Working with human blood, tissue or secretions
Human blood, tissue and certain human secretions may potentially carry infections. Although occupational transmission of such infections is rare, all blood tissue and secretions should be treated as potentially infectious particularly if they are from an unscreened source. The links provide information about safe handling of such products, the commoner blood-borne viruses and action in the event of exposure to a potentially infectious material.
The main blood-borne infections in the UK are Hepatitis B, Hepatitis C and Human Immuno-deficiency Virus (HIV). All individuals with a significant risk of exposure to unscreened human blood should be immunised against Hepatitis B before starting work. Immediate appropriate management and reporting to the Occupational Health Service of ANY exposure to potentially infected blood may reduce the transmission of infection to exposed individuals.Immediate action after exposure to infectious material 
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