Need a Flu Shot Reminder?

Flu season is just around the corner… The Centers for Disease Control has determined that vaccinations are the single most effective way to prevent flu and strongly encourages high-risk individuals (including health care providers) to get vaccinated. From a public health prospective, it is recommended that you encourage your office staff and high-risk patients to get an annual Flu shot.

This includes individuals who are:

-- Anyone who wants to reduce the likelihood of becoming ill or spreading influenza to others

-- All persons over 50 years old

-- Children and adolescents who are receiving long-term aspirin therapy

-- Women who will be pregnant during the influenza season

-- Adults and children who have chronic pulmonary (including asthma), cardiovascular (except hypertension), renal, hepatic, hematological or metabolic disorders (including diabetes mellitus)

-- Adults and children who have a weakened immune system (due to: HIV/AIDS, long term treatment with drugs such as steroids, cancer treatments)

-- Adults and children who have certain muscle or nerve disorders (e.g., cognitive dysfunction, spinal cord injuries, seizure disorders, or other neuromuscular disorders) that can compromise respiratory function or the handling of respiratory secretions or that can increase the risk for aspiration; and

-- Residents of nursing homes and other chronic-care facilities

- Anyone who lives or cares for people at high risk for influenza related complications

-- Health care providers

-- Household contacts and caregivers of children from birth to 5 years of age and adults age 50 and older.

-- All children aged 6-59 months

See http://www.FindaFluShot.com to schedule a reminder to insure you are alerted to find a convenient location to obtain your immunization this coming flu season.

North American Pandemic Influenza Plan

Leaders of Canada, Mexico, and the United States who met at a security summit in Montebello, Quebec, on Aug 21 unveiled a North American pandemic influenza plan designed to share expertise, coordinate public health messages, and overcome anticipated obstacles at national borders.

The North American Plan will enhance collaboration in order to: detect, contain and control an avian influenza outbreak and prevent transmission to humans; prevent or slow the entry of a novel strain of human influenza to North America; minimize illness and deaths; and sustain infrastructure and mitigate the impact to the economy and the functioning of society.

Maintaining critical infrastructure and services will be essential during a pandemic. While influenza cannot physically damage critical infrastructure, a pandemic could weaken it by diverting essential resources or removing essential personnel from the workplace. This Plan, therefore, extends beyond the health sector to include a coordinated approach to critical infrastructure protection, including the importance of business con­tinuity planning and recognition of interdependencies among sectors.

The full Plan is available at http://www.state.gov/g/avianflu/91246.htm

Please contact Dynamic Dental Safety (888-669-8846 x701) for assistance in developing your own business continuity plan for all emergencies.

Hepatitis B Vaccination Declination Form

Q. If an employee who handles blood as part of their job is offered the hepatitis B vaccine, but refuses it... what paper work is required?

A. Below is an example of a declination statement which should be signed/dated by the employee and kept on file in the office.

“ I understand that due to my occupational exposure to blood and/or other potentially infectious body fluids, I may be at risk of acquiring hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection. I have been given the opportunity to be vaccinated with hepatitis B vaccine at no cost to myself. However, I decline the hepatitis B vaccine at this time. I understand that by declining this vaccine, I continue to be at risk of acquiring hepatitis B which is a serious disease. If in the future I continue to have occupational exposure to blood and/or other potentially infectious body fluids and I want to be vaccinated with the hepatitis B vaccine, I can receive the vaccination at no cost to me.”

OSHA Offers New Health Care Compliance Assistance Module

OSHA added a Health Care module to its Compliance Assistance Quick Start tool-the online guide to free compliance assistance resources on OSHA's Web site. The module is designed to help employers understand OSHA regulations applicable to the healthcare industry, including recordkeeping, reporting and posting requirements. It also contains information on developing a comprehensive safety and health program and on training employees.

Please contact Dynamic Dental Safety (888-669-8846, x701) for cost-effective assistance in developing your office safety program, including on-site training for your staff with continuing education credits.

Blood Exposures with Unknown Source

Q. How are exposures to blood from a patient whose infection status is unknown handled?

A. If the source patient cannot be identified (e.g. exposure when disinfecting equipment) or refused to be tested (does not give informed consent), decisions regarding follow-up should be based on exposure risk and whether the source is likely to be infected with a bloodborne pathogen. Follow-up testing should be available to all personnel who are concerned about possible infection through occupational exposure.

Dynamic Dental Safety is available for blood exposure consultations, please call (888) 669-8846, x 701

MSDS

Q. How long do I need to keep a MSDS after we discontinue use of the product?

A. Employee exposure records, which include MSDS or an inventory of the MSDS that an employee may have been exposed to, must be kept for 30 years after an employee leaves the organization.

As this can lead to a very thick MSDS manual, dds recommends that MSDSs of discontinued products in the office be placed in a separate archive file.

Eye Protection

Ocular injuries may have serious and long term effects. Symptoms of direct mechanical trauma often relate to the degree and type of trauma, and include pain, lacrimation, and blurring of vision. Penetrating ocular trauma often causes visual damage and may require extensive surgery. Bacterial, viral and chemical exposures can result in long term visual impairment and discomfort, which may limit a practitioner's future clinical practice.

Operators and close support clinical staff must protect their eyes against foreign bodies, splatter and aerosols that may arise during operative dentistry:

During scaling, (manual and ultrasonic)
Using rotary instruments
Cutting and use of wires
Cleaning instruments.

Ideally protective glasses should have side protection. Patients' eyes must always be protected against possible injury; tinted glasses may also protect against glare from the operating light.

Reference: Infection control in dentistry. BDA Advice Sheet A12. Feb 2003