The Principles of Medical Device Decontamination

for abilities/disabilities, equality and diversity plus any equipment required to allow them to do their job safely. • Review and record previous immunisation history prior to any potential exposure to blood or body fluids e.g. during manual processes of decontamination. • Provide any required occupational vaccination specific for employment in accordance with the Immunisation of Infectious Diseases (the ‘Green Book’ 14 ) e.g. Influenza, measles, mumps, rubella (MMR), varicella zoster, tuberculosis (TB), hepatitis B to protect the safety of staff and patients from infectious disease. – A complete hepatitis B vaccination schedule is essential for staff carrying out decontamination processes where there is potential for exposure to blood and body fluids. Ideally this requirement should be included in the job description for decontamination staff. – Staff assisting in procedures with the immune suppressed, pregnant and paediatric patients should have immunity or vaccination against MMR and varicella e.g. in endoscopy teams. – Annual influenza and (per national recommendations) COVID-19 vaccine should be offered to all staff to maintain resilience of the decontamination team as part of winter preparedness against acute respiratory infections (ARI). • Health evaluation providing confirmation whether employees are fit for work following injury or ill health occurring as a result of carrying out decontamination processes and/or working in the decontamination environment. • Clinical screening/sampling and management of staff in support of a workplace outbreak or transmission of infection and any necessary medical suspension or sickness absence. • Keep records and support line managers in the correct procedures in management of all inoculation/sharps exposure injuries that occur as a result of decontamination processes e.g. splash to mucous membranes during manual cleaning, needle/sharp instruments from used instruments or needles. • Supporting the investigations of source patient following inoculation or exposure injury (including mucous membranes) and, if appropriate, arrange post exposure prophylaxis and counselling for BBV exposure. This is especially

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