A Para's Right:
Protective Gloves and Other Gear
As a paraprofessional, you’re well aware of those instances where
you risk exposure to blood or infectious bodily fluids, particularly if
you work with special needs students, including medically fragile students.
Such exposure puts you at risk of getting infected with blood-borne pathogens,
such as Hepatitis B or C or HIV (human immunodeficiency virus). According to
the federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), school employees
who work with developmentally disabled students are considered at risk for
such exposure due to the children’s vulnerability to injury, special
medical needs and dependence on adults for personal care.
OSHA’s Blood-borne Pathogen (BBP) standard details what the Department
of Education must do to protect school employees. The provisions of the standard
include training, providing the Hepatitis B vaccine, using work practices such
as careful hand washing and wearing protective gloves, as well as other protective
equipment.
At this year’s Para Festival, held in February at the New York Hilton,
a workshop entitled “Blood, Bugs & Bites” provided valuable information
on how to guard against exposure to blood-borne pathogens.
Led by UFT industrial hygienist Ellie Engler, the workshop featured demonstrations
on the proper use of protective gloves and other protective equipment such as
disposable aprons and sleeves.
“You don’t have to walk around the school with your gloves on, but
when you’re toileting a student, take them out and put them on,” Engler
told the audience. You have a right to wear protective gloves and that is stated
clearly in the UFT contract, she said.
Many paras at the workshop had questions.
One para wanted to know what personal protective equipment should be worn when
diapering a student who has diarrhea. Engler said gloves are not adequate protection
when there is the possibility of soiling one’s clothing or skin. In such
a situation a disposable apron and/or long sleeves may also be needed. As with
gloves, this Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) should be removed after the
diapering activity is finished. Always wash your hands after you remove your
gloves.
Another para said there had been no discussion at her school about BBPs, nor
how to guard against them.
Most paras at the workshop said they had access to protective gloves in their
school, but several said they did not. Moreover, none of the paras in the room
had received training on when or where to use gloves. Engler then worked with
volunteers from the audience to demonstrate how to properly put on and take off
protective gloves.
She said there are three key points to remember:
1. When taking gloves off, grab them by the cuff at the wrist and pull, thereby
turning them inside out. This way, any blood or other fluid that was on the outside
of the glove will no longer be on the outside. If you dispose of the gloves in
a way that leaves blood exposed, it can be picked up by someone else who could
get infected. Some BBPs, like Hepatitis B, can survive for seven days in dried
blood.
2. Wash your hands or use a hand sanitizer after you take gloves off. Otherwise,
you might get some of the waste on your hands when you pull them off.
3. Hand-washing should be part of daily routine to avoid BBPs. Only half the
paras at the workshop said they had access to soap and water in their classrooms.
But federal law, Engler said, requires the city to provide both, either in the
classroom or some place conveniently nearby.
If you change (or diaper) a child the law says you should wash your hands.
You should also make it a point to wash your hands:
- before handling food, or feeding a child;
- after using the toilet;
- before and after assisting children in using the toilet; and
- after contact with runny noses.
Here are the steps to take if you have been exposed to blood or other bodily fluids:
- Wash the affected area with soap and water immediately.
- Report the information to your principal or UFT chapter leader immediately — even when the skin hasn’t been broken.
- See your own doctor immediately, or go to a hospital emergency room. The Department of Education will reimburse you for your out-of-pocket medical costs.
- Report the incident to the UFT and the DOE. This is very important.
Remember, the BBP danger comes not just from blood but from saliva and other
bodily fluids, as well. So be especially on the alert if a kid bites or scratches
you. You could have been exposed.
In addition to protective gloves, other protective gear and soap and water, the
DOE must provide Hepatitis B vaccine to all educators who might be at risk. You
should get vaccinated in three stages, 60 days apart.