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Title: 02/25/1993 02/01/1993 - Most frequently asked questions concerning the bloodborne pathogens standard | |
Record Type: Interpretation | Standard Number: 1910.1030 |
Copies of the OSHA Bloodborne Pathogens Standard are available from the Government Printing Office (GPO Order Number 069-001-0004-8), Superintendent of Documents, Washington, D.C. 20402. [ILPI says: or simply follow the hyperlink in the table above].
| Get your Bloodborne Pathogen centers, binders, posters, handbooks and training materials at Safety Emporium. |
As a result of the standard, numerous questions have been received on how to implement the provisions of the standard. The purpose of this handout is to provide answers to some of the more commonly asked questions related to the Bloodborne Pathogens Standard. It is not intended to be used as a substitute for the standard's requirements. Please refer to the standard for the complete text.
The de minimis classification for failure to offer hepatitis B vaccination in advance of exposure does not apply to personnel who provide first aid at a first aid station, clinic, or dispensary, or to the health care, emergency response or public safety personnel expected to render first aid in the course of their work.
Exceptions are limited to persons who render first aid only as a collateral duty, responding solely to injuries resulting from workplace incidents, generally at the location where the incident occurred. To merit the de minimis classification, the following conditions also must be met:
While OSHA does not generally consider maintenance personnel and janitorial staff employed in non-health care facilities to have occupational exposure, it is the employer's responsibility to determine which job classifications or specific tasks and procedures involve occupational exposure. For example, OSHA expects products such as discarded sanitary napkins to be discarded into waste containers which are lined in such a way as to prevent contact with the contents. But at the same time, the employer must determine if employees can come into contact with blood during the normal handling of such products from initial pick-up through disposal in the outgoing trash. If OSHA determines, on a case-by-case basis, that sufficient evidence of reasonably anticipated exposure exists, the employer will be held responsible for providing the protections of 29 CFR 1910.1030 to the employees with occupational exposure.
The exposure control plan must contain at a minimum:
A hard copy of the exposure control plan must be provided within 15 working days of the employee's request in accordance with 29 CFR 1910.1020.
Contaminated reusable sharps must not be stored or reprocessed in a manner that would require the employee to reach by hand into containers.
Quaternary ammonium products are appropriate for use in general housekeeping procedures that do not involve the cleanup of contaminated items or surfaces.
The particular disinfectant used, as well as the frequency with which it is used, will depend upon the circumstances in which a given housekeeping task occurs (i.e., location within the facility, type of surface to be cleaned, type of soil present, and tasks and procedures being performed). The employer's written schedule for cleaning and decontamination should identify such specifics on a task-by-task basis.
OSHA expects these products to be discarded into waste containers which are properly lined with plastic or wax paper bags. Such bags should protect the employees from physical contact with the contents.
At the same time, it is the employer's responsibility to determine the existence of regulated waste. This determination is not based on actual volume of blood, but rather on the potential to release blood, (e.g., when compacted in the waste container). If OSHA determines, on a case-by-case basis, that sufficient evidence of regulated waste exists, either through observation, (e.g., a pool of liquid in the bottom of a container, dried blood flaking off during handling), or based on employee interviews, citations may be issued.
Upon closure, duct tape may be used to secure the lid of a sharps container as long as the tape does not serve as the lid itself.
In areas, such as correctional facilities and psychiatric units, there may be difficulty placing sharps containers in the immediate use area. If a mobile cart is used in these areas, an alternative would be to lock the sharps container in the cart.
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Q. What are the required colors for the labels?
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DOT labeling is required on some transport containers (i.e., those containing "known infectious substances"). It is not required on all containers for which 29 CFR 1910.1030 requires the biohazard label. Where there is an overlap between the OSHA-mandated label and the DOT-required label, the DOT label will be considered acceptable on the outside of the transport container provided the OSHA-mandated label appears on any internal containers which may be present. Containers serving as collection receptacles within a facility must bear the OSHA label since these are not covered by the DOT requirements.
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The contract between the personnel provider and the client should clearly describe the training responsibilities of both parties in order to ensure that all training requirements of the standard are met.
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Q. Who are some examples of persons who could conduct training on the bloodborne standard?
U.S. Department of Labor Occupational Safety and Health Administration Listing of Regional Offices | |
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Region I (CT*, MA, ME, NH, RI, VT*) 133 Portland Street 1st Floor Boston, MA 02114 Telephone: (617) 565-7164 |
Region VI (AR, LA, NM*, OK, TX) 525 Griffin Street Room 60 Dallas, TX 75202 Telephone: (214) 767-4731 |
Region II (NY*, PR*, VI*) 201 Varick Street Room 670 New York, NY 10014 Telephone: (212) 337-2378 |
Region VII (NJ,(IA*, KS, MO, NE) 911 Walnut Street Kansas City, MO 64106 Telephone: (816) 426-5861 Region VIII |
Region III (DC, DE, MD*, PA, VA*, WV) Gateway Building, Suite 2100 3535 Market Street Philadelphia, PA 19104 Telephone: (215) 596-1201 |
Region VIII (CO, MT, ND, SD, UT*, WY*) Federal Building, Room 1576 1961 Stout Street Denver, CO 80294 Telephone: (303) 844-3061 |
Region IV (AL, FL, GA, KY*, MS, NC*,SC*, TN*) 1375 Peachtree Street, N.E. Suite 587 Atlanta, GA 30367 Telephone: (404) 347-3573 |
Region IX (American Samoa, AZ*, CA*,Guam, HI*, NV*, Trust Territories of the Pacific) 71 Stevenson Street Room 415 San Francisco, CA 94105 Telephone: (415) 744-6670 |
Region V (IL, IN*, MI*, MN*, OH, WI) 230 South Dearborn Street Room 3244 Chicago, IL 60604 Telephone: (312) 353-2220 |
Region X (AK*, ID, OR*, WA*) 1111 Third Avenue Suite 715 Seattle, WA 98174 Telephone: (206) 553-5930 |
(*) These states and territories operate their own OSHA-approved job safety and health plane (Connecticut and New York plans cover public employees only). States with approved plane must have a standard that is identical to, or at least as effective as, the federal standard. |
The official, public domain, OSHA version of this document is available at http://www.osha.gov/pls/oshaweb/owadisp.show_document?p_table=INTERPRETATIONS&p_id=21010&p_text_version=FALSE