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DocuSign Envelope ID:79C5D167-B6CA-4E59-B4AC-AA38CC1 B20BD <br /> EC 5: Scene Operations (Continued): <br /> • Hand washing with soap and water will be performed for ten to fifteen seconds. <br /> If soap and water is not available at the scene, a waterless hand wash will be <br /> used, provided that a soap and water wash is performed immediately upon return <br /> to the station of arrival at the hospital. <br /> • Eating, drinking, smoking, handling contact lenses, or applying cosmetics or lip <br /> balm is prohibited at the scene of operations or in the potentially contaminated <br /> area of the emergency vehicle. <br /> • Heads will be protected with covers as specified in this policy and additionally <br /> hair lengths longer than the collar will be secured so that it does not come in <br /> contact with patients or equipment. <br /> • Used needles and other sharps shall be disposed of by the technician performing <br /> the procedure in approved sharps containers. Sharps will not be handled by any <br /> other person for any reason. <br /> • Needles will not be recapped, resheathed, bent, broken, or separated from <br /> disposable syringes. The most common occupational blood exposure occurs <br /> when needles are recapped. <br /> • Used sharps will not be temporarily laid down or stuck in any seat, bench or <br /> elsewhere for any reason. <br /> • All instruments used for starting IVs, drawing blood, injecting medication and all <br /> other skills that require penetration of the skin of patients will be properly <br /> disposed of at the completion of the procedure. The container used to hold or <br /> store blood or body fluids will be the responsibility of the technician performing <br /> the procedure. <br /> • Sharps containers will be easily accessible. <br /> • Lost sharps will be reported in writing to the Supervisor immediately and a search <br /> of the unit and scene will be conducted to find the item. When found document <br /> location and dispose of properly. <br /> • Disposable resuscitation equipment will be used whenever possible. For CPR, <br /> the order of preference is: <br /> o Disposable bag-valve mask. <br /> o Reusable bag-valve mask. <br /> o Disposable pocket mask with one-way valve. <br /> • Patients with suspected airborne communicable diseases will be transported <br /> wearing a facemask whenever possible. Ambulance windows will be open and <br /> ventilation systems turned on whenever possible. <br /> • Fluid spills and broken containers will be cleaned up immediately. Fluid spills will <br /> be adsorbed using bandaging material and broken containers will be cleaned up <br /> using mechanical means, such as a brush and dustpan, tongs, or forceps. <br /> • At conclusion of on-scene operations, all potentially contaminated patient care <br /> equipment will be removed for appropriate disposal or decontamination and <br /> reuse. This includes, but is not limited to sharps, dressing materials, etc. <br /> Revised July,2018 <br />