Assessing the Work Environment
Although the recent spread of the Ebola virus is capturing national headlines, most workers in the U.S. are unlikely to encounter virus. That said, the law requires employers to provide their employees with working conditions that are free of known dangers. Workers who interact with people, animals, goods, and equipment arriving in the U.S. from foreign countries with current Ebola outbreaks are at the greatest risk for exposure according to the Occupational Safety & Health Administration (“OSHA”).
Workers at higher risk include:
- Healthcare workers
- Airline and other travel industry personnel
- Mortuary and death care workers
- Laboratory workers
- Borders customs and quarantine workers
- Emergency responders
- Workers in critical sectors (e.g. transportation, bus drivers, subways, pharmacists)
Education and Safety Measures
According to OSHA, any worker who may reasonably be expected to come into contact with the Ebola virus, either from the work environment or from direct contact with individuals infected, has the right to know the hazards associated with this potential exposure and how to protect themselves during work activities.
Ebola is transmitted though contact with bodily fluids. It is not airborne, but it can be aerosolized under certain conditions and can survive on dry surfaces. Because of this, workers need to comply with OSHA general safety standards and any applicable state and federal standards for biological or chemical agents such as Bloodborne Pathogens, Respiratory Protection and Personal Protective Equipment.
Precautionary measures include:
- Practice good infection control practices.
- Use personal protective equipment (PPE).
- Follow good hand hygiene protocols.
- Use cleaning chemicals with caution.
- Train workers about the sources of Ebola exposure and appropriate precautions.
Any worker who thinks he or she may have been exposed to Ebola virus, including through travel, assisting an ill traveler or other person, handling a contaminated object, or cleaning a contaminated environment (such as an aircraft) should take the following precautions:
- Notify your employer immediately.
- Monitor your health for 21 days. Watch for fever (temperature of 101°F/38.3°C or higher), muscle pain, headache, sore throat, diarrhea, vomiting, rash, and other symptoms consistent with Ebola.
- Seek medical attention if you develop any of these symptoms.
- Before visiting a health care provider, alert the clinic or emergency room in advance about your possible exposure to Ebola virus so that arrangements can be made to prevent spreading it to others.
- When traveling to a health care provider, limit contact with other people. Avoid all other travel.
More information about the Ebola virus and applicable OSHA worker protection standards is available from OSHA here.