This document summarizes an employer's obligations under OSHA regulations to protect employees from exposure to bloodborne pathogens. It covers required training, personal protective equipment, cleaning and disposal procedures, medical follow up requirements in the event of an exposure, and maintaining of training and medical records. The main bloodborne pathogens that pose risks are HIV, Hepatitis B, Hepatitis C, and Hepatitis A.

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Bloodborne Pathogen Safety

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Bloodborne Pathogen Standard
 Required by OSHA (29 CFR 1910.1030)
 EPA Worker Protection Standards mirror
OSHA and cover ALL government agencies.
 Applies to employees in all industries who
may be exposed to blood or other potentially
infectious materials

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Types of Bloodborne Pathogens
 The main types of bloodborne pathogens
you’re most at risk for are:
– Human immunodeficiency
virus (HIV)
– Hepatitis A virus (HAV)
– Hepatitis B virus (HBV)
– Hepatitis C virus (HCV)

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Human Immunodeficiency Virus
(HIV)
 The virus which causes AIDS
 Devastates the body’s immune system
 ~1 million persons living with HIV/AIDS in
U.S.; 45,000 new cases in 2000
 Symptoms: flu like illness, weakness,
diarrhea, weight loss.
 Signs of illness may not be present for years
 AIDS is chronic and fatal

5. Hepatitis A (HAV)
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Hepatitis B (HBV)
 Attacks the liver
 Survives in dried blood for up to 1 week at
room temperature
 300,000 new infections annually; 1.4% result
in death
 Symptoms: fatigue, nausea, vomiting,
abdominal pain, anorexia
 Can be chronic and fatal

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Hepatitis C (HCV)
 Can lead to chronic hepatitis, cirrhosis and
liver cancer
 4 million infected in U.S.
– Only 25% diagnosed
 Can be chronic and fatal
 8,000-10,000 deaths annually
 No effective vaccine exists

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Infectious Materials
 Blood
 Semen
 Vaginal secretions
 Cerebrospinal, synovial, pericardial, pleural,
peritoneal or amniotic fluids
 Saliva
 Any body fluid contaminated with blood
 Sewage carries other biohazards (E.coli)

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Common On-the-Job Exposures
 Needlestick injuries (NSIs)
– Nurses sustain the most NSIs
– Custodians are also at risk
– As many as 1/3 of NSIs occur during
disposal
– 600,000 to 800,000 (est.) NSIs occur each
year
 Contact between infected fluids and
broken or damaged skin
 Contact between infected fluids and
mucous membranes (Eyes, nose or mouth)

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Possible Exposure Incidents
 During an industrial
accident
 While administering
First Aid
 During post-accident
clean-up
 When performing routine maintenance or
janitorial work

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Exposure Control Plan
 Universal precautions – everything is
contaminated
 Engineering controls – handwash facilities,
biohazard waste containers, sharps stations
 Work practice controls – PPE, spill clean-up,
waste disposal, exposure response
 Post-exposure follow-up

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Personal Protective Equipment
 First line of defense
 Examples and uses
 Limitations – not stick proof!
 Rules:
– Remove before leaving
work area
– Wash hands after removing
– Properly dispose of contaminated PPE

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Housekeeping: Spill Clean-up
 Use PPE & Universal Precautions
 Cover spill or area with paper towel or rags
 Pour disinfectant solution over towels or rags
 Leave for at least 10 minutes
 Place materials in appropriate container
 Arrange for pick-up and disposal

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Housekeeping: Waste Disposal
 Use PPE when handling
 Leak-proof containers
 Proper labeling
– Labels
– Red Bags or Containers
 Drop-off sites

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What to Do if You’re Exposed?
 Contact with skin: wash exposed areas with
antibacterial soap and running water
 Contact with eyes or mucous membranes:
flush affected area with running water for at
least 15 minutes
 Contact with clothing: remove contaminated
clothing, wash underlying skin
 Report exposure to supervisor immediately
 Seek medical attention right away

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Post-exposure Evaluation
 Following an exposure
incident, a medical
evaluation must be done
 Must follow procedures
specified by OSHA
 Must include lab tests
 Free to employee
 Diagnoses are confidential

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Post-exposure Vaccination
If workers are exposed to infectious materials,
Hepatitis A/B vaccinations will be made
available
– Within 10 days
– At no cost to employee
– Under a healthcare professional’s
supervision

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Follow-up Evaluation
Subsequent follow-up should include:
– Medical evaluation
– Testing of source person (if possible)
– Blood test
– Post-exposure prophylaxis
– Counseling
– Evaluation of illness

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Our Obligations to You
 We must provide hand washing facilities
 We must provide you with personal
protective equipment
– Gloves
– Goggles
– Face shields
– Aprons
– Other appropriate PPE

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Hazard Information
 We must inform you of bloodborne pathogen
hazards through:
– Warning labels with orange or orange/red
biohazard symbol
• Labels must be on
– Infectious waste containers
– Refrigerators and freezers
holding infectious materials
– Signs on restricted areas

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Medical Records of Exposure
 For each exposed worker, medical records must be
kept for duration of employment plus 30 years
 Records must be confidential
 Must include:
– HVB vaccination status
– Exam results
– Medical testing and follow-up records
– Written opinions
– Info provided to healthcare professionals

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Privacy of Medical Records
Private medical records of bloodborne
pathogen exposure:
– Must be accessible to
• Infected employees
• Anyone with the employee’s written consent
• OSHA
• NIOSH
– Aren’t accessible to us (your employer)
– Must be disposed of in accordance with
HIPAA privacy regulations

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Training Records
 Records of your training for bloodborne
pathogen safety must be kept for three years
 The records must document:
– Dates of training
– Content of training
– Your trainer’s name and qualifications
– Names and titles of everyone who attended
the training

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Summary
 Contact with infectious body fluids can expose you to
bloodborne pathogens.
 HIV and Hepatitis are commonly transmitted via
needlestick injuries, or contact between infected fluids
and skin or mucous membranes.
 If exposed to bloodborne pathogens, you must wash your
hands and eyes, report the incident, seek medical
attention, be vaccinated and undergo testing.
 As your employer, we’re responsible for providing an
exposure control plan, cleaning facilities, PPE and
hazard information.