty them when they become full, but not less than daily.

24.11 Infectious Waste. Due to the fact that activities usually do not produce items that are considered to be infectious waste, there is no program in place. If infectious waste is produced, it should be double-bagged in red biohazard bags and removed to a MTF for disposal. Gloves shall be worn at all times when handling infectious waste.