Biological risks at the workplace can be prevented by maintaining
good hygiene and sanitation. For this reason, most countries
have developed a uniform approach called “standard precautions.”
Originally developed for hospitals, standard precautions have been
adopted at a wide range of workplaces. They apply to all situations
where workers have risk of exposure to blood or certain body fluids,
and aim at preventing exposure to bloodborne diseases transmitted
through needlestick accidents or by fluid contact with an open
wound, nonintact skin, or mucous membranes. Education programs
for workers about personal hygiene practices should emphasize that
careful hand washing is extremely important in the prevention of
diseases. Workers should be informed about using appropriate
protective clothing and removing it at the end of the shift. They
should also be informed about the necessity of washing hands
frequently, and prior to eating, drinking, or smoking; they should
also avoid nail biting. Many vaccines are available. Some of them are
mandatory for specific occupational groups (HBV vaccine for HCWs)
in many countries, some are occasionally mandatory (BCG for
HCWs), and some are just recommended (tetanus for construction
workers). Training in laboratory practice is a very important aspect
of staff protection. Guidelines published by Centers for Disease
Control and Prevention (Atlanta, USA) in preventing the transmission
of tuberculous infection in health care settings must be
adhered to [19]. In addition, a brief commentary is offered on
effective measures for the control and prevention of occupational
infectious diseases and their transmission among workers