Emergency Services Infection Control: PPE Discipline, Decon, and Exposure Response

Reduce exposure risk through routine practices, PPE discipline, and standardized decon workflows.

PHAC publishes national IPC guidance intended to assist organizations and providers in developing and evaluating IPC policies and procedures (“routine practices and additional precautions”). WorkSafeBC infectious disease guidance emphasizes that workers should understand PPE selection and proper donning/doffing to prevent exposure and transmission.

Emergency services should standardize decon workflows: “dirty-to-clean” pathways, contaminated PPE removal zones, equipment cleaning protocols, and vehicle return-to-service checks. CCOHS routine practices framing supports the same structure: risk assessment, hand hygiene, environmental/administrative controls, and PPE.

• Actionable takeaways

  Drill donning/doffing and decon routines; implement standardized exposure response protocols; document and review exposures for corrective-action improvements.