The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) disseminated the Occupational Exposure to Bloodborne Pathogens standard due to a significant health risk associated with exposure to viruses and other microorganisms that cause bloodborne diseases. "Bloodborne pathogens are infectious microorganisms present in blood that can cause disease in humans. These pathogens include, but are not limited to, hepatitis B virus (HBV), hepatitis C virus (HCV), and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), the virus that causes AIDS. Workers exposed to bloodborne pathogens are at risk for serious or life-threatening illnesses"

The standard sets forth requirements by OSHA for employers with workers bloodborne pathogens in order to reduce or eliminate the hazards of occupational exposure. The steps of importance are to ensure safety and proper cleaning of exposure to viruses and other microorganisms that cause bloodborne diseases. 

One step is an employer must identify and ensure the implementation of work practice controls. An exposure control plan for the worksite are practices that reduce the possibility of exposure by changing the way a task is performed, such as appropriate practices for handling and disposing of contaminated sharps, handling specimens, handling laundry, and cleaning contaminated surfaces and other materials. This type of control also ensures the use of personal protective clothing and equipment, provide training , medical surveillance, hepatitis B vaccinations, and signs and labels, among other provisions. 

Another step is to identify and use engineering controls which are devices that isolate or remove an employee exposure to bloodborne pathogens hazardous at the workplace. They include sharp disposal containers, self_sheathing needles,such as sharp-injury protection and needles systems, and the use of safer medical devices, such as needleless devices, shielded needle devices, and plastic capillary tubes.

The third step is an employee is provided with the appropriate exposure to bloodborne pathogens and other microorganisms that cause bloodborne diseases. The personal protective equipment (PPE) requires  safety items, such as gloves, gowns, eye protection, and masks. Employers must clean, repair, and replace this equipment as needed. Provision, maintenance, repair and replacement are at no cost to the work.

Frances Kelly

Apply The Pressure LLC 

While being a janitorial worker may be a dirty job, it must also be a safe one.  It is important for janitorial workers to know about the safety precautions of being exposed to Bloodborne Pathogens.  These precautions include wearing protective gear, cleaning surfaces and disposing of contaminated items properly.

All workers must wear gloves when working in medical offices to limit the probability of exposure to bodily fluids.  Workers must be sure not to avoid cross contamination by changing their gloves frequently.  It is also important for workers to know the proper way to take the gloves off, which is to avoid touching the edge and folding them within each other. The workers should also avoid splashing and slinging of any hazardous materials, to avoid spreading contamination.

It is important that workers know that in order to clean surfaces that have been contaminated you must use a cleaning product that contains 1 part bleach to 9 parts water.  This solution should be on the surface for at least 20 minutes and then wiped up the remaining solution.  Workers must know the importance of cleaning and disinfecting mops and mop buckets, as this is a means to avoid transference.

The last and possibly the most import step is the disposal of hazardous materials.  It is important for workers to know that they cannot just thought hazardous materials in the trash.  These items must be disposed of in a red or orange biohazard bag.  Workers must also remember to NEVER compress these bags, as it may expose them or others to bloodborne pathogens either by contaminated syringes or broken glass.

By following these simple steps, janitorial workers will do their part to ensure a safer work environment and a clean environment for the customers.

It’s  important  to know the major role that the cleaning staff play in keeping themselves safe and the people they provide services for when dealing with bloodborne pathogens. Cleaning staff are in contact almost on a daily basis with a variety of viruses contained in blood and other body fluids.

A safe workplace should be  one of the top priorities of any business that provides cleaning services to clients.Proper training of cleaning personnel it’s an investment in itself ,because a well trained personnel not only protect themselves and others, but also it lowers accidents,injuries, and days lost of work.

Since staff of a cleaning services are the ones in the frontlines dealing with bloodborne, cleaning and disinfecting surfaces,it’s imperative to train them properly how to use personal protective equipment,how to follow the Universal Precautions as established by OSHA.

  I believe cleaning medical facilities take the highest priority in the cleaning field, because of the level of sensitivity involved. your dealing with the direct health of people who are already in a compromised state. So it makes sense for these cleaning practices to be used in residential and commercial cleaning situations.

  Residential cleaning should be done with the same importance as medical facilities and in so doing we may cut down on the millions of cases of the flu which was estimated to around 35 million last year, by targeting the common areas of a residential home with the same procedures as a medical facility we probably could cut those numbers down drastically. and why not being that children could be safer from transmittable infections.

  Commercial cleaning the same, a big part of our economy is based in Corporate America. We would be better off to protect commercial facilities from harmful bacteria and germs, by following the medical facilities model, keeping these places germ and bacteria free is the future, we can't afford to lose a whole commercial building staff to infections that we can prevent by using the universal practices for healthcare facilities.

  In closing, The universal precautions protective practices is the future. With new germs and viruses emerging everyday the cleaning healthcare facilities model makes the most sense to follow. These practices transfer over to residential and commercial areas without issue. These procedures could undoubtedly impact the world in a positive way. so lets make this a safer world by using the universal precautions and practices and our PPE and make the world a safer place. for professional cleaning services please checkout the IJCSA.com website

  There're three major reasons to keep healthcare facilities clean, they're for the patients and the staff, and yourself. keeping healthcare facilities clean is very important. No one wants to get sick, but if you find yourself sick and need to go to a healthcare facility it should be clean to the highest levels.

  The patients, the patients have come to the facility in a very vulnerable condition, and they're trusting that they won't get sicker because the facility is not properly cleaned. Viruses and bacteria are present everywhere and must be properly disposed of, so the patient can return to a normal life without added complications.

