Tip of the Month by John Lawrence

9/7/2016 (Permalink)

ARE THERE RACCOONS LIVING WITH YOU

Last month’s Tip of the Month focused on the Hospitality Industry dealing with prevention of suicides.

From this discussion I learned there are a lot of people that don’t have a good understanding of what biohazards are and why they are dangerous to one’s health.

So what is a biohazard? According to the Merriam-Webster dictionary:

A biological agent or condition that is a hazard to humans or the environment; also:  a hazard posed by such an agent or condition

Bio-Hazard threats can be found anywhere. Your work place, your health provider’s office, the grocery store, your child’s school or day care and even your own home! – Biohazard’s should be handled with extreme caution.

What are some biohazard examples?

• Human blood and blood products. This includes items that have been contaminated with blood and other body fluids or tissues that contain visible blood.
• Animal waste. Animal carcasses, body parts, and feces or any bedding material used by animals that are known to be infected with pathogenic organisms.
• Human body fluids. Semen, cerebrospinal fluid, pleural fluid, vaginal secretions, pericardial fluid, amniotic fluid, saliva, and peritoneal fluid.
• Microbiological wastes. Common in laboratory settings, examples of microbiological wastes include specimen cultures, disposable culture dishes, discarded viruses, and devices used to transfer or mix cultures.
• Pathological waste. Unfixed human tissue (excluding skin), waste biopsy materials, and anatomical parts from medical procedures or autopsies.
• Sharps waste. Needles, glass slides and cover slips, scalpels, and IV tubing that have the needle attached.

Biohazard Safety Levels with Examples

There are 4 levels of biohazards, according to the Centers for Disease Control:

• Biohazard Level 1: Agents that pose minimal threat to humans and the environment. E. coli, Bacillus subtilis, and Naegleria gruberi.
• Biohazard Level 2: Agents that can cause severe illness in humans and are transmitted through direct contact with infected material. Examples include HIV, hepatitis B, and salmonella.
• Biohazard Level 3: Pathogens that can become airborne and cause serious diseases. Examples include tuberculosis and Coxiella burnetii.
• Biohazard Level 4: Pathogens that pose a high risk of life-threatening disease for which there are no treatments. Examples include the Ebola virus and Lassa virus.

If you find yourself face to face with a potential biohazardous situation that is too big or too dangerous for you to handle on your own, let me know and I will send our trained professional staff to give you the help you need.