Custodial workers

Case BW, Oliver LC. 1992. Asbestos bodies are absent from sputum of school custodial workers [Abstract]. Am Rev RespirDis 145 332. 

E) A study assessing the potential exposures and risks from lead to janitorial and custodial workers. 

Any item that has been in contact with infectious organisms, or with materials such as blood, serums, excreta,tissue, etc.,thatmay be infectedmustbe considered infectious unless it has been rendered noninfectious. There are individuals who have excellent laboratory technique and take every precaution to avoid infection themselves and do not think ofthe possibility that someone who handles the materials which they discard may become infected from these materials. Some ofthe items used to carry outthe procedures discussed in the previous paragraph are potentially infectious but are sometimes discarded as ordinary trash, in which case custodial workers can come into contact with them. Infected tissue has been found in clothing sent to a local laundry. Animal carcasses from animals that had rabies have been sent for disposal with no warnings about careful handling. 

Exposure to toxic chemicals by injection does not occur frequently in the chemical laboratory. However, it can occur inadvertently through mechanical injury from "sharps" such as glass or metal contaminated with chemicals or when chemicals are handled with syringes. The intravenous route of administration is especially dangwous because it introduces the toxicant directly into the bloodstream, eliminating the process of absorption. Nonlaboratory personnel, such as custodial workers or waste handla-s, must be protected from this form of exposure by putting aU "sharps" in special trash containers and never in the ordinary scrap baskets. Hypodermic needles with blunt ends are available for laboratory use. 

Mental health custodial workers—63 Juni( high/middle school teachers—57 Bus drivers—45 Special education teachers—41 High school teachers—29 Elementary school teachers—16 College teachers— 3... 

Mental health professional = 80 Gas station attendant = 79 Convenience or liquor store clerk = 68 Mental health custodial worker = 63 Junior high or middle school teacher = 57 Bus driver = 45 Special education teacher = 41 High school teacher = 29 Elementary school teacher = 16 College or university teacher = 3... 

The primary mission of the Decontamination Element is to turn chemical/biological victims into patients through mass decontamination procedures by establishing a site capable of providing initial and sustained operational decontamination of Force personnel (rescue workers), ambulatory, and non-ambulatory patients. The Decontamination Element also handles decontamination of CBIRF members, attachments, vehicles, and equipment that have entered the incident site controls access into and out of the incident site handles processing of surety material and evidence while maintaining chain of custody through the site and handles limited area decontamination of the incident site. 

Short-term preservation (several weeks) can usually be successfully accomplished by generous application of polyethylene plastic wrap and duct-tape. Be careful in applying the tape to avoid direct contact with the items. The adhesive can be left behind on the part and when removed, can take with it important dust, fibers, or other data. Even short-term preservation requires some control of access, chain of custody documentation and conspicuously posted signs. Many workers are genuinely curious to learn and see for themselves what the damaged or essential part actually looks like, and may unintentionally cause changes. 

Properly trained custodial and maintenance workers are critical to a successful A M program. The following items are highlighted training requirements ... 

Maintain good housekeeping practices (e.g., on ending an experiment, be sure to return all radionuchdes to their safe storage locations, dispose of all contaminated items, and decontaminate surfaces). Remember that any unsuitably shielded waste can be hazardous to lab workers and custodial personnel. 

Balmes JR, Daponte A, Cone JE. 1991. Asbestos-related disease in custodial and building maintenance workers from a laige municipal school district. Ann NY Acad Sci 540-549. 

Calculating cleaning times is a complex and frequently frustrating business All cleaning times are estimates. There is no absolute time standard—nor can there be one. Two workers with the same tools, instructions, and area will clean at a different pace. A worker who must trek to the basement of a building to empty dirty cleaning solution will not clean as productively as a worker with convenient custodial closets and sinks on every floor. 

For some volumes there are no equivalent comprehensive surveys available in English. Thus, a valuable service has been fulfilled to workers in the fields of process design, equipment development, custody transfer, and safety. 

The Pasteur pipet requires special mention. Because of its sharp tip, it requires handling and disposal with great care to prevent injury. Many laboratory workers as well as custodial and service workers have been jabbed by the extremely sharp tip. Such injuries have occurred to workers hands and arms, and even to legs (from carrying waste bags). See Chapter 7 for a scussion of disposal of such sharps. ... 

Training techniques involving nonprofessional support staff, such as custodial or service workers, must be carefully developed because these employees often do not respond well to didactic instructional techniques. Training techniques for them must be geared to their particular educational levels, and must provide extensive motivational and interestgenerating approaches. 

If not previously immunized, workers expected to come into contact with infectious agents for which prophylactic immunizations are available (including animal workers and glassware washing and custodial employees) should be evaluated for possible inclusion in an immunization program. This assessment can be made at the time of the initial medical examination, when the worker s immunization history should be checked for the basic immunizations (those required for admission to public school). Laboratory and safety personnel should be cognizant of the requirement for booster immunizations if required, and should be aware that the immune state does not confer absolute protection from catastrophic exposure to the infectious agent (see below). 

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