If this applies to you,\u00a0it’s essential that you know\u00a0how to prevent infection from transferring.<\/p>\n
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<\/div>\nNeed a Course?<\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
Our Infection Prevention & Control (IPC)\u00a0course<\/a> is essential for all businesses, particularly where the working environment or work activities could put employees and those around them at risk of infection.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n Read\u00a0our 5 essential tips for how to prevent infection below.<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n Hands are the most common vehicles of infectious microorganisms.<\/p>\n Think about how many different things you touch between handwashing. Door handles, light switches, railings, work surfaces, utensils \u2013 just to name a few. Although infectious bacteria cannot enter a host through skin contact alone, if you have contaminated hands and then touch your eye, mouth, or a cut, you grant it entry. Or, if you touch another surface before washing your hands, you allow someone else to pick it up.<\/p>\n Proper hand washing techniques are therefore vital.<\/p>\n Follow these handwashing steps to remove infectious bacteria:<\/strong><\/p>\n This is the handwashing procedure recommended by the NHS. It is thorough and effective. If you don’t have immediate access to running water, you could use hand sanitisers (in the form of gel or wipes), although they may not be as thorough. You can download our free hand washing poster to display in your premises, here<\/a>.<\/p>\n Washing and sanitising your hands at several key moments is the best way to prevent infection: you stop infectious bacteria from ever accessing a route of entry.<\/p>\n To prevent infection, wash your hands before and after:<\/strong><\/p>\n A cut or graze is a potential entry point or source of infection.<\/p>\n Without proper dressing and sanitisation of a wound, infectious bacteria can enter the bloodstream through the epidermis layer of skin or exposed tissue. On the other hand, if you or someone else carries an infection, it escapes through the blood and other fluids (such as pus) and can go on to infect someone else.<\/p>\n You must give proper first aid to even the smallest of wounds if you work in a high-risk environment. Remember: infectious bacteria are microscopic, so what might seem like a minuscule cut to you is a sufficiently large doorway for them.<\/p>\n If at any point you\u00a0feel you cannot sufficiently dress a wound, or if the wound does not stop bleeding or has something embedded in it, do not proceed further. Seek medical advice immediately.<\/p>\n If after cleaning and dressing a wound infection has still occurred, seek medical attention. Symptoms include\u00a0pain, swelling, redness, a burning sensation, discharge of pus or fluid, a foul odour, warmth around the wound, and red streaks extending from the affected area.<\/p>\n Wearing protective clothing is another essential measure for preventing the spread of infection. The more you block its path to your body and other surfaces, the better.<\/p>\n Always wear protective gloves<\/strong>\u00a0when working around, or directly with, infectious people or animals or their bodily fluids. If you come into contact with something or someone infected, do not then touch someone else or another surface.\u00a0Remove gloves safely<\/a>\u00a0and dispose of them hygienically after you finish that specific activity.<\/p>\n You must also\u00a0wear gloves if you perform any activities that involve deliberately piercing skin<\/strong>. For example, tattooing, administering medication to a human or animal, or performing acupuncture.<\/p>\n If the risk of infection is very high (due to the quantity of waste being handled, the presence of infectious aerosols, or the risk of blood or other fluids splashing), you must wear further protective equipment.<\/p>\n Other protective clothing for infection control includes:\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n The individual in charge of health and safety and infection control in your premises should carry out a risk assessment to determine what equipment is required. You must follow orders to wear protective clothing during work activities if asked; it is a vital safety measure.<\/p>\n Always wash your hands after removing protective equipment (yes, even if you were wearing gloves).<\/p>\n Infectious waste is a categorical\u00a0risk.\u00a0The materials may all be contained in one place, multiplying the presence of infectious bacteria by potentially tenfold.<\/p>\n Infectious waste is anything contaminated with human and\/or animal blood, fluids (e.g. saliva or pus), waste products (e.g. faeces and urine), or skin or tissue. These substances can contaminate\u00a0any<\/strong><\/em>\u00a0object. It is of paramount importance to properly dispose of or sanitise anything contaminated.<\/p>\n Be sure to wear your protective equipment at all times when handling waste<\/strong>, and to wash your hands with the\u00a0method described above\u00a0after removing your PPE.<\/p>\n Always follow the procedures and training provided to you relating to infectious waste disposal in your premises.<\/strong><\/p>\n Specific bio-hazard containers<\/strong> and non-puncture bags<\/strong> should be available for holding infectious waste, such as syringes and blades, bandages, soiled clothing, and materials used to clean wounds. Use them in accordance with any information provided.<\/p>\n You should also receive instructions about where to incinerate certain materials if necessary\u00a0and\u00a0where to deposit containers or bags for collection. Follow these instructions carefully.<\/p>\n For further information on safely disposing of infectious waste, read our comprehensive guide:\u00a0What Methods Can Be Used for the Disposal of Infectious Waste?<\/a><\/p>\n You must destroy infectious bacteria to prevent them from spreading. Cleaning yourself, surfaces, and non-disposable materials and tools in a high-risk setting is of utmost importance.<\/p>\n Follow these cleaning and sanitising tips to remove infectious bacteria:<\/strong><\/p>\n By carrying out proper cleaning and sanitising procedures, the presence of infectious bacteria can be kept to an absolute minimum, and contamination entirely prevented.<\/p>\n Concerned about safe methods of infection control? Read our advice on how to prevent infection, for hygienic working practice.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":8,"featured_media":29221,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[5],"tags":[94],"class_list":["post-102","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-health-safety","tag-health-and-hygiene"],"acf":{"schema_disabled":false,"schema_properties_FAQPage_question_answer":null,"schema_properties_HowTo_howto_tools":null,"schema_properties_HowTo_howto_supplies":null,"schema_properties_HowTo_howto_steps":null,"schema_properties_WebPage_cssSelector":null,"schema_sameAs_repeater":null,"schema_custom_json_repeater":null,"schema_custom_json_override":false},"yoast_head":"\n
\nHygienic Hand Washing<\/h2>\n
![\"washing](\"https:\/\/www.highspeedtraining.co.uk\/hub\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/01\/washing-hands-to-prevent-infection.jpg\")
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When should you wash your hands?<\/h3>\n
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\nFirst Aid for Cuts and Grazes<\/h2>\n
Prevent infections\u00a0with proper wound dressing:<\/h3>\n
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\nPersonal Protective Clothing<\/h2>\n
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\nCorrect Waste Disposal<\/h2>\n
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\nCleaning and Sanitising<\/h2>\n
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\nWhat to Read Next:<\/h3>\n
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