Contact with Blood and Body Fluids - Post Incident Action

Splashes of blood or body fluids should be washed off the skin immediately, using soap and warm water.   Unless the skin is broken no further action will be required.

Where splashes come into contact with lips, mouth, nose or eyes, then the affected area should be washed with cold tap water or if not available an eye wash bottle – do not swallow the water.  If wearing contact lenses wash eye both before and after removing lenses.

PAM Assist have a specific Needlestick Helpline service (tel: 0330 660 0365) which offers 24/7 advice and guidance from a qualified nurse in the event of an injury and is available to all corporate services and schools which have bought the occupational health service from the Council.   Employees can call at any time to get information and reassurance, and can arrange appropriate support from initial blood tests to Hepatitis B vaccination and annual boosters, and also blood tests at 6, 12 and 24 weeks post incident (please note some of these may incur an additional charge to the service or school).  The helpline is an immediate source of advice and support for any sharps or needlestick injury, bite or scratch.

11.1 Further Action Post Incident 

If the Source is known to have a BBV, urgent medical advice should be sought by attending the local A&E department.

Advice can also be obtained from 

• Thames Valley Health Protection Team via: 0344 225 3861 of for out of hours urgent enquiries on 0844 967 0083. Or they can be contacts via email at:  via tvphec@phe.gov.uk. 
• The local infection control officer or on call virologist at the local hospital.

All available information on the source, the incident and the vaccination/immunisation status of the individual should be communicated to the clinician. This will enable a post exposure clinical assessment to be undertaken with the offer of passive immunity and treatment as appropriate to minimise the risk of infection. The window for these treatments is small (within 24 hours but ideally should start within an hour) hence the need for urgency. Incomplete information should not delay the seeking of advice/referral to A&E.

The BBV Status of the Source is unknown

• Further medical advice should be sought as described above.

If the Source is not known to have a BBV

• The risk is minimal but further medical advice should be obtained as described above to provide further reassurance for the individual.

Any of these incidents should also be reported using the normal Buckinghamshire Council internal accident report procedure via ASSESSNET. A report to the HSE under RIDDOR may also be required (the Health and Safety Team will advise on this once an internal report is received). The Manager is responsible for reviewing the risk assessment and safe systems of work following any incidents.

11.2     Types of Post Exposure Treatment

• Hepatitis B - Depending on risk assessment options are:
  
  - No Prophylaxis
  
  - Hepatitis B vaccine
  
  - Hepatitis B vaccine plus HB immunoglobulin
  

• Hepatitis C – monitoring for 6 months and if evidence of infection anti-viral therapy will be offered.

• HIV – post exposure prophylaxis – a regime of 3 anti-HIV drugs taken for 4 weeks and monitoring.
• * prophylaxis - treatment given or action taken to prevent disease