AIDS in Specific Industries

April 13, 2006

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If your business is in one of several specific industries, your concerns about AIDS and your need to deal with them is far more complex than it would be in other industries because of the increased likelihood of exposure to contaminated bodily fluids or because of other health and safety requirements.

Heavy industry. If yours is a heavy industry where laceration-type injuries are a more common occurrence, consult with medical experts to determine the best way of handling these types of injuries.

Food service. Although there is no evidence that the virus is transmitted through the handling of food, you can provide your food service workers with rubber gloves prior to handling any food.

Health care workers. According to guidelines issued by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), health care workers infected with HIV or the more virulent form of Hepatitis B virus (HBV) should not perform exposure-prone medical procedures in which the worker might be cut or injured and the worker's blood might contact a patient's body cavity, subcutaneous tissues, or mucous membranes. Under the CDC guidelines, health care workers who perform exposure-prone procedures should determine their HIV or HBV status. However, the CDC does not recommend mandatory testing of health care workers for HIV or HBV antibodies.

All health care workers should follow universal precautions against infection, including appropriate use of hand washing, protective barriers, equipment sterilization, careful handling and disposal of needles and other sharp instruments, and the use of gloves.

Personal service occupations. Employees in personal service occupations (hairdressers, barbers, massage therapists, cosmetologists, and other "hands-on" positions) should sterilize or use disposable instruments where appropriate.