Additional Precaution Signs
PICNet and the B.C. regional health authorities have recently created and updated provincial additional precaution signs, which serve as a visual aid to communicate additional infection prevention and control (IPC) measures, including personal protective equipment (PPE). The new and revised signs aim to enhance adherence to current IPC best practices within health care settings. Changes and improvements to content from the 2017 versions of the signs include:
- Changing ‘hand foam/gel’ to ‘hand sanitizer’ to enhance knowledge translation by using plain and common language.
- Implementing consistent messaging using point-of-care risk assessment (PCRA).
- Change in terminology from ‘procedure’ mask to ‘medical’ mask.
- Change in terminology from ‘negative pressure’ to ‘airborne infection isolation’ room.
Online copies of the additional precaution signs are linked below. You may also access them through your health authority’s website, where available. Physical copies of signs are available through your health authority’s print shop.
Provincial Additional Precaution Signs
The following additional precaution signs can be used in health care settings within First Nations Health Authority, Interior Health, Island Health, Northern Health, Providence Health Care, Provincial Health Services Authority, Vancouver Health, and non-affiliated sites. Fraser Health signs are presented separately below, using a colour scheme specific to Fraser Health.
Contact (revised)
- Used for microorganisms or disease conditions spread via direct and indirect contact.
Contact Plus (revised)
- Used for microorganisms or disease conditions spread via direct/indirect contact and require enhanced environmental cleaning and disinfection with a sporicidal agent.
Droplet (revised)
- Used for microorganisms or disease conditions spread via the droplet route.
Droplet and Contact (revised)
- Used for microorganisms or disease conditions spread via the droplet and contact route.
Airborne (revised)
- Used for microorganisms or disease conditions spread via the droplet and contact route.
Airborne and contact (revised)
- Used for microorganisms or disease conditions spread via the airborne and contact routes.
- Addition of ‘fit-tested respirator’ and ‘N95 respirator or equivalent’.
Aerosol Generating Medical Procedures/AGMP – (revised)
- Used during AGMP and microorganisms/disease conditions that can increase aerosol transmission risk.
Airborne, Droplet, and Contact (new)
- Used for microorganisms and disease conditions, or a combination of them, that can spread through airborne, droplet, and contact routes.
Enhanced Barrier (new/optional)
- Optional new sign available for long-term care settings in organizations that choose to implement this signage.
- Signage and practices recommendations for high-contact direct-care activities that are aimed at preventing the spread of multi-drug resistant organisms from residents colonized/infected with them. The practice measures expand on the use of gown and gloves beyond routine practices for anticipated blood and body fluid exposures.
- Enhanced barrier precautions do not impose the same activity and room placement restrictions as Contact precautions and therefore, may be more appropriate for use in LTC.
Fraser Health Additional Precaution Signs
The following additional precaution signs can be used in health care settings within Fraser Health and have a colour scheme specific to Fraser Health.