The importance of cleaning employees and staff knowing about Bloodborne pathogens is extremely important for a variety of reasons. Cleaning employees can unexpectedly encounter blood or other potentially infectious materials while cleaning, especially in restrooms, healthcare facilities, schools, apartments, offices, and trash-handling areas. There are many seen hazards cleaners and staff may encounter. But some hazards can be unseen, such as HBV, HCV, and HIV. Having knowledge of these Bloodborne pathogens may help mitigate exposure or inform when exposure does occur. 

Another concern that may not often come to mind is the expose to Bloodborne pathogens by way of sharps. Imagine a cleaner using his/her hand to push down trash in a trash can only to discover there was a discarded needle, razor, or broken glass in the trash. A puncture can create a route for bloodborne pathogens to enter the body. That kind of exposure can be both dangerous and costly. 

Finally, proper training can teach cleaners what to do but also and equally important, what not to do as it pertains to bloodborne pathogens. It’s important for cleaners and staff to know not to pick up an unknown sharp with bare hands. They should never reach blindly into trash. Cleaners should always wear the appropriate PPE. It is especially important they know how to properly handle contaminated materials, appropriate cleaning and decontamination procedures, as well as how to properly dispose of contaminated materials. Cleaners should also know what to do and who to contact in the event they believe that have been exposed to bloodborne pathogens. 

For all these reasons and more cleaners and staff should be knowledgeable about bloodborne pathogens. This protects the cleaners, staff, clients, and the company.