This document gives you guidelines for dealing with blood borne diseases. The issues to consider are the rights of infected individuals and the obligations of coaches, referees, and administrators to protect those right; and the precautionary steps that must be taken to minimize the risks of transmission of infection to participants in soccer activities.

The soccer community is like all segments of society. Some participants may have infectious diseases including HIV/AIDS and HEPATITIS B among others (blood borne pathogens).

Individuals with infectious diseases have the right to confidentiality. The other legal area of concern for Youth Soccer is confidentiality of information. The sharing of the identity of people with infectious diseases should be governed by the person and the family involved. Let them be your guide in how much they want others to know. There is no law governing private citizens in dealing with this information. Revealing confidential information given to you in a non-professional setting is a Breach of Privacy and opens up the possibility of a civil suit.

Potential liability to sports programs because of inadvertent exposure to blood borne pathogens cause great concern though exposure would be greatly reduced if preventive practices are followed. Treat every person at the field with the assumption that they carry an infectious disease. This is called Universal Precautions. There is no way to tell if someone carries a blood borne pathogen. They may be unaware of it themselves!

Precautions for reducing the risk of transmission of infectious diseases should include, but are not limited to the following:

1) Each field or other area of play should be inspected for used needles/syringes prior to any game, practice or sanctioned event. If used syringes continue to be found in a particular area, the area needs to be posted.

2) Each referee, coach and team trainer should have disposable gloves as personal protective equipment.

3) Each team should have extra uniforms, heavy plastic bags for storage of contaminated clothing and waste material, and antiseptic towelettes.

4) When an event happens where blood flows : The referee stops the game; all players and officials with blood on their uniform must leave the field. Referees should never allow the player back onto the field without a clean clothing , shoes , or whatever has had blood on it. Players and officials may return when they have changed to clean clothing and/ or wounds are adequately covered and protected. Games are to resume as soon as possible so as to not be unduly delayed.

5) Anyone with blood on their uniforms or clothing must change into a clean uniform or clean clothing. Players with a wound need medical attention with all flowing blood stopped and protected with a medical covering.

6) The referee should not resume a game until the field of play is cleaned up. This means to cut out as much as possible of the blood area (in grass) and remove it to the trash area. On Astroturf apply a cleaning agent to the turf, one that is safe for the surface.

7) Skin area touched by blood should be cleaned with running water. If running water is unavailable then cleaned with an antiseptic towelette or solution. Clean with flowing water as soon as possible. Any material used to treat or clean this blood can only be used once, then launder or dispose.

8) A contaminated uniform or garment should be placed in a plastic bag and laundered by itself using the normal laundry instruction for the uniform or garment. Waste materials from items used to clean wounds or areas contaminated with blood must be stored in a plastic bag - sealed and marked as hazardous waste. Though exposed clothing and uniforms can be laundered, conditions may exist which require the clothing or uniforms to be replaced and destroyed.

9) Before leaving the area you must always remove personal protective equipment and place them in a container for storage, washing, decontamination, or disposal and labeled hazardous material.

10) Those laundering potentially contaminated uniforms and clothing should use gloves.

These are a few things that should be done. There are many more safety procedures that may apply.