[Protection of hospital workers from risks of occupational exposure to biological agents].
BACKGROUND
Health care workers belong to a high risk occupational group in view of their permanent contact with biological agents. It is essential to take all available and effective technical, organizational and medical preventive measures to protect the exposed workers.


METHODS
Activities aimed at protecting workers from risks related to exposure to biological agents, according to recommendations laid down in Directive 2000/54/EC, were assessed in a questionnaire survey carried out in 47 hospitals.


CONCLUSIONS
The following requirements were best satisfied by the hospitals under study: provision of workers exposed to biological agents with collective and personal protective measures; washing and toilet facilities; separate dinning rooms; registration of accidents involving handling of biological agents and including biological agents issues in the program of occupational training of workers. Most flaws and oversights were observed in regard to: biological agents risk assessment; appropriate marking of rooms where biohazard may occur; written procedures for safe handling of biological agents and the implementation of vaccination program against hepatitis B.
Zielińiska-Jankiewicz
Katarzyna
K
Zakładu Srodowiskowych Zagrozeń Zdrowia, Instytutu Medycyny Pracy. kasia@imp.lodz.pl
Kozajda
Anna
A
Szadkowska-Stańczyk
Irena
I
D001688:Biological Products / Q000032:analysis* / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D016273:Occupational Exposure / Q000032:analysis* / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D016272:Occupational Health; D010564:Personnel, Hospital / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011044:Poland / Q000453:epidemiology; D011322:Primary Prevention / Q000458:organization & administration / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D018570:Risk Assessment / Q000379:methods*; D017751:Safety Management / Q000379:methods*
D001688:Biological Products