Emergency service workers, including paramedics, firefighters, police officers and others may be exposed to infectious or communicable diseases in the course of their duties.

This health education resource for designated emergency service officers provides information about certain communicable diseases and their transmission, strategies to reduce the risk of exposure to these diseases in emergency situations and how to manage various exposures to minimize the health impacts on emergency services workers.

Program overview and roles and responsibilities

Understanding the chain of transmission

Diseases that spread through blood and body fluids, including:

• Hepatitis B
• Hepatitis C
• HIV/AIDS
• Level of risk
• Situations where transmission of bloodborne pathogens can occur
• Mandatory Blood Testing Act

Diseases that spread through respiratory secretions, including:

• Influenza
• Group A streptococcus
• Meningococcal disease
• Tuberculosis (airborne spread)

Diseases that spread through other contact, including

• Tetanus
• Rabies
• Viral hemorrhagic fevers
• C. difficile and antibiotic resistant organisms (VRE, MRSA and ESBL)

Precautions to reduce the risk of transmission, including:

• Immunization
• Hand hygiene
• Routine practices and personal protective equipment
• Cleaning, disinfecting and sterilizing

Managing possible exposures and notification process

Incident assessment form

Reportable diseases list

Related Resources

• Infection Prevention Resources