Blood Borne Pathogen Policy
To protect the dojo family against the risk of disease, the dojo has adopted the following policy intended to minimize the risk of transmission of HIV / AIDS, Hepatitis-B, and other blood-borne pathogens during training activities. Current available medical evidence suggests that the risk of transmission of HIV during the type of body contact that occurs in Aikido or Defensive Tactics training is extremely slight. Organizations such as the NCAA, the National Academy of Pediatrics Committee on Sports Medicine and the U.S. Olympic Committee have concluded that persons infected with blood-borne pathogens, particularly HIV, should not be barred from participating in contact sports. Certain federal and state anti-discrimination laws may also prohibit such a ban. These organizations have concluded that the already slight risk of transmission of HIV, and of other blood-borne diseases, can be further reduced by adoption of the Center for Disease Control-recommended "universal precautions" with regard to exposure to body fluids.
The dojo shall observe these "universal precautions". Generally, this means that the instructors and all persons training in this school shall treat all exposed bodily fluids as if they are infected. Specifically, the following measures will be observed at all times:
If you have any open cuts or sores, you must clean them with a suitable antiseptic and cover them securely with a leak proof dressing before coming onto the mat, make sure they stay covered while you are training. If your hands or feet have broken skin, suitable gloves or split toe Japanese tabi or socks may be worn to cover these areas. If you notice someone else has an open cut or sore, remind her or him of this obligation before training with that person.
If a bleeding wound, even a minor one, occurs during training, the person bleeding shall immediately stop training, leave the mat until the bleeding stops and the wound is securely covered. Immediate measures shall be taken to stop the bleeding. If the person needs assistance with this, each person assisting shall wear a pair of non-latex gloves (which are available with the First Aid supplies). Hands are to be washed with soap and hot water immediately after the gloves are removed. All used gloves, and bloody rags paper towels or dressings, will be placed in a leak proof plastic bag provided for that purpose, and disposed of carefully. Minor blood stains on gi should be treated with a disinfectant solution provided for this purpose. If there are major bloodstains, the gi shall be removed as soon as practicable, placed into a leak proof container, and handled carefully until it can be laundered or disposed of.
If you come into contact with the blood of another, you shall immediately stop training, leave the mat, and wash the exposed area thoroughly with soap and hot water before returning.
If blood is present on the mat, the training partner of the person bleeding should ensure that no one inadvertently comes in contact with the blood. The blood should be cleaned up as soon as possible by wiping down the exposed surface with a disinfectant solution provided for that purpose. Each person assisting in the task shall put on a pair of latex gloves and shall wash their hands with soap and hot water immediately after the gloves are removed. It is preferable, however, that the person bleeding cleans up his or her own blood. Bloody rags or paper towels and used gloves shall be disposed of as set out in Paragraph 2.
Finally, there are other diseases and illnesses aside from those known to be transmitted through the blood. You are reminded that you are responsible for not only your own health and safety, but also the health and safety of others with whom you train. If you know or suspect that you have any illness or disease that might infect others, refrain from training until you are not a risk to others.
