Does ACTION need better protocols for blood borne diseases

Ohh FFS! Identify potential hazard and assess, isolate potential hazard, brief passengers and report. Ensure potential hazard is removed as soon as practicable.

Procedure written!

I don’t think the policy needs to be entitled ‘How to deal with blood born viruses on an Action bus’, but it needs to be incorporated into a procedure about how to handle situations of high risk that can arise on a bus. They would have to have a risk management plan in place and I’m sure (hopeful at least), that they have something on the plan that relates to how to deal with situations that may arise out of the blue. It would be required under the WHS regs I’m sure.

I think Coe is being a bit alarmist in his requirement of a policy that covers this particular incident in advance, but certainly I would expect drivers to be trained in how to handle odd scenarios without being specific, even if that starts with ‘if in doubt, call it in and ask fro advice’.

I know the person who this impacted. It was a minor who wasn’t told anything except that the seat she was sitting on may have been contaminated. My understanding is the bus driver who stopped the vehicle didn’t inform them of the problem, then a person later arrived in a much more panicked state.

It is true that the cleaning of the potential contamination is relatively straightforward.

I suspect the issue is less about the cleaning, and more about not freaking patrons out. All well and good after the event to say there was no risk; have the ACTION staff tell the patrons that up front.

A policy of getting Alistair to come clean up the mess could be a winner mind you.