Biological hazard

Biological hazards (biohazards) present the Occupational Health and Safety (OHS)
professional with complex challenges. Many and varied biohazards may result from
workplace exposure to organisms, or substances produced by organisms, that threaten
human health. Although workers in health and community care, and agricultural and
fishing occupations are at particular risk of exposure to hazardous biological agents, all
workplaces harbour the potential for various forms of biohazard exposure, including
person-to-person transmission of infectious disease. While prevention and management of
biohazards is often the responsibility of occupational or public health personnel, the
generalist OHS professional should have an understanding of biohazards and their
mechanisms of action, and the importance of vigilance and standard control measures.
Armed with this knowledge, the generalist OHS professional can work with occupational
health personnel to develop and implement bio hazard prevention and mitigation strategies.

1. Institute of Health faculty of Public health Schools of Environmental health Seminar presentation on Occupational Biohazards By : Mohammedgezali I. Jimma , Ethiopia May,2019

2. OUT LINES 2 Introduction Determinants of infections Chain of disease occurrence Some occupational infection Blood born pathogens Air born pathogens Food born pathogens Water born pathogens Evaluation and risk assessments of exposure Control measures

3. Biological Hazards biohazards encompass biological substances including microorganisms, Plants toxins , or invertebrate animals medical waste, or samples of body tissues or fluids from a biological source, depending on the nature of the occupation, workers also may be at risk of harm from vertebrates biological agents capable of creating a hazard to human health

4. 4 Biological hazards Biological agents are classified into risk groups, according to their level of risk of infection: group 1 = unlikely to cause human disease; group 2 = can cause human disease and might be a hazard to workers; it is unlikely to spread to the community; there is usually effective prophylaxis or treatment available; group 3 = can cause severe human disease and present a serious hazard to workers; it may present a risk of spreading to the community, but there is usually effective prophylaxis or treatment available; group 4 = causes severe human disease and is a serious hazard to workers; it may present a high risk of spreading to the community; there is usually no effective prophylaxis or treatment available.

5. Classification of Biohazards Microorganisms Examples: viruses, bacteria, fungi, protozoa, algae Reactions: infection, exposure, allergic reactions Arthropods Examples: crustaceans, arachnids, insects Reactions: skin inflammation, allergic reactions, systemic intoxication, transmission of infectious agents Allergens Examples: from higher plants Reactions: Dermatitis, rhinitis, asthma Protein Allergens Examples: vertebrate animals (urine, feces, hair, saliva, dander) Reactions: allergic reactions Parasites Examples: ticks, hookworms, pinworms Reactions: skin reaction, inflammatory response, allergic reaction

6. Factors affecting infection and exposure Modes of transmission : is vital to breaking the infection cycle. Contact (direct/indirect, zoonotic); vector-borne, airborne Routes of entry Infectious dose (infective dose) Number of microorganism Viability and virulence of agent Viability - Ability to replicate Virulence – Ability to cause disease Host susceptibility Skin disorders, immune system, vaccination allergy , work practices

7. For illness to occur….. The agent must be pathogenic. There must be a reservoir of sufficient number. The agent must escape the reservoir. The organism must be able to move through the environment. There must be a portal of entry for the host. The host must be susceptible to the agent.

8. Who are at risk of biological hazards Employees could come into contact with infectious as a result of the kind of work they do Employees who are most at risk from biological   hazards include health care workers. animal breeding facilities and veterinarians Agriculture and food industry workers   municipal sanitation participants sewage system operators .   animal and plant products handlers 8

9. Blood borne Pathogens Pathogenic organisms that are present in human blood, and Can cause disease in humans Includes but not limited to: Hepatitis A virus (HAV ) Hepatitis B virus (HBV) Hepatitis C virus (HCV) Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) Some occupational infections

10. Employees Potentially At Risk Physicians and surgeons Nurses Phlebotomists Medical examiners Dentists and dental workers Some laundry and housekeeping employees Clinical/diagnostic laboratory workers Medical technologists Nursing home personnel Dialysis personnel Food handlers Sewage workers

11. Airborne pathogen are pathogenic microbes small enough to be discharged from an infected person via coughing, sneezing, laughing and close personal contact or aerosolization of the microbe . The discharged microbes remain suspended in the air on dust particles, respiratory and water droplets. Illness is caused when the microbe is inhaled or contacts mucus membranes or when secretions remaining on a surface are touched.

