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Bloodborne Pathogens and Needlestick Prevention |
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OSHA Standards |
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Needlestick injuries and other sharps-related
injuries which expose workers to bloodborne pathogens continues to
be an important public health concern. In 1991, OSHA issued the
Bloodborne Pathogens Standard (29 CFR 1910.1030) to protect workers from this risk.
In 2001, in response to the
Needlestick
Safety and Prevention Act, OSHA revised the Bloodborne Pathogens Standard. This page highlights OSHA standards, preambles to final rules (background to
final rules), directives (instructions for compliance officers), and standard
interpretations (official letters of interpretation of the standards) related
to bloodborne pathogens and needlestick prevention.
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. |
Highlighted Standards
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:
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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.
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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.
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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.
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Frequently Asked Questions. OSHA. Provides questions and answers to some commonly asked
questions regarding needlestick hazards and prevention.
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Frequently
Asked Questions: Bloodborne Pathogens. OSHA. Provides answers and additional
information to frequently asked questions regarding bloodborne pathogen hazards.
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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
Preambles to Final Rules
Directives
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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.
Standard Interpretations
- 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).
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Containment and disposal requirements for disposable razors used in long-term health care facilities for personal grooming. (2005, March 28).
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Needle removal procedures for situations where other methods of disposal are infeasible or required by a specific procedure. (2004, December 9).
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Limiting factors for implementing the use of engineering controls, i.e., safety scalpels, under the Bloodborne Pathogens standard. (2004, September 1).
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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).
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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).
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Application of the
bloodborne pathogens standard to veterinary clinics. (2002, October 15).
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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.
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