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After cleaning up a work area contaminated with BBPs or OPIMs you observe blood on your arm. You identify the blood is not yours. Your skin is intact and you have no cuts or abrasions where you find the blood. What should you do?

A. Wash the blood off of your skin with soap and water and do not report the incident as an exposure.
B. Wash the blood off of your skin with soap and water and report the incident as an exposure immediately.
C. Delay medical attention but report an exposure to your employer.
D. Seek immediate medical attention but do not report the incident until evaluated.

User Ebtokyo
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2 Answers

4 votes

Final answer:

Wash the blood off with soap and water and report the incident as an exposure immediately, to ensure proper follow-up and precautionary measures are taken.

Step-by-step explanation:

The safest and most responsible course of action in this situation is B. Wash the blood off of your skin with soap and water and report the incident as an exposure immediately. Here's why:

Bloodborne pathogens (BBPs) and organophosphorus insecticides (OPIMs) can be serious health hazards. Both can transmit diseases through contact with mucous membranes or broken skin. Even with intact skin, there's a slight risk of BBPs entering through sweat glands or hair follicles.

Medical attention is crucial for evaluating the potential risk and taking necessary precautions. Washing the blood is important for basic decontamination, but only a healthcare professional can assess the potential for exposure and recommend further steps like blood tests or preventive medication.

Reporting the incident ensures proper documentation and follow-up. This protects you and others in the workplace by triggering appropriate protocols for further investigation, disinfection, and potential exposure monitoring. Delaying reporting could hinder necessary actions and potentially put others at risk.

Therefore, option B addresses both immediate safety concerns and reporting responsibilities, making it the most appropriate choice.

User DenimPowell
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5.9k points
5 votes

Answer:B. Wash the blood off of your skin with soap and water and report the incident as an exposure immediately.

Explanation:other potential infectious materials (OPIM's) may be blood contaminated with HIV infections or other infectious diseases hence the immediate action may need to be taken to ensure there is zero risk of this person being potentially infected by these .

There are viruses that may be present in these pathogens which may be of a high risk .

User Reite
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5.3k points