Protective Action and Prevention

Bloodborne Pathogens Key Vocabulary

Read the following situations and describe what protective action would prevent the person from getting hurt. Write about the workplace environment, what the person did not do, the risk, and what the person could do in the future to prevent an injury. 

Each answer has four parts. 

1.  What are the workplace hazards?

2.  What personal and protective equipment did the person forget to use or what precautions should the person take?

3. What is the risk that takes place?

4. What should the person do to prevent themselves or someone else from getting hurt?

1. Jake works in a garage. There are a lot of dangerous fluids in the garage around the car. Jake is not wearing goggles to protect his eyes. When he is under the car some gas or oil gets into his eyes. He screams, "ouch" and his eyes hurt really bad. 

Questions about Jake's Workplace

2. Joe works in a kitchen. There are a lot of sharp knives and hot stoves in the kitchen. When Joe comes to work, he is wearing shorts and a t-shirt. When he stands next to the stove, he burns his arm. He is not wearing a long sleeve shirt made for cooking in a kitchen. 

Questions about Joe's Workplace

3. Jill is a nurse. She works at the pharmacy where she uses sharp needles every day. She uses the needles to give vaccines. One day she forgets to put on gloves and a mask. She gets sick.

Questions about Jill's Workplace

4. Jerry is a firefighter. Jerry has to wear a lot of fireproof gear when she puts out fires. One day there is a fire and she forgets to bring her helmet. A large part of the house hits her head and wounds her head. This would not have happened if she wore her helmet. The helmet would protect her from the debris. 

Questions about Jerry's Workplace

5. Gary works at a store. He is late for work. He is a cashier. One day he is at work and he sees there is blood on the floor. "I'm already late. I do not have time to clean this up. I'm just going to pretend I did not see it."

"I don't want to talk to my manager. I do not like him."

He does not talk to his manager or clean it up. 

He goes to his checkout at lane five. He turns on the light. Gary starts helping customers with their groceries. He scans bananas, a shirt, and a hat. He looks up and sees someone slip and fall in the blood. The person is hurt. 

Check your understanding. Questions.

6. Max works at Amazon. He has to open many boxes. He uses sharp objects like razors, knives, and scissors. One day he leaves scissors out open on the counter. He forgot to put the scissors away. Leo, his co-worker trips and falls next to the scissors and the person gets hurt. He cuts his hands on the scissors.