Many tourism and hospitality operators don’t consider Hepatitis B a workplace risk. But with over 250,000 people infected in Canada alone, maybe it’s time to take a second look at the real impact of this disease.
By Sharon McInally
Billie Potkonjak can tell you a lot about Hepatitis B. As National Director of Health Promotion and Patient Services, Canadian Liver Foundation, she sees the effects of the disease every day. She also hears some employers tell her that Hepatitis B is not an issue in their workplace. "Most people are largely unaware of the likelihood of coming into contact with Hepatitis B. It seems to be a more obvious issue to people in the health care or law enforcement fields," Potkonjak points out. "The reality is that anyone who may be exposed to blood and other potentially infectious body fluids while on the job is at risk - and that includes those working in the tourism and hospitality industry."
Hepatitis B is a highly infectious disease that causes an inflammation of the liver. Even though it currently affects an estimated 250,000 Canadians, most people infected with the disease don’t even know they have it. The majority of adults can naturally fight it off. Those who can’t, become a carrier of the virus for life and run the risk of developing chronic hepatitis, cirrhosis or liver cancer. A blood test is the only way to accurately determine if someone has been infected with Hepatitis B.
Similar to HIV, the Hepatitis B virus is spread through blood and bodily fluids like mucus, semen and vomit. Like HIV, it is not transmitted through water, food or casual contact at work. However, Hepatitis B is 100 times more infectious than HIV. In fact, the virus can stay active for up to seven days outside the body, although its infectious nature does reduce over time. That makes Hepatitis B a very real threat.
The dangers of Hepatitis B extend beyond the traditional tourism and hospitality functions. There have been some reported cases of Hepatitis B among embalmers and funeral home workers who are exposed to blood and body fluids on a daily basis. Hairdressers and barbers working with sharp scissors and razor blades may risk transmitting the disease from one customer to the next. Tattoo and piercing parlors can also transmit the disease through shared inks and unsterilized equipment.
Vaccinations against Hepatitis B provide employers and employees with a primary line of defense. Two vaccines currently exist, offering a 96 per cent protection rate against the virus. At the Ontario Jockey Club, the Hepatitis B vaccine is provided to all employees. "Vaccinations are not just offered to those we consider to be in high risk positions like our security staff or our customer service reps who are often the first to arrive at accident scenes," says Will Baker, the Club’s Occupational Health Nurse. "We also have an open offer to vaccinate any employee who feels they are personally at risk - no questions asked."
Education and training in safe work practices for all tasks involving possible exposure to blood or certain body fluids are another key preventative strategy against the disease. Being aware that sharp objects may carry blood with Hepatitis B is crucial. Proper disposal of sharp objects such as razor blades and broken glass into plastic receptacles with lids can help prevent further transmission.
At the Valhalla Inn in Thunder Bay, personal protective equipment such as latex gloves and puncture-proof gloves offer simple protection against infection. "Putting on gloves has become an automatic response to everyday activities and emergency response," says Edward Mayer, Valhalla’s General Manager.
Employees administering basic first aid and CPR use latex gloves and mouth barriers to prevent infection. "We also encourage our cleaning staff to wear latex gloves at all times," says Mayer. "And staff working in the laundry department are provided with puncture-proof gloves as a protective barrier against mislaid needles or other sharp objects."
Mayer points out that providing employees with an understanding of Hepatitis B and how it is transmitted is important to prevention. "We discuss the importance of health and safety as a quality-of-life issue at employee meetings. We use signs and notices about safe working practices in employee clean-up areas, and use videos to increase staff awareness about hazardous situations to reduce accidental infection."
Since Hepatitis B can be found in blood or vomit, special attention must be paid to conducting safe and thorough clean-up. At the Ontario Jockey Club, patron accidents or incidents have led to a formalized procedure that is followed for cleaning up blood and other bodily fluids. "Staff are specially trained to deal with the issue of bodily fluids and Hepatitis B," notes Baker. "They wear latex gloves, masks and gowns, and cordon off the contaminated area. We also use the bleach-water mixture to kill traces of Hepatitis in the immediate area and off all the tools they use."
Controlling Hepatitis B in the workplace takes attention and commitment, according to Potkonjak. "Employers and employees need to be educated about Hepatitis B, practice universal precautions, and have strategies in place to prevent the disease. That can only make everyone’s workplace a safer place to be."
| A housekeeper cuts herself on a discarded razor blade while emptying a garbage can. A laundry attendant comes into contact with stained sheets. A ski patroller is splashed with blood at the scene of a hillside accident. A maintenance staff member punctures his finger on a discarded needle. |
PROTECTING YOUR WORKPLACE:
Excerpted from The Safety Mosaic, Vol 3, No. 1, Spring 2000
That when using a ladder you should: select the right ladder for the job; inspect the ladder before using it; set the ladder with care; and climb and descend cautiously. Refer to OSSA Safety Check Sheet on Ladders for more information.
