OSHA & Head Lice

In the early 1980s, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration enacted regulations to provide guidelines for health care employers and workers to reduce the risk of spreading harmful infectious agents, including head lice.

Significance

• The guidelines were implemented in response to the spread of the AIDS virus, but the concept of infection control was more comprehensive. OSHA's mission was to reduce the transmission of all infectious diseases as defined by the Centers for Disease Control. Lice are among the infectious agents listed by the CDC.

Features

• OSHA regulations require the use of protective apparel, such as gloves.

  The CDC lists three types of lice: head lice, body lice and pubic lice. Lice survive by feeding on blood. Therefore, they are capable of transmitting blood-borne diseases. OSHA regulations cover all areas of hygiene necessary to prevent the spread of lice. These include general housekeeping practices, such as cleaning, disinfecting, sterilizing, hand washing and the handling of disposables. The regulations also include the use of protective apparel, such as gloves, safety glasses and masks.

Function

• A complete list of OSHA regulations can be found at the OSHA website. To comply with OSHA regulations, employees must be trained on OSHA standards before working in a facility, and they must have a refresher course once a year.