Training

COMMUNICABLE DISEASE POLICY

Download this document as PDF.

This Communicable Disease Policy supersedes and nullifies any prior agreements, written or verbal, made between Hellerwork International and any individual and/or Practitioner. It may be amended when necessary with a majority vote of the HWI Board of Directors.

This policy statement is intended to articulate a clear position on issues related to blood-borne pathogens and disease (e.g. the Human Immunodeficiency Virus [HIV], Hepatitis B Virus [HBV] and Hepatitis C Virus [HCV]) hereafter referred to in this document as "BP/D".

This policy is formulated based on current and generally accepted scientific knowledge and accepted moral, ethical and legal imperatives. The Practice Precautions for All Bodyworkers, which follows at the end of this document was authored by the Association of Bodywork and Massage Practitioners, published in Massage & Bodywork Oct./Nov. 2000.

In addressing BP/D, infection control and the practice of HELLERWORK, this policy will be reviewed as needed and may be modified as scientific knowledge of BP/D transmission and prevention in health care settings evolves.

A key element in infection control is the concept of universal precautions. Current epidemiological evidence indicates that there is no significant risk of either transmission or contraction of BP/D when these universal precautions are routinely observed.

There is not an obligation on the part of a Hellerwork Practitioner or on the part of their clients to disclose their BP/D status. Every client should be treated with dignity and compassion and have access to Hellerwork, if they so choose, AND it is always at the discretion of the Hellerwork Practitioner as to whether or not they accept any person as a client. If a client does disclose a BP/D status to the Practitioner, that information, as is true of all client information, shall be kept confidential.

HWI supports the rights of both clients and Practitioners to be free from acts of prejudice AND also to be protected against an unreasonable risk of disease.

It is recognized that prejudice most often arises from ignorance, and therefore HWI sees as its responsibility the need to educate Hellerwork Practitioners about both the efficacy of universal precautions and the absence of a significant risk of contracting BP/D during the provision of Hellerwork sessions.

HWI will, from time to time, provide Practitioners with information and coaching in working with clients who may have BP/D. At the same time, all Hellerwork Practitioners have an individual obligation of keeping their knowledge and skills in this area current.

UNIVERSAL PRECAUTIONS FOR ALL BODYWORKERS

Hellerwork Practitioners shall use the same universal precautions
as used for all non-invasive therapies, which are:

Wash your hands before and after each massage or treatment. Do this even if you wear gloves. Use antibacterial soap. Scrub gently but thoroughly with a fingernail brush.

Keep your fingernails trimmed and your hands well manicured. For any open wound on your hands (visible or invisible), form a double barrier with a bandage and gloves. To check for invisible cuts, wipe your hands with alcohol, vinegar, lemon juice, or witch hazel. If any area stings, cover it with a bandage and gloves.

Use protective barriers (i.e. Latex gloves) when working inside the mouth or nose, or if there is any possibility of coming into contact with bodily fluids.

Use only oil-free lubricants with latex gloves. Oil-based lotions make latex stretch and/or break down. Please note: latex gloves have a shelf life, must be stored in a cool, dry place, and are weakened by age and extreme temperatures.

Change all linens and towels before and after each client or treatment.

Wash your linens and anything that comes into contact with another human body with a good detergent. Disinfect with 1/4 cup bleach per gallon of water.

Do not air-dry your laundry. Sunshine is not warm enough. The perfect breeding temperature for bacteria, viruses, etc., is 40-140 degrees Fahrenheit or 4-60 degrees Celsius. Set your dryer temperature on high.

Disinfect your work surfaces with a mixture of 1 part bleach to 10 parts water.
Alcohol is not a disinfectant.

There are specific hand washing procedures that apply to all bodyworkers to prevent the spread of bacteria:

Use continuously running water. Moisten hands well.
Apply soap, from a dispenser. Lather surface well.
Scrub, rubbing well for ten (10) seconds.
Clean your fingernails well. Using the palm and fingers of the opposite hand, make sure you
get lather into each nail.
Rinse your hands well, holding them downward.
Dry with paper towels.
Use the paper towels to turn off the faucet.
When exiting the bathroom, use a paper towel to turn the door handle and then dispose of the towel in a waste basket outside the bathroom, whenever possible.

Antibacterial hand cleanser lotions and/or wipes, kept in the office, can be utilized by the Practitioner in the event there is concern about having re-contaminated their hands before beginning a session.

NOTE: These procedures are utilized in medical and clinical settings for the mutual protection of the client and care giver. Practitioners should allow common sense to guide adherence to these procedures to avoid unnecessary health risks to themselves and clients.

return to top of page