Infection Control (Health) Toolbox

Dealing with blood and other body fluids

Dealing with spills
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Choose the correct answer or answers for each question below. Note that each
question may have one or more correct answers.
Question 1
Why is it important to wear gloves when dealing with a body fluid spill?
A The spill may include infected blood or body fluid.
B our hand may have cuts or sores that may allow the body fluid to enter your
body.
C They save you having to wash your hands afterwards.
The correct answers are A and B ! The spill may include infected blood or body fluid"
and your hand may have cuts or sores that may allow the body fluid to enter your
body.
As a precaution" you should assume that any spill may contain infected blood or body
fluid. The gloves help you avoid s#in contact with these potentially infectious
substances.
The gloves act as a barrier" so that even cuts or sores that you are not aware of are
protected in some way.
Question 2
Why should eyewear be worn when cleaning up a spill?
A The eyewear helps you see better.
B With any spills" there is a ris# that some material may be splashed into the eye.
C The eye is a potential point of entry into the body for infection.
The correct answers are B and C ! With any spills" there is a ris# that some material
may be splashed into the eye" and the eye is a potential point of entry into the body
for infection.
Where there is a large amount of body fluid to be cleaned up" there is a greater
chance of splashing" and the danger is that some of this may enter the eye. This is of
concern as the mucous lining of the eye can carry infection into the body.
Question 3
Why should you wear a plastic apron when cleaning up a spill?
A A plastic apron is cheaper than the laundering cost of a cloth apron.
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B Wearing an apron #eeps your clothes clean.
C The plastic apron is better than a cloth one because spills cannot soa# through
it.
The correct answers are B and C ! Wearing an apron #eeps your clothes clean" and
the plastic apron is better than a cloth one because spills cannot soa# through it.
The apron covers your clothes and protects them from any potentially infectious
material. Because the apron is plastic" fluids are unable to soa# through.
Question 4
,f you use a mop and buc#et to clean up a spill" what do you need to do when you
finish?
A Wash the buc#et and mop with detergent and hot water.
B -iscard the mop and buc#et.
C .inse the buc#et and mop.
- /ut the buc#et and mop away.
The correct answers are A" C and - ! Wash the buc#et and mop with detergent and
hot water" rinse the buc#et and mop" and put the buc#et and mop away.
Question 5
After a spill has been wiped up and cleaned with warm water and detergent" what
needs to be done if the spill area is one where contact with bare s#in is li#ely?
A The area should be disinfected.
B The area should be allowed to dry.
C The area should be cleaned a second time with warm water and detergent.
- No further action is needed.
The correct answers are A and B ! The area should be disinfected" and the area
should be allowed to dry.
-isinfection is needed to minimise infection ris# if bare s#in comes in contact with the
area. The area needs to be dry to minimise the ris# of infection.
Question 6
Why are the procedures different when dealing with large spills rather than small
spills?
A )arge spills tend to be spills of different substances than small spills.
B *plashing is more li#ely with large spills" so e0tra precautions are necessary.
C )arge spills need more than one person to clean them up.
The correct answer is B ! *plashing is more li#ely with large spills" so e0tra
precautions are necessary.
)arge spills contain a greater volume of fluids etc" which ma#es splashing more li#ely.
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