Questionnaire - Gloves and hand hygiene for waste handlers

Questionnaire - Glove use and hand hygiene for waste handlers Clinical wastes present several clearly defined risks. They may transmit infection, ranging from the troublesome but relatively minor infection of a traumatic wound, cut or graze, to infections of the gut or chest, and to more serious and possibly life-threatening infections caused by a range of viruses. Other hazards include allergic reactions to materials present in these wastes, and exposure to toxic or corrosive chemicals including disinfectant and pharmaceutical residues. There are risks of physical injury (cuts, scrapes & sharps injury), as well as slips, trips and falls, vehicle- and equipment-related accidents, and injuries from manual handling of wastes and equipment.. Although "needlestick" or "sharps" injuries have been studied in great detail, mainly among healthcare workers, there has been no study that defines overall the incidence of sharps injury that occur when handling clinical wastes. Similarly, the more general issues of associated hand hygiene for waste handlers have not been considered in detail, and no studies have considered the incidence of skin irritation, of minor cuts, grazes and skin irritation secondary to glove use, or the simple practicalities of hand washing or other hand cleansing when gloves have been removed. We hope that the information obtained from this questionnaire will go some way to identifying the range of hazards involved, their severity, and methods or procedures by which these hazards can be reduced or eliminated. Significant findings will be published in an appropriate on the Clinical Waste Discussion Forum and in a scientific journal, with care to ensure that the sources of data provided remain anonymous. Your help in completing a relevant questionnaire will be greatly appreciated, and will be invaluable in defining current practice and identifying deficiencies in order to promote best practice. All data will be treated in STRICT CONFIDENCE. Your identity and other details will NEVER be divulged scroll down to continue

Section 1 of 7 Your details Name and address etc are not required, but are helpful to eliminate duplicates. These data will NEVER be divulged, and we will not attempt to contact you unless you have given permission Your name Your address Email address Phone May we contact you by phone or email if additional information is required? If you are happy that we contact you, we will ensure complete discretion - be assured that we will NOT divulge the purpose of the call to any other person Email address Section 2 of 7 About your job These details are not essential, but will be very helpful in defining the study population. Data will NEVER be divulged, and we will not attempt to contact you unless you have given permission What type of organisation do you work for? specify job title Please describe your duties How long have you worked in this or in a similar job? Do your answers relate to YOU only, or more generally to the organisation that you work for? Section 3 of 7 Glove use Please give details of the type of gloves used for each key task. What type of gloves do you regularly use, and for which task? Please give details, and specify if different types of glove are used for different tasks please give as much detail as possible Are gauntlets or other forearm protection available? please give as much detail as possible Where are you when you handle wastes? What wastes are you handling? Where does it come from? What sort of container(s) are the wastes in? please give details Do you ALWAYS wear gloves when handling wastes? please give details Section 4 of 7 Problems with gloves Have you had any problems with the gloves that you use? choose all that apply If Yes, please give details of what happens and how often this has been a problem please give as much detail as possible How often do you replace your gloves? Please give extra details How often do you replace your gloves? Please give extra details Section 5 of 7 Injuries or skin irritations All data are strictly confidential and will NEVER be disclosed. Have you suffered any injury to your hands or forearms while handling clinical wastes, or suffered from any skin irritation or allergic reaction affecting your hands or forearms that might have been caused by the gloves you were using? If Yes, please give details please give as much detail as possible Was treatment necessary? If Yes, please give details please give as much detail as possible Who gave treatment? self-administered treatment first-aider Hospital emergency department Occupational Health General practitioner Other (please specify *specify* Was it necessary to take time off work? Section 6 of 7 Hand washing & skin care Do you wash your hands after removing gloves? Please give extra detail. What handwashing facilities are available? Do you rely on hand rub preparation or wipes? Do you use hand cream or skin moisturisers? Please give extra detail Section 7 of 7 First Aid services If you have a minor cut or graze on your hands, do you cover it with a plaster or similar before putting gloves on? Please give extra detail Do you always have a first aid box available? Please give extra detail Any other comments Please press to send data, or to clear all entries
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date last changed: 07 July 2007

Questionnaire - Glove use and hand hygiene for waste handlers