Universal Precautions

The District requires all staff to routinely observe universal precautions to prevent exposure to disease-causing organisms, and the District should provide necessary equipment/supplies to implement universal precautions.

Categories of Potential Risk

Employees with infectious diseases that can be transmittable in school and/or athletic settings (such as, but not limited to, chicken pox, influenza and conjunctivitis) should be managed as specified in (a) the most current edition of the Missouri Department of Health document entitled Prevention and Control of Communicable Diseases: A Guide for School Administrators, Nurses, Teachers and Day Care Operators and (b) documents referenced in 19 CSR 20-20.030 and (c) in accordance with any specific guidelines/recommendations or requirements distributed by the local county or city health department. A medical release may be required of the employee in certain circumstances.

An employee infected with a bloodborne pathogen such as hepatitis B virus (HBV), hepatitis C virus (HCV) or human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) poses no risk of transmission through casual contact to other persons in a school setting. Employees infected with one of these viruses shall be allowed to continue work without any restrictions which are based solely on the infection.

Exceptional Situations - There are certain specific conditions (for example, frequent bleeding episodes or uncoverable, oozing skin lesions) which could potentially be associated with transmission of both bloodborne, and nonbloodborne pathogens. No employee, regardless of whether he/she is known to be infected with such pathogens, should be allowed to continue work unless these conditions are either absent or appropriately controlled in a way that avoids unnecessary exposure.

Specific mechanisms should be in place to ensure the following are consistently done:

1. The school nurse, and the designated school administrator when appropriate, should be informed of any staff member who has recurrent episodes of bleeding or who has uncoverable, oozing skin lesions.
2. The school nurse, and the designated school administrator when appropriate, should be promptly informed of any employee with an illness characterized by a rash.
3. The school nurse, and the designated school administrator when appropriate, shall be informed of any instance in which the significant potential for disease transmission occurs.

Confidentiality

The Superintendent/designee shall ensure that an employee's confidentiality rights are strictly observed in accordance with law. Security of medical records will be maintained and such records will be kept separate from other personnel records. Breach of confidentiality may result in disciplinary action and/or civil suit.

Training - Employee

All employees should receive training annually on universal precautions and the communicable disease policy.

Testing - Employee

Medical examinations and inquiries will not be required prior to an offer of employment. However, the District may make pre-employment inquiries into the ability of the applicant to perform job-related functions. At the post offer, pre-employment stage, medical inquiries and tests may be required of all applicants for a particular job category. Once employed, employees may only be subjected to medical inquiries or medical tests if the inquiry or test is job related and consistent with business necessity as provided by law.

Reasonable Accommodations

Districts should develop procedures to respond to employee requests for reasonable accommodations when an employee has a disability as defined by Section 504 and/or the ADA.

Reporting and Disease Outbreak Control

Reporting and disease outbreak control measures will be implemented in accordance with state and local law and Department of Health rules governing the control of communicable and other diseases dangerous to public health, and any applicable rules distributed by the appropriate county or city health department.

Review

The District shall periodically review its policies and procedures and make revisions when necessary.