Module 04 - Occupational Health and Safety

Exposure Control Plans

Any circumstances that present particular risks of zoonotic infections should be identified before the risks are encountered. This includes immune compromised states (e.g., HIV infection, anti-rejections drugs or steroids, pregnancy, etc.).

Provincial Occupational Health and Safety regulations commonly define a requirement to develop a written "exposure control plan" for workers required to handle, use or produce an infectious material or organism or likely to be exposed. Responsibility for this rests with the employer. Such a written plan includes: identifying workers at risk, routes of infection, signs and symptoms of disease, vaccination, engineering controls, personal protective equipment, personnel training, safe work practices and procedures, dealing with accidents, and investigating accidents.