Hazard Recognition

Nationwide, at least several hundred workers have become infected and have required medical treatment after workplace exposure to TB. The following references aid in recognizing and evaluating hazards associated with TB in the workplace.

• Hospitals. OSHA eTool. Focuses on some of the hazards and controls found in the hospital setting and describes standard requirements as well as recommended safe work practices for employee safety and health.
• Nursing Homes and Personal Care Facilities. OSHA Safety and Health Topics Page.
• Tuberculosis (TB). Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
• Guidelines for Preventing the Transmission of Mycobacterium tuberculosisin Health-Care Settings, 2005 (PDF). Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR) 54(RR17);1-141, (December 30, 2005).
• NIOSH Update: NIOSH-Funded Study Simulates Hospital Room to Test UV System for Employee TB Protection. National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), (April 29, 2003). Researchers conducted a six-year study whose results will help NIOSH and others in ongoing efforts to protect employees in health-care and other industries from job-related tuberculosis infection.
• Mission Statement and Activities. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Division of Tuberculosis Elimination (DTBE). Provides links to up-to-date information on tuberculosis including education and training resources and fact sheets.
  • Find TB Resources
  • Fact Sheets. Provides a variety of tuberculosis fact sheets for patients and the general public.
• Health Hazard Evaluations: Tuberculosis. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS), National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) Publication No. 2001-116, (January 2001). Presents titles and summaries of Health Hazard Evaluations (HHEs) related to TB, organized by type of facility.
• Interactive Core Curriculum on Tuberculosis (Web-based). Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Intended as a reference manual for clinicians caring for people with or at high risk for tuberculosis. Increases clinicians' awareness of appropriate screening, diagnosis, management, and treatment measures to prevent tuberculosis transmission in the health care setting.
• Controlling Tuberculosis in the United States - Recommendations from the American Thoracic Society, CDC, and the Infectious Diseases Society of America. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR) 54(RR12);1-81, (November 4, 2005).
• Tuberculosis. Medline Plus Health Information.