| School Board of Alachua County |
| Bylaws & Policies |
8453.01 - CONTROL OF BLOOD-BORNE PATHOGENS
The Board seeks to provide conditions that contribute to the protection of all persons from exposure to blood-borne pathogens or other potentially infectious materials while on school sites or at school activities.
The Superintendent shall develop and implement a program and procedures to minimize employees' and students', as well as visitors', exposure to blood or other potentially infectious materials. Hepatitis B vaccinations will be provided to "at risk" employees at no cost and in accordance with federally mandated scheduling. Appropriate procedures shall be established for the reporting, evaluation, and follow-up to any and all incidents of exposure.
The Superintendent shall:
| A. | develop an exposure control plan and update it annually; | |
| B. | ensure proper training in the universal precautions against exposure and/or contamination, including the provision of appropriate protective supplies and equipment; | |
| C. | identify those categories of employees whose duties create a reasonable anticipation of exposure to blood or other infectious materials; | |
| D. | request Hepatitis B vaccinations for those employees whose duties create a reasonable anticipation of exposure to blood or other infectious materials; | |
| E. | report all incidents of exposure; | |
| F. | provide for record keeping of all of the above that complies with Federal and State laws. |
All employees and
students diagnosed as having a blood-borne pathogen virus (such as HIV, HEP B) or a reportable communicable disease and receiving medical attention are able to continue work or attend regular classes unless their condition is a threat to themselves or others. Federal and State laws mandate that individuals not be discriminated against on the basis of disability and that, if it becomes necessary, reasonable accommodations be made to enable qualified employees and students to continue to work or attend school.Confidentiality
Personal medical files or information about the employee are exempt from public disclosure. In addition, information relating to a specifically-named individual, the disclosure of which would constitute an unwarranted invasion of personal privacy, is prohibited. Thus, special precautions should be taken to protect such information regarding an employee's health condition in order to prevent instances of disclosure that may invade the personal privacy of employees.
Only persons with an absolute
need to know should have medical knowledge of a particular employee's or student's case. In individual situations, the Superintendent may notify one (1) or more of the following:| A. | principal | |
| B. | school nurse | |
| C. | student's teacher(s) | |
| D. | health supervisor | |
| E. | other staff when needed and as appropriate |
Notification should be made through a process that would ensure patient confidentiality. Ideally, this process should be direct person-to-person contact. Persons who become so informed will be expected to maintain strict confidentiality.
Conditions which may warrant convening a Communicable Disease Review Team (CDRT)
All employees and students diagnosed as having a blood-borne pathogen virus and receiving medical attention are not prohibited from reporting for duty and are able to attend regular classes. However, if an employee or a student so diagnosed evidences any one (1) of the following conditions, the Superintendent will convene a CDRT for the purpose of making recommendations for the most appropriate work assignment for the employee or educational placement of the student:
| A. | demonstration of risky or harmful behavior to self or others; | |
| B. | unstable or decompensated neuropsychological behavior, which can be a complication of HIV infection in the brain; | |
| C. | presence of open wounds, cuts, lacerations, abrasions, or sores on exposed body surfaces where impervious occlusion cannot be maintained; or | |
| D. | impairment of gastro-intestinal and/or genito-urinary function such that control of internal body fluids cannot be maintained. |
The CDRT shall be composed of:
| A. | Superintendent or designee; | |
| B. | Alachua County Public Health Department representative; | |
| C. | attending physician of the employee or student with such infection; | |
| D. | parent(s) of the infected student; | |
| E. | infectious disease specialty physician, when and as determined by the Superintendent as appropriate (school health medical consultant may serve instead); | |
| F. | legal counsel for the Board, when and as appropriate or requested by the Superintendent; | |
| G. | the District's health services supervisor; | |
| H. | principal; | |
| I. | other District staff when needed and as appropriate; and | |
| J. | legal counselor, union representative, or other advisor of the employee or student when and as appropriate or requested. |
The general intent of the CDRT is to serve as an expert professional resource to advise the Superintendent in special situations where information about appropriate environment may not be available, complete, clear, or readily amendable to lay interpretation. It is expected that recommendations of the CDRT shall be based solely upon current medical information consistent with established ethical procedures and considerations, in accordance with the procedures of the Centers for Disease Control and other scientific and relevant professional groups.
Responsibilities of the CDRT shall include:
| A. | review employee's or student's medical history, current status, social data, and prior and current work assignments, employment history, etc., or school assignments; | |
| B. | assess risk-benefit options then present and discuss employment or school assignment options with the employee or student's parent(s), as applicable; | |
| C. | reduce findings, options, and recommendations to writing and review draft report before submission to the Superintendent focusing on key issues, unresolved problems, and summary recommendations; | |
| D. | submit written report to the Superintendent and remain available as needed; and | |
| E. | re-evaluate all cases on a continuing basis at least once every twelve (12) months and more often as circumstances change in the categories listed "Conditions which may warrant convening a Communicable Disease Review Team (CDRT)" above. |
CDRT Protocol
If the Superintendent determines that any one (1) of the conditions listed in "Conditions which may warrant convening a Communicable Disease Review Team (CDRT)" above exists, the employee(s) in question will be placed on leave or special assignment.
The Superintendent or designee shall have ten (10) work days to collect data relevant to the case and will schedule and notify CDRT members of the initial review meeting date, time, and location.
The health supervisor shall obtain written consent from employee or the parent(s) of the student for release of medical information and past medical history, laboratory tests, and other relevant health records.
Critical medical tests and other procedures may be conducted during this period as requested by the employee's or the student's physician, the county health officer, or other medical practitioners as warranted.
The CDRT shall have ten (10) additional work days to review the data collected and to make a recommendation to the Superintendent.
If a medical review indicates that continuation of special placement is indicated, the CDRT will recommend that risk-benefit options and employment options or the placement options be discussed with the employee or the student's parent(s).
If a student's 504 accommodation plan or individual education plan needs to be revised, the Educational Planning Team (EPT) or the Individual Educational Plan (IEP) committee shall be convened.
29 C.F.R. 1910.1030
Adopted 7/17/07