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Waste Management Technicians - Hep B vaccination?
Rank: New forum user 
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A manager has recently asked whether our Waste Management Technicians require Hep B vaccinations. They are based at our Waste Transfer Station and handle all different types of solid waste. Thoughts?
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Rank: Super forum user 
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I can't find the previous posts but will state you cannot insist someone has a vaccination, nor can you make it a condition of employment as there are individuals for whom the innoculation never becomes effective despite multiple doses.
Now offering innoculation against diseases on a fully funded and voluntary basis is an entirely different matter - why stop at Hep B?
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 4 users thanked Roundtuit for this useful post.
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Rank: Super forum user
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I can't find the previous posts but will state you cannot insist someone has a vaccination, nor can you make it a condition of employment as there are individuals for whom the innoculation never becomes effective despite multiple doses.
Now offering innoculation against diseases on a fully funded and voluntary basis is an entirely different matter - why stop at Hep B?
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4 users thanked Roundtuit for this useful post.
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Rank: Super forum user
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First to answer the question...workers in the waste industry have been identified a a group that do require Hep B vaccinication...this will depend on the risks that they face ...so if your COSHH assessment says they will come across things in the sorting hall like used needles etc then...that can be part of your control strategy...so yes you can 'technically' require them to do it under COSHH...that said however. not everyone will respond to the vaccination non-responders will not be immune and people can withdraw thier consent to it...however most cases it is just about the wrong communication... http://www.hse.gov.uk/biosafety/blood-borne-viruses/refuse-collection.htm
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1 user thanked stevedm for this useful post.
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Rank: Super forum user
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1 user thanked stevedm for this useful post.
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Rank: Super forum user
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At the charity I worked at, I tried to ensure that all the front line staff received their Hep innoculations only to be told that there was a worldwide shortage. So I produced letters from inhouse occ health, the staff members Dr but still couldn't get all the staff innoculated.
I hope the situation has now changed
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Rank: Super forum user
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The WISH guidance is very good. It makes clear that the decision to offer immunisation for Hep B should be based on a fully research risk assessment. You need to decide what the risk actually is. As the guidance says, the health care sector get rid of their sharps through a dedicated waste stream using suitable containers. The risk is from sharps that have been discarded by drug users and the like. Are your operatives likely to come across such objects? Do you have controls to protect people from these objects already in place (gloves or some sort of device to remove needles from the waste for example)? Only if you found that these were insufficient would you be looking at vaccination. Although we always say that PPE is the lowest control in the hierarchy, for all practical purposes vaccination is even lower down the list, when it comes to infection control. If you want Hep B vaccination for you staff you will have to pay for it. They will need an initial jab and then they will need a blood test a couple of months down the line to check that it has “taken”. They then might need a booster and further check-ups. It can take months for a person to be fully immunised against Hep b. It does not confer immediate protection.
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2 users thanked A Kurdziel for this useful post.
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Rank: Super forum user
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You need to check the Hep B vaccination-dose shedules....
At least 4 weeks between dose 1 and dose 2.
At least 8 weeks between dose 2 and dose 3.
At least 16 weeks between doses 1 and 3.
Full immunity will not attained until all three injections....children are now routinely vaccinated for Hep B protection in the UK (unless their parent/s are anti-vaccination)(which more are every day)
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1 user thanked johnmurray for this useful post.
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Rank: Super forum user
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There is a wee bit more to it than just the frequencies...I would advise that competency is checked before engaging a supplier...The Royal College of Nursing has a useful assessment tool ...although mainly for Healthcare Professional use, this can give you some useful pointers as there is a very handy self assessment questionaire for staff that are non-registered... search for 'Immunisation Knowledge and Skills Competence Assessment Tool' choose the link from the RCN.
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Rank: Super forum user
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Originally Posted by: A Kurdziel  The WISH guidance is very good. It makes clear that the decision to offer immunisation for Hep B should be based on a fully research risk assessment. You need to decide what the risk actually is. As the guidance says, the health care sector get rid of their sharps through a dedicated waste stream using suitable containers. The risk is from sharps that have been discarded by drug users and the like. Are your operatives likely to come across such objects? Do you have controls to protect people from these objects already in place (gloves or some sort of device to remove needles from the waste for example)? Only if you found that these were insufficient would you be looking at vaccination. Although we always say that PPE is the lowest control in the hierarchy, for all practical purposes vaccination is even lower down the list, when it comes to infection control. If you want Hep B vaccination for you staff you will have to pay for it. They will need an initial jab and then they will need a blood test a couple of months down the line to check that it has “taken”. They then might need a booster and further check-ups. It can take months for a person to be fully immunised against Hep b. It does not confer immediate protection.
My staff were frontline and outreach workers in a homelessness charity. They came across discarded needels all the time. Wether that be in the night shelter or when out on the streets doing outreach. I purchased as many sets of gloves as I could get away with, issued every worker with a single use cinbin. Educated them as often as I could without getting boring but I still wasn't allowed to have Hep B innoculations. Despite having 2 needlestick injuries in my last 12 months with them. They both attended their own GP, 1 was sent away after the consultation saying, you went to Nepal last year and were vaccinated to the hilt so you'll be covered, the other had blood tests and then I left before he was given the all clear
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Rank: Super forum user
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"... but I still wasn't allowed to have Hep B innoculations. Despite having 2 needlestick injuries in my last 12 months with them. " Why who stopped you having them?
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Rank: Super forum user
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When we sent the staff to their GP's, they were informed that it was to late for them. So when I pushed for the rest of the frontline staff to be innoculated, even producing a letter to their GP signed by myself as H&S and the HR manager the same answer came back. Worldwide shortage, you're not important emough to be innoculated. And then I was made redundant and left a comment in my handover notes to the new bloke. Not sure how they have progressed in the last 12 months
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Rank: Super forum user
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1 user thanked stevedm for this useful post.
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Rank: Super forum user
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Originally Posted by: stevedm
I no longer work there so have no interest in how they operate now. But I will propmt the members of staff who I still socialise with to push again
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Rank: Super forum user 
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My local council collect and sort recyclables roadside as they go along and they use a lot of agency short term workers, rather than full employees. Therefore, you may want to consider if you do something similar, as for those times scales to take effect could be an issue.
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Rank: Super forum user
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Originally Posted by: stevedm There is a wee bit more to it than just the frequencies...I would advise that competency is checked before engaging a supplier...The Royal College of Nursing has a useful assessment tool ...although mainly for Healthcare Professional use, this can give you some useful pointers as there is a very handy self assessment questionaire for staff that are non-registered...search for 'Immunisation Knowledge and Skills Competence Assessment Tool' choose the link from the RCN.
I don’t need pointers thankyou. That routine is recommended by the makers of the vaccine to get the maximum immune response. Personally, I have (had) blood tests to check for existing antibodies to a wide range of diseases that I should have been immune to due to childhood vaccinations, and also for diseases that vaccines were not available for “back then”, and for low antibody counts to diseases vaccines are available for now. I’ve been vaccinated 3 times for hepB but still have a poor response.ACBT
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Rank: Super forum user
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Like I said there is a wee bit more to it than that which is why you are having problems and despite the frequencies you need a competent supplier...the note was for the OP not you and the whole idea of this forum is to get pointers...the idea is that you take bits of information or direction including your experiences and add them all together to continually improve safety...I wish you all the best with your issues...both existing and perceived.. :)
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Rank: Super forum user
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I'm not having problems. The immune response to the vaccine varies between individuals, some (me) never get a good response!
NHS hospitals now offer occyH services too....the cost of the hepB program is around £50 dose....well worth it to not have to let commercial occH companies anywhere near your health data
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