Section 5(a)(1) of the OSH Act, often referred to as the General Duty Clause, requires employers to "furnish to each of his employees employment and a place of employment which are free from recognized hazards that are causing or are likely to cause death or serious physical harm to his employees". Section 5(a)(2) requires employers to "comply with occupational safety and health standards promulgated under this Act".

Note: Twenty-four states, Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands have OSHA-approved State Plans and have adopted their own standards and enforcement policies. For the most part, these States adopt standards that are identical to Federal OSHA. However, some States have adopted different standards applicable to this topic or may have different enforcement policies.

The following standard applies to bloodborne pathogens hazards in the workplace.

• 1910.1030, Bloodborne pathogens. Refer to for complete standard requirements.
  • Revisions to 1910.1030 as a result of the Needlestick Safety and Prevention Act:
    • Paragraph 1910.1030(d)(2)(i) requires the use of engineering and work practice controls to eliminate or minimize employee exposure to bloodborne pathogens.
    • Employers must keep a Sharps Injury Log for the recording of percutaneous injuries from contaminated sharps [1910.1030(h)(5)(i)].
    • The Exposure Control Plan (1910.1030(c)(1)(i)) shall:
      • Reflect changes in technology that eliminate or reduce exposure to bloodborne pathogens [1910.1030(c)(1)(iv)(A)].
      • Document annually consideration and implementation of appropriate commercially available and effective safer medical devices designed to eliminate or minimize occupational exposure [1910.1030(c)(1)(iv)(B)].
      • Solicit input from non-managerial employees responsible for direct patient care, who are potentially exposed to injuries from contaminated sharps, in the identification, evaluation, and selection of effective engineering and work practice controls and shall document the solicitation in the Exposure Control Plan [1910.1030(c)(1)(v)].
  • Appendix A, Hepatitis B vaccine declination (Mandatory)

The following information provides discussion on the revised standard.

• Revision to OSHA's Bloodborne Pathogens Standard - Technical Background and Summary. OSHA, (2001, April). Includes revised information regarding the identification, evaluation, and selection of effective engineering controls, including safer medical devices.
• Most frequently asked questions concerning the bloodborne pathogens standard. OSHA Standard Interpretation, (1993, February 1; corrected 2003, August 13). Responses to common questions about the bloodborne pathogens standard.
• Frequently Asked Questions. OSHA. Provides questions and answers to some commonly asked questions regarding needlestick hazards and prevention.
• Frequently Asked Questions: Bloodborne Pathogens. OSHA. Provides answers and additional information to frequently asked questions regarding bloodborne pathogen hazards.
• Frequently Asked Questions: OSHA’s Occupational Exposure to Bloodborne Pathogens Standard (29 CFR 1910.1030) and Smallpox Vaccination Programs. OSHA. Provides answers to questions concerning the safe administration of vaccines.
• Occupational Exposure to Bloodborne Pathogens; Needlestick and Other Sharps Injuries; Final Rule. OSHA Federal Register Final Rules 66:5317-5325, (2001, January 18). OSHA revised the Bloodborne Pathogens standard in conformance with the requirements of the Needlestick Safety and Prevention Act. Also available as a 450 KB PDF, 9 pages.
• Bloodborne Pathogens - An Overview of the Standard. OSHA Fact Sheet, (2002), 63 KB PDF, 2 pages.

Needlestick Legislation

• Overview of State Needle Safety Legislation. National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH). As of June 2002, twenty-two states have enacted legislation related to needle safety.
• Needlestick Prevention and Safety Act. 106th Congress - Public Law 106-430, (2000). The Needlestick Safety and Prevention Act became Public Law 106-430 on November 6, 2000.

• Occupational Exposure to Bloodborne Pathogens (1991)
• Search all available preambles to final rules.

• Enforcement Procedures for the Occupational Exposure to Bloodborne Pathogens. CPL 02-02-069 [CPL 2-2.69], (2001, November 27). Includes revisions mandated by the Needlestick Safety and Prevention Act.
  • Updated U.S. Public Health Service Guidelines for the Management of Occupational Exposures to HBV, HCV, and HIV and Recommendations for Postexposure Prophylaxis. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR) 50(RR11);1-42, (2001, June 29), 333 KB PDF, 67 pages. Updates and consolidates recommendations for the management of health-care personnel (HCP). Serves as Appendix E for CPL 02-02-069.
  • Updated U.S. Public Health Service Guidelines for the Management of Occupational Exposures to HIV and Recommendations for Postexposure Prophylaxis. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR) 54(RR09);1-17, (2005, September 30). Updates US Public Health Service recommendations for the management of health-care personnel (HCP) who have occupational exposure to blood and other body fluids that might contain human immunodeficiency virus (HIV).
• Multi-Employer Citation Policy. CPL 02-00-124 [CPL 2-0.124], (1999, December 10).
• Search all available directives.

• Wearing sandals in a medical office when feet do not contact blood or OPIM. (2006, June 16).
• Requirements for covered beverages at nurses' stations. (2006, May 17).
• Employer's duty to inform auto mechanic of presence of blood in vehicle being repaired. (2006, February 14).
• Employer's obligation to assure the accuracy of the sharps injury log. (2006, January 12).
• Periodic serologic testing to monitor antibody concentrations after completion of the hepatitis B vaccine three-dose series is not recommended. (2005, November 9).
• Safety precautions, PPE, and immunizations for workers in waste water treatment facility. (2005, September 13).
• Containment and disposal requirements for disposable razors used in long-term health care facilities for personal grooming. (2005, March 28).
• Needle removal procedures for situations where other methods of disposal are infeasible or required by a specific procedure. (2004, December 9).
• Limiting factors for implementing the use of engineering controls, i.e., safety scalpels, under the Bloodborne Pathogens standard. (2004, September 1).
• Acceptable use of antiseptic-hand cleansers for bloodborne pathogen decontamination and as an appropriate handwashing practice. (2003, March 31).
• Needlestick Safety and Prevention Act and the requirement to include safety- engineered sharps devices in pre-packaged surgical kits and trays. (2003, February 20).
• Evaluation of sutureless catheter securement devices to prevent needlestick hazards. (2003, January 23).
• Applicability of the Bloodborne Pathogens Standard to the municipal solid waste industry. (2003, January 2).
• Plasma-derived products are considered "blood" within the meaning of the Bloodborne Pathogens Standard. (2002, December 27).
• Sharps injury logs are intended to track departments, devices, and/or procedures causing injuries, not injured employees. (2002, December 3).
• Safer medical devices must be selected based on employee feedback and device effectiveness, not Group Purchasing Organizations. (2002, November 21).
• Application of the bloodborne pathogens standard to veterinary clinics. (2002, October 15).
• Needle destruction device used as an engineering control for the Bloodborne Pathogens standard. (2002, September 12).
• Universal precautions application to elective surgeries. (2002, August 22).
• Re-use of blood-tube holders. (2002, June 12).
• Search all available standard interpretations.