What type of precautions should be used to protect healthcare workers from exposure?

Universal precautions are fundamental protocols recommended to prevent the transmission of infectious diseases in healthcare settings. These precautions assume that all blood and certain body fluids are potentially infectious, therefore requiring healthcare workers to treat every patient as if they are a possible source of infection. This concept is crucial for protecting healthcare workers from exposure to pathogens, including bloodborne viruses like HIV and Hepatitis B and C.

The implementation of universal precautions includes practices such as hand hygiene, the use of gloves when dealing with blood or bodily fluids, the appropriate use of masks and eye protection, and safe handling of sharps to minimize the risk of exposure. By adhering to these precautions consistently, healthcare workers can significantly reduce the risk of occupational exposure to infectious agents.

In the context of the other options: environmental precautions may address the cleaning and maintenance of the healthcare environment but do not specifically focus on direct protection for healthcare workers. Personal protective precautions can be a component of universal precautions but do not encompass the broader strategy that universal precautions provide. Infection-specific precautions are tailored to known infections but do not offer a comprehensive approach applicable to all patients in a standard healthcare environment.