Hepatitis C: Information and Guidance in the Occupational Setting

What is it?

Hepatitis C is a bloodborne virus which causes inflammation of the liver. Many people who are infected have no symptoms and are unaware that they are carrying the virus. Chronic infection is defined as infection lasting longer than six months and up to 80% of infected people do go on to chronic infection. People with chronic hepatitis C infection are at long term risk of developing cirrhosis and liver cancer. There is no vaccine available to prevent hepatitis C infection.

Preventing infection in the occupational setting

General prevention

• Good Practice Guidelines for Renal Dialysis/Transplantation Units: Prevention and Control of Blood-borne Virus Infection. London: Department of Health, September 2002.
• Guidance for Clinical Healthcare Workers: Protection Against Infection with Blood-borne Viruses. London: UK Health Departments, 1998
• Standard principles for preventing hospital-acquired infections. J Hosp Infect 2001;
  47(Supplement): S21-S37

Specific to procedure

• Wear protective gloves and face mask
• Cover cuts and wounds with a waterproof dressing
• Never re-sheath needles
• Use disposable sterile needles
• Ensure all equipment is appropriately sterilised
• Wash your hands after any incident involving blood

The Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations 2002(COSHH) requires both employers and employees to take responsibility to avoid any risk where possible e.g. safe handling and disposal of sharps and the use of personal protective equipment (gloves, face visors) to minimise exposure to blood or body fluids. Employees are governed under COSHH to perform their own assessment of risk and to implement necessary measures to protect both themselves and others.

Specific to injury and followup

• Guidance on the investigation and management of occupational exposure to hepatitis C (PDF, 255 KB)
  
  ( Guidance on the investigation and management of occupational exposure to hepatitis C (PDF, 255 KB)
  
  256 KB)

Specific occupational health guidelines

• Hepatitis C Infected Care Workers: Health Service Circular; HSC 2002/010. London: Department of Health, 14 August 2002
• Hepatitis C Infected Health Care Workers. Implementing Getting Ahead of the Curve: action on blood-borne viruses. London: Department of Health, August 2002
• Health clearance for tuberculosis, hepatitis B, hepatitis C and HIV: New healthcare workers. London: Department of Health, March 2007

Related information

• Bloodborne Viruses and Occupational Exposure
• Definition of healthcare workers 
  

Last reviewed: 3 June 2008