If your job entails work where exposure to blood and other body fluids occurs, this article is relevant to you.

BBVs are carried in a person's blood and can cause severe disease in some but not in others. The virus can spread to another person regardless as to whether the carrier is ill or not.

BBVs of main concern are hepatitis B,C and D (diseases of the liver) and HIV which causes AIDS (affects the body's immune system). Blood is not the only place where the virus is found. It also lies in semen, breast milk, vomit and saliva.

There are a number of different types of work where there may be contact with blood including custodial services, emergency services, social services, plumbing and needle exchange services.

BBVs are usually transmitted in the workplace through accidental contamination such as a sharp instrument like a needle or broken glass. Open wounds and abrasions on the skin can also lead to contamination.

As an employer it is your responsibility to protect the health of your workers and anyone else who may be affected by your work such as the public or contractors etc.

Working with hazardous substances such as BBVs, is covered by Control of Substances Hazardous to Health (CoSHH) legislation. Employers have a duty under CoSHH law to protect their workers and others from any risk of infection. Sufficient controls need to be implemented to protect a worker's health as soon as a risk has been identified. Workers must be given adequate information, instruction and training.

A risk assessment will help provide guidance and so should be carried out wherever BBVs are present. Employers should make an informed and valid judgement about the risks, control measures and consider health surveillance where necessary.

Some measures that need to be considered include the design of work processes and engineering control measures (such as safer needles) so as to prevent or minimise the release of biological agents into the place of work. Examples of some control measures may include to cover all skin cuts by using gloves, using good basic hygiene practices such as hand washing and to prohibit eating, drinking and smoking in contaminated areas.

A risk assessment will determine if members of staff need to be immunised against certain BBVs.

It is important that needles are collected and stored safely and any contaminated waste is disposed of correctly. There should be a local code of practice for dealing with spillages and other forms of contamination and workers need to be made aware of it.

Should someone be exposed to BBVs by a puncture to the skin from a contaminated needle then this incident must be reported to the relevant enforcing authority as a dangerous occurrence.