Many different professionals are vulnerable to exposure to illness at work. Health care professionals and teachers are among those most likely to contract a viral or bacterial infection on the job due to constant exposure to pathogens.
However, those performing facility maintenance or providing custodial services are also potentially vulnerable to pathogen exposure. The need to clean up when visitors become sick or even routine sanitation obligations, such as emptying bathroom trash bins, could result in pathogen exposure and the development of a work-related illness.
Employers should protect workers from exposure
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) recognizes maintenance and janitorial work as a potential source of pathogen exposure. OSHA generally requires that employers identify likely sources of pathogen exposure and take steps to limit worker risks.
Providing workers with disposable gloves and even ventilators or masks may be necessary if job responsibilities could include handling bodily fluids. Workers should receive training on how to address bodily fluids and other potential biohazards.
They should have access to chemicals and equipment that allow them to clean without endangering their health. In scenarios where employees can directly track a serious illness to on-the-job pathogen exposure, they may be eligible for workers’ compensation benefits.
Especially in cases where unusual circumstances, such as a visitor getting sick in the middle of a store or a worker sustaining an injury due to sharp objects in the trash, lead to pathogen exposure, injured and sickened employees may be eligible for medical coverage and disability benefits. Filing a workers’ compensation claim can help professionals cover treatment expenses and replace lost wages.