NSC Urging Employers to Prepare for Ebola Contamination
A statement from the National Safety Council is directed toward health care employers whose workers have a risk of exposure.
The National Safety Council is urging employers in the health care sector, as well as those most likely to come into contact with the Ebola virus, to prepare their staffs on the proper protocols of identifying and treating people affected with the Ebola virus before contamination occurs. The statement says Ebola is a threat that any workplace could face, so employers, particularly those with a high risk of exposure, need to be prepared.
A press release sent out by the organization said employers need to assess their risk of Ebola exposure and ensure procedures are in place to effectively control transmission. Training and practice were considered imperative for all employees who could be exposed to the virus, including part-time, temporary, and contract workers.
A list of necessary workplace training topics includes: wearing protective clothing, including masks, gloves, gowns, and eye protection; practicing proper infection control and sterilization measures; isolating patients with Ebola from other patients; avoiding direct contact with the bodies of people who have died from Ebola; and notifying health officials if you have had direct contact with blood or body fluids.