Communicable Disease Exposure

Communicable Disease Exposure

  1. Injury or Accidents (388.6 GPD Manual)
  2. Employee duty: Must report all injuries that are a result of a workplace accident any and hazardous substance to a supervisor.
  3. Supervisor duty: Must personally investigate or ensure an investigation is done.

Procedures for investigation:

  1. Visit the scene as soon as possible
  2. Interview injured worker and witnesses
  3. Exam factors associated to incident
  4. Determine a cause of the incident
  5. Take corrective action to prevent occurrence

Equipment:

  1. Decontaminate any equipment and uniforms asap
  2. If torn or damaged complete form located in OS #604
  3. Police vehicles:
    • If need be the vehicle may be towed with supervisor approval.
    • Taken out of service until able to decontaminate (use spray located in Jail)
  4. Procedures for exposure to blood, body fluids or aerosol transmissible diseases (1016 GPD Manual)
  5. Presumption on all exposures is that the substance is infectious

Notifications required by all personnel:

  1. Personnel inform others who deal with the individual/incident of the potential for exposure and any statements made by the individual.
  2. Indications on booking sheets and reports of exposure/ statements (verbatim if possible)/ or fluids on persons or clothing.

Officer duties: (all notifications/ forms must be completed prior to eow)

  1. Verbally notify a supervisor immediately after incident so medical attention and counseling can be obtained.
  2. If a female officer is pregnant and has an exposure with bodily fluids in the line of duty she should contact her physician re: the exposure.
  3. Complete exposure form P-983 and return to immediate supervisor.
  4. If exposure potentially involves HIV, complete form CDPH 8479 and return to supervisor.
  5. If it is a sharps exposure, complete form #66-201 and return to supervisor.

Supervisor Requirements:

  1. Investigate incident gather the following information and complete "Supervisor Checklist form #P-1045". Submit form thru the chain of command. Form ultimately submitted to EHS/ Workers Comp. (No medical diagnosis information should be in this Z-7)
    • Names and ID numbers of exposed employee
    • Date and time of incident
    • Location of incident
    • What potentially infectious materials were involved
    • Source of material or person
    • Current location of "source"
    • Work being done during exposure
    • How the incident occurred or was caused
    • PPE used during the incident
    • Actions taken post-event (clean-up, notifications etc.)
  2. Are required forms completed and submitted to EHS/Workers Comp (see officer duties)? EHS, workers comp, or Safety will make necessary notifications to County Health if warranted.
  3. Seek medical treatment for officer: Appropriate treatment/ immunizations shall be offered to any exposed officer.
    • Appropriate treatment/ immunizations shall be offered to any exposed officer.
    • Medical treatment is required if an open wound is exposed to a bodily fluid etc.
    • If no open wound medical treatment should be obtained.
    • Attempt to get consent from "source" for testing (see below source procedures)
    • The doctor shall provide worker's comp with a written opinion/evaluation of employee's situation.
    • Provide employee/family the opportunity for counseling.
    • Contact Workers Comp and report exposure.

"Source" handling Arrestee:

  1. Attempt to obtain consent from "source" prior to booking and take directly to hospital for testing and consent form. Law and policy require that a licensed medical professional obtain the consent.
  2. Take form P-1044 to the hospital for the consent. All legal required consents are on this form.
  3. The ideal situation would be to get both the "source" and officer tested in the same location.
  4. This can be done at any hospital.
  5. Seek court order, if consent is not given and after a medical professional has attempted to gain consent.
  6. During business hours detectives on duty will handle.
  7. After hours and the suspect leaving custody patrol will handle.
  8. Quick Court Order form to follow.
  9. If the arrestee is in the County Jail: (all results forwarded to EHS)
    • Complete form EHS 36 and attach to "yellow" medical form on booking paperwork.
    • With a Court Order: Send order to LASD Court Order Unit
    • Supervisor (213) 893-5920
    • Fax (213) 617-1675
    • Fax #2 (213) 613-0965

"Source" handling, non-arrestee:

  1. Attempt to get consent from individual for testing (same as above)
  2. Transport individual to the hospital to have a licensed health care provider obtain consent.
  3. If consent is not given, notify the City Attorney to request a court order be obtained for testing.
  4. All testing results will be forwarded to EHS who will notify employee and workers comp.
    • Adventist Hospital
    • GPD form P-893
    • Notify workers comp
    • Ensure PPE is used
    • Clean police equipment/patrol car
    • Notify jailers of 10-35b
    • Dr. Chan or Judy Van Houton: 818-502-2050
    • HIV form for aids
    • Sharps form for stick