WAC 296-305-02501   Emergency medical protection.  (1) Fire fighters who perform emergency medical care or otherwise may be exposed to blood or other body fluids shall be provided with emergency medical face protection devices, and emergency medical garments that meet the applicable requirements of NAPA, Standard on Protective Clothing for Emergency Medical Operations 1999, 1992 edition.

Note:

Prior to purchase, fire departments should request the technical data package required in NAPA 1999, 1992 edition, in order to compare glove and garment performance data. Departments reviewing these packages should ensure a relative ranking of the performance data before they purchase in order to provide the best performance of the EMS personal protective clothing.

     (2) Fire fighters shall don emergency medical gloves prior to initiating any emergency patient care.

     (3) Fire fighters shall don emergency medical garments and emergency medical face protection devises prior to any patient care during which splashes of body fluids can occur such as situations involving spurting blood or childbirth.

Note:

Fire fighter turnout gear and gloves with vapor barriers may be used in lieu of emergency medical gloves and garments.

     (4) Contaminated emergency medical garments, emergency medical face protection, gloves, devices, and emergency medical gloves shall be cleaned and disinfected, or disposed of, in accordance with chapter 296-823 WAC, Occupational exposure to bloodborne pathogens.

     (5) Fire departments shall establish a designated infection (exposure) control officer who shall ensure that an adequate infection control plan is developed and all personnel are trained and supervised on the plan.

     (6) The infection control officer shall be responsible for establishing personnel exposure protocols so that a process for dealing with exposures is in writing and available to all personnel.

     (7) The infection control officer or his/her designee will function as a liaison between area hospitals and fire department members to provide notification that a communicable disease exposure is suspected or has been determined by hospital medical personnel. The department infection control officer will institute the established exposure protocols immediately after report of an exposure. The infection control officer shall follow the confidentiality requirements of chapter 246-100 WAC and the medical protocol requirements of chapter 296-802 WAC.

     (8) Fire departments shall have a written infection (exposure) control plan which clearly explains the intent, benefits, and purpose of the plan. The written document must cover the standards of exposure control such as establishing the infection control officer and all members affected; education and training; HB. vaccination requirements; documentation and record keeping; cleaning/disinfection of personnel and equipment; and exposure protocols.

     (9) Policy statements and standard operating procedure guidelines shall provide general guidance and specific regulation of daily activities. Procedures shall include delegation of specific roles and responsibilities, such as regulation of infection control, as well as procedural guidelines for all required tasks and functions.

     (10) Fire departments shall establish a records system for members health and training.

     (11) Fire fighters shall be trained in the proper use of P.E., exposure protection, post exposure protocols, disease modes of transmission as it related to infectious diseases.

     (12) Infectious disease programs shall have a process for monitoring fire fighters compliance with established guidelines and a means for correcting noncompliance.

     (13) Fire department members shall be required to annually review the infectious disease plan, updates, protocols, and equipment used in the program.

     (14) Fire departments shall comply with chapter 296-823 WAC, Occupational exposure to bloodborne pathogens, in its entirety.

     (15) Tuberculosis (TB) exposure and respiratory protection requirements.

     (a) Fire fighters shall wear a particulate respirator (PR) when entering areas occupied by individuals with suspected or confirmed TB, when performing high risk procedures on such individuals or when transporting individuals with suspected or confirmed TB in a closed vehicle.

     (b) A NIOSH-approved, 95% efficient particulate air respirator is the minimum acceptable level of respiratory protection.

     (i) Fit tests are required.

     (ii) Fit tests shall be done in accordance with chapter 296-842 WAC.

Note 1:	Emergency-response personnel should be routinely screened for tuberculosis at regular intervals. The tuberculin skin test is the only method currently available that demonstrates infection with Mycobacterium tuberculosis (M. tuberculosis) in the absence of active tuberculosis.
Note 2:	If possible, the rear windows of a vehicle transporting patients with confirmed, suspected, or active tuberculosis should be kept open, and the heater or air conditioner set on a noncirculating cycle.

     Additional References:

     Chapter 296-823 WAC, Occupational exposure to bloodborne pathogens.

     WAC 296-62-08001(3), Exposure Control.



[Statutory Authority: RCW 49.17.010, 49.17.040, 49.17.050, 49.17.060. 05-03-093, § 296-305-02501, filed 1/18/05, effective 3/1/05; 04-10-026, § 296-305-02501, filed 4/27/04, effective 8/1/04; 03-09-110, § 296-305-02501, filed 4/22/03, effective 8/1/03. Statutory Authority: RCW 49.17.010,[49.17].040 and [49.17].050. 99-10-071, § 296-305-02501, filed 5/4/99, effective 9/1/99. Statutory Authority: RCW 49.17.010, [49.17].050 and [49.17].060. 96-11-067, § 296-305-02501, filed 5/10/96, effective 1/1/97.]