Tuberculosis in the Workplace

Before effective treatments were introduced in the 1950s, tuberculosis was a leading cause of death and disability in the United States. Health care workers were at particular risk. Although the occupational risk of tuberculosis has been declining in recent years, this new book from the Institute of Medicine concludes that vigilance in tuberculosis control is still needed in workplaces and communities. Tuberculosis in the Workplace reviews evidence about the effectiveness of control measures—such as those recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention—intended to prevent transmission of tuberculosis in health care and other workplaces. It discusses whether proposed regulations from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration would likely increase or sustain compliance with effective control measures and would allow adequate flexibility to adapt measures to the degree of risk facing workers.Table of Contents


Front Matter
Summary
1 Introduction
2 Basics of Tuberculosis
3 Occupational Safety and Health Regulation in Context
4 Comparison of CDC Guidelines and Proposed OSHA Rule
5 Occupational Risk of Tuberculosis
6 Implementation and Effects of CDC Guidelines
7 Regulation and the Future of Tuberculosis in the Workplace
References
Appendix A Study Origins and Activities
Appendix B The Tuberculin Skin Test
Appendix C The Occupational Tuberculosis Risk of Health Care Workers
Appendix D Effects of CDC Guidelines on Tuberculosis Control in Health Care Facilities
Appendix E OSHA in a Health Care Context
Appendix F Respiratory Protection and Control of Tuberculosis in Health Care and Other Facilities
Appendix G Recommendations of the Institute of Medicine Committee
Appendix H Committee Biographies
Index