  The Staff, the staff is probably the most important aspect of the healthcare facility, the staff is essential for the success of any healthcare facility, they treat and cater to every patient that comes to the facility, they must also be protected from harmful viruses and bacteria, their jobs encompass the care and well being of the patients, so the facility must be kept clean so they can do their jobs properly.

  Yourself, the cleaner is just as important as anyone mentioned in the former, though it is your job to keep the healthcare facility clean you are just as valuable to the success of the facility, that's why its important for you to keep your PPE on at all times, and follow universal safety measures, and follow your daily guide to clean the facility. please check out the IJCSA for professional help to service your facility.

Bloodborne pathogens are found in the human blood and other body fluids.  Facility employees such as janitors, housekeepers, or custodians,may be at risk of exposure to blood and other body fluids in the workplace. If not treated properly , exposure can lead to serious illness if not sometimes death . This is why we discuss why it is important to have a proper knowledge and practice on health and safety regarding cleanliness & blood pathogens .

Exposure to bloodborne pathogens mostly comes from the mucus membrane , or in other words through the mouth airways and nose airways . This means that if exposed , you can possibly be at risk simply by eating or drinking in the contaminated environment . Jobs like school custodians , hospital janitors , can be the  most risk considering all the possibilities that can be present such as : a school fight , an accidental slip that lead to injuries , a sick student , all of these are scenarios to take caution and act accordingly .  Result of not taking proper action can lead to severe illness such as hepatitis b (hbv) or HIV. 

So what can you do as an employee to take caution & act responsibly to any of these scenarios  ? First , you can put up proper signs and posts to inform others around that it is a hazardous area . Secondly there are safety practices that you should take such as protective equipment such as goggles , mask , gloves, all to reduce the risk of being infected . Lastly , washing the area thoroughly with soap and water , disinfect the area  removing any item if any that may be infected and segregate it in its own place , making sure that the exposure stops with you .

The definition of great customer service is an IJCSA Member. Members of the IJCSA all exemplify what is takes to deliver great customer service. That service starts with putting clients and customers first. This means that everything that we as IJCSA members do is to serve our clients better. We know that our success is based on serving all of the clients needs because they are the lifeblood of our companies. 

IJCSA Members make sure customer service is the number one priority because without clients we have no livelihood. IJCSA members truly care about delivering the best cleaning and sanitation service to our customers while at the same time making sure that we keep the lines of communication open. This is important to customer service because clients can be the best resource in making any business better by listening to their feedback and this is something that all IJCSA members do. https://www.ijcsa.org/Find-A-Cleaning-Service-Janitorial-Service 

Janitors and janitorial staff play a huge role in our daily lives by providing a healthy environment by preventing the spread of pathogens, improving indoor air quality, and maintaining an appealing environment. Cleaning is vital to public health and being safe in facilities.  However, janitors get a bad view from people they work for and even people they work with because it’s a cleaning profession.  You’re cleaning up behind people that don’t have the time to clean or it’s just too much to clean, so they hire you to do the cleaning.

There are companies of all sizes who rely on janitorial services to keep workplaces clean, orderly and, perhaps most importantly, properly disinfected and sanitized. Often duties might include mopping floors, wiping down surfaces, removing trash, cleaning carpets and a few other jobs that would not take up a lot of time, but its imperative the jobs are done for safety issues. Some janitorial companies even help with minor repairs and maintaining some of the building’s exterior features, like sidewalks and walkways.

According to statics, janitorial workers experience one of the highest rates of work-related asthma, twice the rate than other workers, stated by an article published by the American Journal of Industrial Medicine. There’s also a host of other dangers that could come from mixing the wrong elements, the increased likelihood of slip-and-fall injuries, not to mention the potential impact on public health if the job is not done right. In spite all of these risks, janitors and janitor staff play a huge role in protecting the health of building residents. They prevent the spread of illness and infection, control indoor air quality, and protect the indoor environment. 

As a member of the IJCSA we strive to give our customers the best care possible not just satisfaction but over all contentedness with the services we provide our customer at IJCSA is our #1 priority.

Fulfilling our customers needs and desires not only brings peace of mind to our customers but, to the company as a well. Our customer service is trustworthy and we are here to ensure satisfaction. We go together hand and hand. So we strive to give all of our customers the respect and happiness they deserve.   

Knowledge of bloodborne pathogens in the cleaning industry today is crucial to keeping each employee safe. By knowing the threat that these pathogens hold, they can be sure to take greater caution when implementing cleaning strategies in the work field. This knowledge heightens the level of caution of employees through awareness of the effects that bloodborne pathogens have on the human body. Furthermore, employees can also learn how to properly deal with the threat of bloodborne pathogens and how to avoid from contaminating themselves and others.

Being aware of bloodborne pathogens also has a distinct effect on the safety of others. If a cleaning job is not done correctly, those who enter the building being cleaned may be physically affected. It can easily become an issue of life and death. Bloodborne pathogens can take a toll on an individual's body, especially in the hospital setting. Danger level increases when proper cleaning methods are not taken to prevent infection. Therefore, keeping others safe, including fellow employees, can be possible through the knowledge of these pathogens.

If proper safety precautions against bloodborne pathogens are not taken, it can effect the reputation of the company that a cleaner is working for. The staff is an important part of a company. If the cleaner takes improper measures of cleaning, there becomes a risk of endangering people's lives. This evidently reflects on the overall company. If someone is hurt because of an unclean space, it can spell out severe legal consequences to the company and the cleaner. Knowing the dangers of bloodborne pathogens would help to prevent this from happening.