to main content Workforce Safety and Well-Being: Biological Hazards | The Joint Commission

Biological Hazards

The CDC describes biological hazards are disease producing agents (pathogens) that can be transmitted to individuals through various direct and indirect modes including blood and body fluid, direct contact, small particle aerosol and fecal oral transmission. There are several risk factors of biological agents and unsafe practices that can result in acute or chronic health conditions. They include improper management of sharps, improper disinfection of equipment and supplies and unsafe work practices (e.g., reuse of syringes, improper hand hygiene, improper specimen transport).

New Infection Prevention and Control Resource Center coming soon!

,,Early identification and isolation of sources of infectious agents, proper hand hygiene, worker training, effective engineering and administrative controls, safer work practices, and appropriate PPE, among other controls, help reduce the risk of transmission of infectious agents to workers.,,

Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA)

Tips & Actionable Strategies

Consider these tips and explore the collection of curated resources, strategies and practices to learn ways to keep staff safe from biological hazards.

  • Monitor to ensure that employees are utilizing PPE correctly.
  • Avoid physical contact with bio-hazardous waste, whether in red bags or sharps containers — always wear gloves to move these items.
  • Cover all cuts, abrasions, and other areas of nonintact skin while on duty.
  • Consider organizing a selection and evaluation team for sharps injuries prevention devices.
  • When placing sharps containers, consider accessibility, visibility, size, containment (lid), and disposal process.
  • Consider using a standardized root cause analysis tool to evaluate sharps injuries.
Sources: CDC NIOSH