Biohazards come in multiple forms, and some have always been ignored by safety programs. But eventually, some of the ignored ones come to light and are correctly seen as biohazards. A couple of examples:
- That ultra-reliable coworker who has never taken a sick day, even though he clearly had come down with something, was lauded as a hero instead of seen as a health risk to coworkers. Since the COVID-19 era arrived, people have done a 180 on how they view this “soldier through it” behavior.
- It wasn’t until the early 1990s that human blood became “a thing.” It used to be that if you cut your finger, you could drip blood all the way to the first-aid kit and nobody would bat an eye. Nor did they care if you tossed your bloody paper towel into the wastebasket. Those behaviors today would result in disciplinary action and a scramble to collect all the blood and dispose of contaminated materials in the proper waste containers (such as those with the red lids).
But what about that coworker who:
- Picks his teeth with his fingers before handing you a test lead.
- Licks his fingers while eating at the break. Without washing before returning to work, he starts helping you install a motor.
- Doesn’t bother washing his hands after doing his business in the lavatory, then wants to shake hands with the client you are meeting.
- Spits, not caring that other people might walk in it or breathe in the aerosol generated by the act of spitting.
Many other behaviors involve spreading one’s personal biomatter onto other people without their permission. These used to be considered a matter of poor manners and poor personal hygiene, not a matter of creating a biohazard. And that lax attitude was due in part to the fact these are low-level threats. That is one of the problems with these behaviors. They seem benign, in the same way breathing in benzene from a can of spray paint seems benign. Spray, breathe. Do that consistently enough, or combine it with other “nonthreatening” behaviors, and you will likely end up with a health catastrophe.
Addressing hazardous coworker behavior
If you see drops of blood on the floor, it’s not hard to figure out what to do. Get the blood spill cleanup kit, and clean it up (make sure you wear those nitrile gloves, too). But what about the coworker who’s got a bleeding injury and insists, “It’s just a scratch, I’m fine”? The issue isn’t whether he’s fine, it’s whether he is introducing his biomatter to the workplace around him -- and he is.
You can say something like, “I’m glad it’s just a scratch. Let me take you to the first-aid kit so you don’t create a biohazard.” There’s no compromise here, such as he’ll catch it at break time. Either he agrees to address the hazard, or you escalate to a supervisor. It’s as simple as that.
The key is to make a polite request. Or, if you’re on good terms, a gentle ribbing such as, “Did you oversleep today, Frank? You forgot to wash your hands!” That request informs the coworker that a safety action should be taken. If he doesn’t take that action, it’s the same as any other unsafe act or safety violation. Let him know you have to stop work, and report the problem. And then do that if he doesn’t comply.
Some people view this kind of clamp down as “not minding your own business” or “getting on someone else’s case.” Again, it’s like any other safety issue. It’s not your job to protect people’s egos, but you do have a responsibility to yourself and your other coworkers to address unsafe behavior rather than tolerate it.
By being assertive this way, you not only reduce exposure to biohazards, but you also help your mental health. Silently fuming over someone else’s disregard for biohazard containment increases your stress level. Doing something about it in a positive way reduces that stress. And we could all use a little less stress these days.
