Health: Emergency Preparedness: Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza A (H5N1)

Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) Information and Request Process

The Indiana Department of Health (IDOH), in partnership with the Board of Animal Health (BOAH), continues to support the public health challenge posed by a multistate outbreak of avian influenza A(H5N1) virus, or “A(H5N1) virus,” in dairy cows and other animals in the United States. At the federal level, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is working in collaboration with the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), state public health and animal health officials, and other partners using a One Health approach.

CDC has updated guidelines for select occupational groups that may be at increased risk of exposure to novel influenza A viruses. Specific recommendations for these groups may be updated as the situation progresses.

CDC Recommendations

Information for Workers
Take steps to reduce your risk of infection with avian influenza A viruses when working with animals or materials, including raw milk, confirmed infected or potentially infected with a virus. Examples of people working with or exposed to animals include:
- Poultry and livestock farmers and workers
- Backyard bird flock owners
- Veterinarians and veterinary staff
- Animal health responders
- Public health responders
- Slaughterhouse workers performing certain tasks on lactating dairy cattle including:
- Unloading or handling live lactating dairy cattle for slaughter, including workers in holding pens and involved with antemortem inspection
- Postmortem processes including the post-mortem inspection and handling and transporting viscera
- Removing and transporting udders from dairy cattle for further processing or rendering
Avoid unprotected direct or close physical contact with:
- Sick birds, livestock or other animals
- Carcasses of birds, livestock or other animals that have died from unknown causes
- Raw milk
- Viscera and udders from lactating dairy cattle
- Feces or litter
- Surfaces and water (e.g. ponds, waterers, buckets, pans, throughs) on farms with potentially infected animals that might be contaminated with animal waste
If you must work in or enter any not yet disinfected buildings where these materials or sick or dead cattle or other animals confirmed infected or potentially infected are or were present, wear appropriate personal protective equipment (PE) in addition to the PPE you might be using for your normal duties (i.e. waterproof apron, hearing protection, etc. Appropriate PPE depends on the hazards present and a site-specific risk assessment. If you have questions on the type of PPE to use or how to fit it properly, ask your supervisor.
Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) Recommendations
Recommended PPE to protect against novel influenza A viruses includes:
- Disposable or non-disposable fluid-resistant coveralls, and depending on task(s), add disposable or non-disposable waterproof apron
- Any NIOSH Approved^® particulate respirator (e.g., N95^®or greater filtering facepiece respirator, elastomeric half mask respirator with a minimum of N95 filters)
- Properly fitted unvented or indirectly vented safety goggles or a face shield if there is risk of liquid splashing onto the respirator
- Rubber boots or rubber boot covers with sealed seams that can be sanitized or disposable boot covers for tasks taking a short amount of time
- Disposable or non-disposable head cover or hair cover
- Disposable or non-disposable gloves
Information for Employers

All PPE should be used in accordance with OSHA regulations found at 29 CFR part 1910, Subpart I (Personal Protective Equipment), including identifying appropriate PPE based on a site-specific risk assessment. Workers must be trained on and demonstrate an understanding of when to use PPE; what PPE is necessary; what it looks like when PPE is properly fitted; how to properly put on, use, take off, dispose of, and maintain PPE; and understand the limitations of PPE.
Respirator use should be in the context of a comprehensive respiratory protection program in accordance with the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) Respiratory Protection standard (29 CFR 1910.134) and other applicable requirements. Staff who will need to wear respirators must be medically-cleared, trained, and fit-tested for respirator use. Details on respiratory protection programs, including fit testing procedures, can be found at OSHA’s Respiratory Protection eTool.

Request Process

Organizations may submit requests to the Indiana Department of Health (IDOH) for PPE for occupational groups with an increased risk of exposure. Requests will be fulfilled within 10 business days upon receipt of request.

PPE available for request from IDOH:

CDC PPE Recommendations	Product Description	Reference Number	Manufacturer	ASTM/AAMI/ANSI Level
Unvented or indirectly vented safety goggles or faceshield	Uvex Safety Goggles	S3970DF	Honeywell	Z87.1+; CSA Z94.3
	Safety Industrial Goggles	A-A-1110A	Unicor	Z87.1+
	Safety Goggles	GC100	Catalyst PDG	UNK
	Faceshields	NONFS300	Medline	N/A
Gloves	Gloves	-	-	D6319 & D6978

Submit requests here

Questions and Contact Information