12. Airborne Pathogens Meningitis Influenza Pneumonia Tuberculosis Precautions for tuberculosis also lower the risk for other airborne pathogens 4- 12 Spread by inhaling the germ Coughing or sneezing tiny droplets of moisture into the air containing pathogens Pathogens can remain airborne for several hours Pathologist Postmortem room personnel Agriculture workers Veterinary staff Health care workers

13. Food borne pathogens The food involved is usually contaminated with a disease pathogen or toxicant Such food contains enough pathogens or toxicant necessary to make a person sick. Food borne diseases (FBD) are acute illnesses associated with the recent consumption of food Food borne diseases are classified into: Food borne infections and Food borne intoxications

14. Food borne infections Food borne infections are caused by the entrance of pathogenic microorganisms contaminating food into the body , and the reaction of the body tissues to their presence. These can either be fungal, bacterial, viral or parasitic Food borne infections tend to have long incubation periods and are usually characterized by fever

15. Food Borne Infections cont.. Bacterial food borne infections include Cholera, salmonellosis, typhoid fever, shigellosis, Yersiniosis Escherichia coli infection Campylobacteriosis , Vibrio parahemolyticus and Listeriosis Mycotic food borne infections include Candida spp., Sporothrix spp., Wangiella spp. etc ), Viral food borne infections include hepatitis A , Norwak virus and poliomyelitis virus

16. FOOD BORNE INTOXICATIONS These are diseases caused by consumption of food containing: Biotoxicants which are found in tissues of certain plants and animals. Metabolic products (toxins) formed and excreted by microorganisms (such as bacteria, fungi and algae), while they multiply in food, or in gastrointestinal tract of man. Poisonous substances, which may be intentionally or unintentionally added to food during production, processing, transportation or storage.

17. waterborne pathogen pathogens in water Important causes of waterborne disease  waterborne disease Diseases spread by contact with contaminated water Bathing, wading Contact with floodwaters Pathogen lives naturally in the water Ingestion of contaminated water

18. waterborne pathogen

19. Biological Hazards Risk Assessment / Evaluation of biological hazard exposure Biological Hazards Risk Assessment is a process used to identify the hazardous characteristics of a known infectious or potentially infectious agent or material , the activities that can result in a person’s exposure to an agent, the likelihood that such exposure will cause harm and the probable consequences of such an infection . The information identified by RA will provide a guide for the selection of appropriate biosafety levels and microbiological practices, safety equipment, and facility safeguards that can prevent HAZARDS 19

20. Evaluation of biological hazard exposure Step 1 Identify the hazards Step 2 Decide who might be harmed and how Step 3 Evaluate the risks and decide on precautions Step 4 Record your findings and implement them Step 5 Review your assessment and update if necessary 20

21. Hierarchy of Controls Requires a physical change to the workplace Requires worker to wear something Elimination/Substitution Requires worker or employer to do something Most Effective Least Effective

22. Engineering Controls Engineering/Bioengineering controls  Vaccines  Prophylactic anti-viral medications  Ventilation systems  Engineered safe needle devices Automated equipment appropriate container and for the disposal of liquid bio hazardous waste.

23. 23  Policies and procedures  Routine practices such universal infection control  procedures and other safe work procedures  Immunization programs  Training Sign , biohazard’s labels MSDS IN LAB Administrative controls

24. Work Practice Controls Do not eat, drink, apply make-up, handle contact lenses, or smoke in areas with likely exposure to blood or OPIM specimen collection rooms testing areas areas where specimens located Do not store food or beverages in refrigerators, freezers, coolers, shelves, cupboards where specimens are located

25. PPE

26. 26 Prevention and Vigilance is Your Only Cure