Coping with infectious disease in the workplace (healthcare and non-healthcare) has become a common challenge for safety professionals in recent years. To manage this risk and the risk communication challenges associated with it, safety professionals need basic information on the principles of infectious disease transmission for a variety of reasons. Some of these reasons include:
To help recognize when professional infection control assistance is needed.
To assist their risk communication efforts when media focus has resulted in hysteria or concern in the absence of risk.
To provide a foundational understanding of infectious disease transmission in support of planning for a public health emergency.
Most safety professionals are not infection control professionals. They should consult with experts such as their facility infection control professional (in the healthcare setting) or their county health department communicable disease professionals for definitive guidance.
We are exposed to disease-producing microorganisms, or pathogens, every day. Potential sources in the workplace may include break rooms, food (especially food left out after celebrations), improperly maintained restrooms, shared keyboards, phones, and other office equipment, as well as ill employees, visitors, and customers (including patients in the healthcare environment).
Exposure to pathogens does not necessarily lead to illness. Just as we reduce our risk of a driving mishap by observing safe driving practices and using the controls provided (such as seatbelts), there are many things that can be done on an individual and organizational level to prevent disease transmission (CDC/HICPAC, 2007; Fell-Carlson 208). The basic principles of infectious disease transmission are essentially the same regardless of setting. Most of the concepts used to control disease transmission in healthcare can be applied to other work settings. Educating employees on the basic principles of disease prevention can help to reduce fear in the event of a workplace exposure (or recent media attention focused on a disease outbreak) and may potentially reduce claim frequency.
Several conditions must be met for infectious disease transmission to occur. If any one of these conditions is absent, transmission cannot occur. These conditions are commonly referred to as the "Chain of Infection" (Fell-Carlson 204).
Pathogen. The amount and characteristics of a pathogen impact whether a disease is transmitted. A pathogen must be present in sufficient quantities for disease to occur. For example, Hepatitis B cannot be transmitted unless enough of the virus is present to cause disease. In addition, some pathogens are easier to catch (more virulent) than others. These concepts may seem obvious, but are worth mentioning because they are critical to understanding disease transmission. Good housekeeping, good personal hygiene, disinfection (when warranted) and creating a culture where an employee knows he or she is expected to stay home when ill are examples of how this information can be applied. Some pathogens are quite hardy. Hepatitis B, for example, can survive on a soiled surface for 7–10 days. A thorough cleaning with detergent and water is adequate to remove pathogens from surfaces in most environments outside of healthcare.
