Protect Yourself Against ‘Superbugs’

When it comes to pathogen exposure, new risks pop up all the time. Learn how to protect yourself at this WWETT Show session.
Protect Yourself Against ‘Superbugs’

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As pumpers, you know you’re exposed to pathogens on a regular basis. But do you take all the necessary steps to prevent getting sick? Even if you think you never slip up with your protection, you can probably learn something from John Thomas. Thomas will be presenting “Pathogen Exposures to Workers in the Onsite Industry” at the Water & Wastewater Equipment, Treatment & Transport Show on Feb. 19 in rooms 140-142 from 11 a.m. to noon. Thomas is the executive director for the Washington Onsite Sewage Association. He will discuss a new field study done specifically for the onsite industry and explain proper operations practice. Don’t miss this session; your health depends on it.

Can you give a brief rundown of what you will cover in the session and why it’s important?
Thomas: 
We all know that working in raw, human, untreated waste is a nasty job. Up until now, most service providers typically will wear coveralls or have a double glove setup with a nitrile base layer and heavy rubber gloves on the outside to try and keep as clean as possible. We mentally "unhook" ourselves from the pathogen and biological exposures associated with what we do … and this mistake can make you sick and cost time off from work for you or your crew. This session will cover the results of actual field studies on pathogen exposure for workers in the onsite industry who work on septic systems, and simple ways to protect yourself. 

What do you hope attendees will learn in this session?
Thomas:
 By raising awareness of the real exposures that service providers face, attendees of this session will see common work practices, and "typical" PPE (personal protective equipment) choices and how they can drastically reduce the likelihood of getting infected or sick by changing just a few simple things in how they complete their work. 

Why should a veteran pumper attend this class?
Thomas:
 It's not uncommon for the veterans in the industry to cop an attitude of "That won't happen to me" or "I've been working in this industry for 25 years and haven't died yet!" You'll learn in this session that some of the new "superbugs" like MRSA that people carry don't really care how long you've worked in the industry; and fluid samples that we took out of active septic tanks carried viable bugs like these that have never been seen before.   

Why should a beginning pumper attend this class?
Thomas:
 New guys in the industry learn about "swim jobs" and "poop flu" the hard way. Employee orientation doesn’t always do a great job of training new hires on simple ways to avoid these exposures and provide appropriate PPE to reduce the risk of getting sick. Few employers offer paid sick leave as part of their compensation package, and if you're home sick, the main thing that happens is that your next paycheck is going to be smaller. Armed with just a little more information, you can limit your exposures and spend more days on the job while still being efficient at getting the job done.

Is there anything else attendees should know?
Thomas:
 While many studies have been done on pathogen exposure in the "closed loop" of wastewater treatment plants, the results of this field study looks at the onsite industry’s exposure to wastewater and is the first of its kind. Many of the pathogens in wastewater that are all around us are common. But when you don't know if the people that are using the system are sick or with what, you don't know what you are going to be exposed to on any given job. Now multiply that times four or five jobs a day, six days a week year-round, and the simple math says that you're going to get sick sooner or later just based on the frequency of exposure. The fixes are pretty simple really, just like the expectation that your food server in the restaurant has washed his hands after going to the bathroom and before serving your lunch! You just have to do it. 



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