(1) The department shall develop and implement policies and procedures for the uniform distribution of communicable disease prevention guidelines to all corrections staff who, in the course of their regularly assigned job responsibilities, may come within close physical proximity to offenders with communicable diseases.

(2) The guidelines shall identify special precautions necessary to reduce the risk of transmission of communicable diseases.

(3) For the purposes of this section, "communicable disease" means sexually transmitted diseases, as defined in RCW 70.24.017, diseases caused by blood-borne pathogens, or any other illness caused by an infectious agent that can be transmitted from one person, animal, or object to another person by direct or indirect means including transmission via an intermediate host or vector, food, water, or air.

Findings—Intent—1997 c 345: See note following RCW 70.24.340.