Environmental Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
exposure. incidents.. The. plan. must. be. accessible. to. employees. and. available. to.
OSHA..Employers.must.review.and.update.it.at.least.annually—more.often.if.neces-
sary.to.accommodate.workplace.changes.
The.regulation.mandates.universal.precautions.(e.g.,.treating.body.luids/materials.
as.if.infectious).and.emphasizes.engineering.and.work.practice.controls..It stresses.
handwashing.and.requires.employers.to.provide.facilities,.and.ensure.that.employees.
use.them,.following.exposure.to.blood..It.sets.out.procedures.to.minimize.needlesticks,.
minimize.the.splashing.and.spraying.of.blood,.ensure.appropriate.packaging.of.speci-
mens.and.regulated.wastes,.and.decontaminate.equipment.or.label.it.as.contaminated.
before.shipping.to.servicing.facilities.
Employers. must. provide,. at. no. cost,. and. require. employees. to. use. appropriate.
personal. protective. equipment,. such. as. gloves,. gowns,. masks,. eye/face. protection,.
mouthpieces,.and.resuscitation.bags..They.must.clean,.repair,.and.replace.personal.
protective.equipment.when.necessary..Gloves.are.not.necessarily.required.for.routine.
phlebotomies. in. volunteer. blood. donation. centers,. but. must. be. made. available. to.
employees.who.want.them.
The. regulation. requires. a. written. schedule. for. cleaning. and. for. identifying. the.
method. of. decontamination. to. be. used,. in. addition. to. cleaning,. following. contact.
with.blood.or.other.potentially.infectious.materials..It.speciies.methods.for.disposal.
of.contaminated.sharp.objects.and.provides.standards.for.containers.for.these.items.
and. other. regulated. waste.. Further,. the. standard. includes. provisions. for. handling.
contaminated.laundry.to.minimize.exposures.
The.HIV.and.HBV.research.laboratories.and.production.facilities.must.follow.stan-
dard. microbiological. practices. and. specify. additional. practices. intended. to. minimize.
exposures.accessible.to.employees.working.with.concentrated.viruses..These.practices.
also.reduce.the.risk.of.accidental.exposure.for.other.employees.at.the.facility..In.turn,.
these.facilities.must.include.required.containment.equipment.and.an.autoclave.for.decon-
tamination.of.regulated.waste,.and.they.must.be.constructed.to.limit.risks.and.enable.easy.
clean-up..Additional.training.and.experience.are.required.of.workers.in.these.facilities.
OSHA. also. requires. vaccinations. (i.e.,. hepatitis. B). to. be. made. available. to. all.
employees. who. have. occupational. exposure. to. blood.. Vaccinations. must. be. given.
within. 10. working. days. of. assignment,. at. no. cost,. at. a. reasonable. time. and. place,.
under.the.supervision.of.a.licensed.physician.or.healthcare.professional,.and.accord-
ing. to. the. latest. recommendations. of. the. U.S.. Public. Health. Service. (USPHS)..
Prescreening.may.not.be.required.as.a.condition.of.receiving.the.vaccine..Employees.
must.sign.a.declination.form.if.they.choose.not.to.be.vaccinated,.but.may.later.opt.to.
receive.the.vaccine.at.no.cost.to.the.themselves..Should.booster.doses.later.be.recom-
mended.by.the.USPHS,.employees.must.be.offered.them.
Speciic.procedures.for.post-exposure.and.follow-up.must.be.made.available.to.
all.employees.who.have.had.an.exposure.incident,.plus.any.laboratory.tests.must.be.
conducted.by.an.accredited.laboratory.at.no.cost.to.the.employee..Follow-ups.must.
include.a.conidential.medical.evaluation.documenting.the.circumstances.of.expo-
sure,. identifying. and. testing. the. source. individual. if. feasible,. testing. the. exposed.
employee's.blood.if.he.or.she.consents,.post-exposure.prophylaxis,.counseling,.and.
evaluation. of. the. reported. illnesses.. Healthcare. professionals. must. be. provided.
.speciic. information. to. facilitate. the. evaluation,. and. their. written. opinion. on. the.
