Environmental Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
BloodBorne PAthogens
OSHA.has.promulgated.a.regulation.to.minimize.serious.health.risks.faced.by.work-
ers.exposed.to.blood.and.other.potentially.infectious.materials..Among.the.risks.are.
human.immunodeiciency.virus.(HIV),.hepatitis.B,.and.hepatitis.C.
Emphasis. on. engineering. controls. is. based. on. ways. to. better. protect. workers.
from. contaminated. needles. or. other. sharp. objects.. Many. safety. medical. devices.
are. already. available. and. effective. in. controlling. these. hazards,. and. wider. use. of.
such. devices. would. reduce. thousands. of. injuries. each. year.. OSHA. issued. a. inal.
regulation.(29.CFR.1910.1030).on.occupational.exposure.to.bloodborne.pathogens.
in.1991,.to.protect.nearly.six.million.workers.in.healthcare.and.related.occupations.
at.risk.of.exposure.to.bloodborne.diseases..Occupational.exposure.to.blood.and.other.
potentially.infectious.materials.that.may.contain.bloodborne.pathogens,. or.micro-
organisms.that.can.cause.bloodborne.diseases,.is.of.concern.to.those.workers.who.
are.at.risk.for.exposure.
An. annual. review. of. the. exposure. control. plan. by. employers. must. ensure. that.
their. plans. relect. consideration. and. use. of. commercially. available. safer. medical.
devices..An.emphasis.should.be.placed.on.the.use.of.effective.engineering.controls,.
to. include. safer. medical. devices,. work. practices,. administrative. controls,. and. per-
sonal.protective.equipment..Employers.should.rely.on.relevant.evidence,.in.addition.
to. Food. and. Drug. Administration. (FDA). approval,. to. ensure. the. effectiveness. of.
devices.designed.to.prevent.exposure.to.bloodborne.pathogens.
Multi-employer. worksites. should. receive. special. attention,. such. as. employment.
agencies,. personnel. services,. home. health. services,. independent. contractors,. and.
dentist.and.physicians.in.independent.practice..The.purpose.of.the.regulation.is.to.
limit.occupational.exposure.to.blood.and.other.potentially.infectious.materials,.as.
any.exposure.can.result.in.the.transmission.of.bloodborne.pathogens.and.can.lead.to.
disease.or.death..It.covers.all.employees.who.can.be.“reasonably.anticipated,”.as.the.
result.of.performing.their.job.duties,.to.face.contact.with.blood.and.other.potentially.
infectious.materials.or.body.luids..OSHA.has.not.attempted.to.list.all.occupations.
where.exposures.could.occur..“Good.Samaritan”.acts,.such.as.assisting.a.co-worker.
with.a.nosebleed,.would.not.be.considered.occupational.exposure.
Infectious.materials.include.semen,.vaginal.secretions,.cerebrospinal.luid,.syn-
ovial.luid,.pleural.luid,.pericardial.luid,.peritoneal.luid,.amniotic.luid,.saliva.in.
dental. procedures,. any. body. luid. visibly. contaminated. with. blood,. and. all. body.
luids.in.situations.where.it.is.dificult.or.impossible.to.differentiate.between.body.
luids..They.also.include.any.unixed.tissue.or.organ,.other.than.intact.skin,.from.a.
human.(living.or.dead);.any.human.immunodeiciency.virus-.(HIV-).containing.cell.
or. tissue. cultures;. organ. culture;. and. HIV. or. hepatitis-. (HBV-). containing. culture.
media.or.other.solutions.as.well.as.blood,.organs,.or.other.tissues.from.experimental.
animals.infected.with.HIV.or.HBV.
This.regulation.requires.employers.to.develop.an.exposure.control.plan.to.identify,.
in. writing,. tasks. and. procedures. as. well. as. job. classiications. where. occupational.
exposure.to.blood.occurs.without.regard.to.personal.protective.clothing.and.equip-
ment.. It. must. also. set. forth. the. schedule. for. implementing. other. provisions. of. the.
standard. and. specifying. the. procedure. for. evaluating. circumstances. surrounding.
