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“Routine Practices,” also known as “Universal Precautions” or “Infection Control Procedures,” refer to practices that help prevent the spread of infections between service providers and their clients, usually in healthcare settings. These precautions protect both the healthcare worker and the client during times when body fluids may be present.
The Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety (CCOHS) advises healthcare workers to:
For personal protection:
Protective eyewear, masks, face shields and extra clothing are not needed for clinic or office visits or for nursing care of people with Hep C. However, wearing protective eyewear, a mask or face shield and a gown during any procedure where droplets of blood or other body fluids may be produced is recommended.
Protective wear is not only to protect the healthcare worker but for the client’s protection as well. Universal precautions can prevent the spread of infections to clients or patients while undergoing a procedure.
Hand-washing is very important:
Universal precautions can also be followed at home, especially for people living with Hep C, in order to prevent the transmission of the virus to others. Casual contact, such as sharing household items (dishes, cups and glasses) is not a risk. But blood, body fluids and items that come in contact with blood are possibly infectious. Cleaning up blood spills and not sharing household grooming equipment (such as razors, nail clippers and toothbrushes) will keep people and their families safe from hepatitis C and other infections.
When cleaning up blood spills, the following steps are important for preventing the spread of blood-borne infections like hepatitis C:
Revised 2011.