Bloodborne Pathogens

"Whoa, Dude, that is a lot of blood."

Impacting more than 5.6 million Healthcare Workers, OSHA’s Bloodborne Pathogens standard outlines procedures to protect employees from hazards associated with exposure to blood and potentially infectious materials (needles, blades, other sharps, etc.).

Local area enforcement initiatives may differ, but below is a list of the most frequently cited sections of the Bloodborne Pathogens Standard.  Good news, SafetyPlans.com covers all five!

• [1910.1030(c)(1)(i)] - Establishment of a written Exposure Control Plan
• [1910.1030(c)(1)(iv)] - Review and update Exposure Control Plan | Note: This review must reflect changes in technology and document annual consideration and implementation of safer medical devices.
• [1910.1030(d)(2)(i)] - Use of engineering and work practice controls‍
• [1910.1030(f)(2)(i)] - Availability of HBV vaccination‍
• [1910.1030(g)(2)(i)] - Employee training program

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Does the Bloodborne Pathogen standard apply to me?

Simply put...Probably.  Under OSHA’s General Duty Clause (Section 5(a)(1) of the OSH Act) employers are responsible for protecting their employees from bloodborne pathogens or other potentially infections materials (OPIM).

More from OSHA's website:

Bloodborne Pathogens Standard (29 CFR 1910.1030) as amended pursuant to the 2000 Needlestick Safety and Prevention Act, is a regulation that prescribes safeguards to protect workers against health hazards related to bloodborne pathogens. It has provisions for exposure control plans, engineering and work practice controls, hepatitis B vaccinations, hazard communication and training, and recordkeeping. The standard imposes requirements on employers of workers who may be exposed to blood or other potentially infectious materials such as certain tissues and body fluids.