No.038
Methicillin resistant staphylococcus aureus - (MRSA)

Methicillin resistant staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is a germ (bacterium), which can be fatal if it gets into the blood stream. The groups of workers most at risk are nursing staff, home care staff and residential care home workers. Although it normally lives harmlessly in the nose and on the skin, MRSA can cause serious illness or even death in people who are ill or have ulcers, sores and wounds.

The Hazard - MRSA can be passes from person to person, usually transferring via the skin. This is a particular problem in hospitals where sick people with wounds have been infected by medical staff that have not disinfected their hands properly. MRSA is resistant to antibodies and treatment. MRSA is harmless unless it contaminates deeps wounds or cuts. This can cause fatal blood poisoning.

Dealing with the hazard - fully trained staff should only carry out the dressing of wounds. Staff who treat minor wounds with sticking plaster or as a first-aid measure should ensure that they wash their hands thoroughly with soap and water before and after treating a client. Rigorous hygiene standards should be maintained at all times, especially when working with high-risk groups. This precaution will prevent infection of the client and ensure the prevention of transfer to the employee or other clients.

Staff should also ensure that they cover any cuts or abrasions that they may have with plaster and keep the area clean. Employers should provide gloves and aprons for staff dealing with suspected MRSA suffers. Employers should have a written policy and information on MRSA and hospitals should regularly evaluate and review their control of infection policies to ensure that that are working properly.

Employers must:

• Assess the risks to health, safety and welfare from exposure to hazardous substances, such as biological agents like MRSA, and prevent or control exposure, with personal protective equipment (PPE) being used only as a last resort (Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations 1999). Schedule 9 of the regulations sets out detailed requirements concerning biological agents;
• Report cases of staff contracting the bug, and then having time off work (Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations RIDDOR 1995);
• Provide adequate washing facilities (Workplace (Health, Safety and Welfare) Regulations 1992); and
• Provide suitable and sufficient first-aid facilities (Health and Safety (First-aid) Regulations 1981).

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