Regulatory Compliance Series

Tuberculosis in the Healthcare Environment

Early in 1996 OSHA issued Tuberculosis Directives that enforce the 1994 Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Tuberculosis Prevention Guidelines, and allow for the wearing of new classes of NIOSH approved respirators/masks as well as HEPA masks.

TPC Training Systems' training products on "Guarding Against Tuberculosis in the Healthcare Environment" include the changes in respiratory protection requirements. These products are designed to assist facilities and operations whose employees have a risk of exposure to tuberculosis. They also help employees understand the nature of the disease, as well as what they can do to protect themselves from infection. Topics covered in these products include:

• Epidemiology and symptoms of tuberculosis.
• Modes by which tuberculosis is transmitted.
• The CDC Guidelines.
• The Exposure Control Plan.
• Recognition of exposure situations.
• Practices to prevent exposure.
• Administrative and engineering controls.
• Selection and use of personal protective equipment (including respirators).
• and more.