Vestagen Participates in OSHA Meetings To Examine Occupational Exposure to Infectious Diseases
Orlando, Florida, August 8, 2011 — Armed with an ever-growing body of research suggesting that textiles — specifically, medical uniforms — play a key role in the transmission of disease in healthcare settings, Vestagen Technical Textiles participated in the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) stakeholder meetings to examine exposure to infectious diseases in health care workplaces. The meetings were held July 29 in Washington.
“While many vectors of infectious disease exposure are well-known, accepted and managed, the healthcare and regulatory communities are now just beginning to understand and address the role of textiles,” said Ben Favret, president and CEO of Vestagen. “It’s not only doctors and nurses at risk that concerns OSHA. Staff in emergency medical service, labs, housekeeping, food delivery or laundry are also at risk, as are those who transport medical specimens or dispose of medical waste.”
Favret added that current research shows epidemiological changes in multidrug-resistant pathogens, and increased risk and incidence of health care worker exposure to contamination, colonization and infection. This adds urgency to the need for improved infection prevention measures that reduce the microbiological burden and exposure risk.
“That risk will grow as more medical procedures are done bedside, in physician offices, ambulatory surgical centers, nursing homes and in patients’ homes. At the same time, the literature reports dramatic increases in multidrug resistant organisms infecting patients, health care workers are being exposed to more infectious diseases. For example, current studies report that between 4% and 15% of health care workers are colonized with Methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA) and 5% of those have symptomatic infections,” he added.
Recent studies have documented that healthcare worker uniforms and lab coats are a reservoir for high levels of microorganisms, become rapidly contaminated during the workday and should be considered contaminated surfaces. Other current research has shown that uniforms, when touched by hands, transfer the textile contamination to the hands of health care workers. Multiple investigators have linked contaminated textile surfaces to infectious outbreaks in health care settings. Studies conducted by Virginia Commonwealth University and presented to the Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America (SHEA) have documented a statistically significant reduction in MRSA bioburden on Vestex uniforms when compared in a crossover trial to standard uniforms.
Support is building for establishing standards for healthcare worker uniforms. Last year, healthcare leaders from top universities and hospitals across the country sent an appeal to OSHA calling for such standards. At a conference held in June at the Thomas Jefferson School of Population Health, a large majority of attendees strongly supported healthcare worker uniform standards. Additional research conducted among healthcare workers showed overwhelming support for uniforms with fluid barrier protection and clinically proven antimicrobial activity, and are comfortable to wear.
OSHA will use the information gathered during the meetings to explore the possible development of a proposed rule to protect workers from occupational exposure to infectious agents in healthcare settings, both those providing direct patient care and other settings where healthcare workers may be exposed to infectious agents.
“We fully support OSHA’s program standard approach, which provides the necessary flexibility to determine the best way to tailor protective measures to the task performed and conditions encountered by healthcare workers at risk,” said Favret. Based on an assessment of the risks to health care workers, an exposure control plan is developed.
In occupations where uniforms are a known reservoir of contamination, an engineering control and use of protective uniforms such as Vestex provides clinically proven, comfortable, fluid barrier protection and antimicrobial performance.
About Vestagen Technical Textiles LLC
Vestagen Technical Textiles is an Orlando-based marketer and manufacturer of advanced performance textiles. Vestagen is led by a skilled management team with nearly a century of combined experience in the health care textile and apparel industries. Backed by V-Ten Capital Partners, Vestagen is committed to creating innovative textile solutions. For more information, visit www.vestexprotects.com.