Zika virus in workers: Considerations for ongoing exposure prevention

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Occupational Safety
• Infectious Diseases

Background:

• Zika virus has caused major epidemics in the Americas and Caribbean since 2015.
• Ongoing transmission risk exists in over 90 countries, posing occupational exposure threats.
• Serious health outcomes, including reproductive effects, necessitate workplace protective measures.

Purpose of the Study:

• To summarize and explain the rationale behind previous OSHA and NIOSH guidance on preventing occupational Zika virus exposure.
• To provide a framework for implementing workplace controls to mitigate infection risks for at-risk workers.

Main Methods:

• Review and synthesis of existing Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) and National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) recommendations.
• Application of the industrial hygiene hierarchy of controls (elimination, substitution, engineering, administrative, PPE) as a framework.

Main Results:

• Guidance exists to protect workers from Zika virus exposure in various job roles.
• Understanding the rationale behind recommendations is crucial for effective implementation.
• The hierarchy of controls provides a systematic approach to infection prevention.

Conclusions:

• Workplace controls are essential for preventing occupational Zika virus exposures and infections.
• Adapting and implementing these controls requires understanding the underlying rationale.
• Protecting diverse worker populations, from outdoor laborers to lab researchers, is critical.