Issues

Smallpox Vaccine: Health and Workplace Protections

Summary

The federal smallpox vaccination program poses serious safety and workplace issues. Workers need to be fully informed about the health risks to themselves, their families, other close contacts, and patients; and how their pay, benefits and other job rights will be affected if they have an adverse reaction to the smallpox vaccine. Before volunteering to be vaccinated for smallpox, workers need to find out if employers' policies will adequately protect workers' health, income, and other benefits.

The answer to all of the following questions should be YES!

Workers' Input

Have workers had input into the development of the employer's vaccination policies?

 

 —
Yes		  —
No 

 

Is there a written policy and is it available for workers to review?

 

 —
Yes		  —
No 

 

Education

Is education about smallpox, smallpox vaccine, the risks of the vaccine to workers and their families conducted during normal working hours?

 

 —
Yes		  —
No 

 

Is there a knowledgeable instructor and adequate time to ask questions?

 

 —
Yes		  —
No 

 

Screening

Is there a form to identify workers, family members and other close contacts who are at risk from vaccine side effects?

 

 —
Yes		  —
No 

 

Is free and confidential medical testing available to workers, along with counseling, to identify conditions that put them and their close contacts at increased risk from the vaccine?

 

 —
Yes		  —
No 

 

Voluntary Participation and Informed Consent

Can workers say "NO" to receiving the vaccine without fear of reprisals or discrimination?

 

 —
Yes		  —
No 

 

Does the informed consent form explain how workers' pay, medical care, benefits, will be affected if they have an adverse reaction, and how taking the vaccine could affect job duties?

 

 —
Yes		  —
No 

 

Care and Monitoring of the Inoculation Site

Will the inoculation site be closely monitored each day?

 

 —
Yes		  —
No 

 

Identification and Treatment of Adverse Reactions

Is there a system to accurately and rapidly detect and treat adverse reactions?

 

 —
Yes		  —
No 

 

Payment for Medical Costs

Will all workers' medical costs resulting from vaccine side effects, including co-payments or deductibles, be covered by the employer, workers' compensation, or other policy?

 

 —
Yes		  —
No 

 

Pay for Lost Time Due to Adverse Reactions

Does the employer's policy ensure that workers will not lose pay or have to use accrued leave for time away from work due to vaccine side effects?

 

 —
Yes		  —
No 

 

Safe Needles

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has distributed two-pronged needles with the vaccine that do not have a built-in safety device to prevent needlesticks. AFSCME is working to get safer needles approved for use with the smallpox vaccine.

February 14, 2003

For more information about protecting workers from workplace hazards, contact the AFSCME Health and Safety Program at (202) 429-1228, or 1625 L Street, N.W., Washington, DC 20036.

 

 

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