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Protecting Investigators from Exposure to Bacillus
anthracis Using Personal Protective Equipment
This is an official CDC Health Advisory
Distributed via Health Alert Network
October 22, 2001, 12:00 EDT (12:00 PM EDT)
Protecting Investigators from Exposure to Bacillus
anthracis Using Personal Protective Equipment
NIOSH personnel and other investigators at risk for exposure
to Bacillus anthracis, the organism causing anthrax, should wear protective
personal equipment (PPE), including respiratory devices, protective clothing,
and gloves. The items described below are similar to those used by emergency
personnel responding to incidents involving letters or packages. Responders need
to use greater levels of protection in responding to incidents involving unknown
conditions or those involving aerosol-generating devices.
Powered Air-Purifying Respirator with Full Facepiece and
High-Energy Particulate Air (HEPA) Filters
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The constant flow
of clean air into the facepieces is an important feature of this respirator
because contaminated air cannot enter gaps in the face to facepiece seal.
These respirators also give wearers needed mobility and field of vision.
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Use respirators
in accordance with a respiratory-protection program that complies with the
OSHA respiratory-protection standard (29 CFR 1910.134).
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Respiratory
facepieces for NIOSH investigators will be assigned on the basis of results
of quantitative fit testing.
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Wearing a
properly functioning, powered, air-purifying respirator with a full
facepiece that is assigned to the wearer on the basis of quantitative fit
testing will reduce inhalation exposures to 2 % or less of what they would
be without wearing this type of respirator.
Disposable Protective Clothing with Integral Hood and
Booties
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Wearing
protective clothing not only protects the skin but can eliminate the
likelihood of transferring contaminated dust to places away from the work
site.
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Wear disposable
rubber shoe coverings with ridged soles made of slip-resistant material over
the booties of the disposable suit to reduce likelihood of slipping on wet
or dusty surfaces.
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Decontaminate all
PPE immediately after leaving a potentially contaminated area.
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Remove and
discard protective clothing before removing the respirator.
Disposable Gloves
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Disposable gloves
made of light-weight nitrile or vinyl protect hands from contact with
potentially contaminated dusts with compromising needed dexterity.
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A thin cotton
glove can be worn inside a disposable glove to protect against dermatitis,
which can occur from prolonged exposure of the skin to moisture in gloves
caused by perspiration.
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