Protection from Bloodborne Pathogens Pocket Guide

BLR POCKET GUIDE

3104 Edition BUSINESS & LEGAL REPORTS, INC.141 :Mill Rock Road East. Old Saybrook, cr 06475@1995Allrightsreserved .• 203-004www.blr.com

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B/oodborne Pathogens

Contents

1. All About Bloodborne Pathogens 1Transmitting Bloodborne Pathogens 4

2. Exposure Control Plan 7Engineering Controls 8Work Practice Controls 9Sharps 12Labeling 15

3. Personal Protective Clothingand Equipment 16Gloves 18Eye and Face Protection 20Protective Clothing 21PPE Precautions 22

4. Good Housekeeping 25

5. Employee Training 27Medical Evaluation 29Hepatitis B Vaccination 30Medical Records and Training 31

6. Bloodborne Pathogens Review 32Employers Want to Help 33

7. Dictionary of Terms 35

8. Bloodborne Pathogens Quiz 39

9. Bloodborne PathogensTraining Verification 40

B/ooaborne Pathogens

ii

Bloodborne Pathogens

1 All About BloodbornePathogensEvery job involves certain small risks. If

you are a health care employee, one risk isexposure to bloodborne pathogens (BBP).

Bloodborne pathogens are disease- andinfection-causing microorganisms carried byblood and other potentially infectious materials.

Some serious bloodborne pathogens arethe human immunodeficiency virus (HIV),the hepatitis B virus (HBV), and the hepatitisC virus (HCV).

HIV causes AIDS, which attacks the body'simmune system so it can't fight disease.

HBV, even more common, infects the liverand can lead to serious---€ven fatal-illnessessuch as cirrhosis, liver cancer, or chronic liverdisease.

HCV also attacks the liver. Every year,thousands of deaths are caused by HeV-related liver disease. It is the most commonchronic bloodborne pathogen in the U.S.Antiviral medication can help some peopleinfected with HCV.


There's only a small risk of on-the-job infec-tion from blood borne pathogens. But you can'ttake chances with such serious illnesses, espe-cially because people can carry blood borneviruses and have no symptoms. They may noteven know they're infected.

That's why everyone with possible expo-sure to bloodborne diseases on the job has tounderstand the hazards-and the ways toavoid exposure.

The Occupational Safety and HealthAdministration (OSHA) created the BloodbornePathogens Standard for just that reason-to tellemployers and employees what actions to taketo prevent exposure to bloodborne pathogensat work. OSHA's revised Standard (found at29 CFR 1910.1030) was effective on April 18,2001.

2

81oodbornePathogens

OSHA's Bloodborne PathogensStandard is designed to protect anyone

whose job might exposethem to blood borne dis-ease. This includes:

• Physicians, nurses,paramedics, phle-botomists

• Dentists and dentalemployees

• Laboratory and bloodbank technologists andtechnicians

• Housekeeping andlaundry workers

• Home care and long-term care workers• Medical examiners andmorticians

• Research lab workers• Public safety personnel(fire, police, rescue, cor-rectional officers).

The Standard also says:Employers must have an Exposure

Control Plan and train employees to use it.Employees must follow the rules,

including using protective clothing andfollowing Universal Precautions:.

Treat all blood and potentiallyinfectious body fluids as if they areinfectious .

•Your facility may require you to fol/owstricter Standard Precautions. They applyto 1) blood; 2) aI/ body fluids, secretions, andexcretions except sweat; 3) nonintact skin;and 4) mucous membranes.

3

Btoodborne Pathogens

TransmittingBloodbornePathogens

Bloodborne pathogens can be transmittedby contact with potentially infectious materialsfrom living or dead individuals. This includes:

• Sexual contact

• Shared drug needles

• Needlestick injuries from infectedhypodermic needles or sharps

• Direct contact between broken orchapped skin and infected body fluids,such as:

-Blood-Human tissues or organs-HIV-containing cell, tissue, ororgan cultures

-HIV- or HBV-containing culturemedium or other solutions

-Blood, organs, or tissues from HIV- orHBV-infected experimentalanimals

-Semen, vaginal secretions, saliva indental procedures, andcerebrospinal, synovial, pleural, peri-cardial, peritoneal, or amniotic fluid

-Any body fluid visibly contaminatedwith blood.

HBV can also be transmitted through driedblood and contaminated surfaces.

Unless there's visible blood, bloodbornepathogens are not transmitted by mucus, sweat,tears, urine, feces, nasal secretions, and vomit.

4


HIV-Understandingthe Disease

HIV is thevirus that causesAIDS. It attacksthe body's immunesystem, makingit difficult orimpossible to fightoff diseases. Earlysymptoms of AI DSinclude:

t Fever

t Loss ofappetite

t Weight loss

t Chronic fatigue

t Skin rashes

Later, thepatient may developcertain types ofcancer andinfections, includingpneumonia, whichmay be deadly.

Some peoplewith HIV have nosymptoms; othersdon't developsymptoms for yearsafter they're infected.Currently, there isno cure for AIDS.

5


HBV-What'sYour Risk?

The hepatitis B virus, although it is notas widely publicized, is actually morecommon and more infectious than HIV.In fact, about 8,700 health care workerscontact HBV-and 200 will eventually diefrom it.

Some people infected with HBV haveno symptoms; others develop serious orfatal illnesses, such as cirrhosis, livercancer, and chronic liver disease.

6


2 Exposure Control PlanOSHA requires employers to develop a

written Exposure Control Plan that is updatedevery year. It describes the employer's protec-tive procedures designed to eliminate orminimize employee exposures to blood bornepathogens. It must include:

• Job classifications where employeeshave the potential for exposure

• Those empioyees' tasks and proceduresthat could expose them to blood bornepathogens

• When and how the employer will informemployees of hazards and protectionsand implement protective measures

• Procedures for evaluating exposureincidents

• Accounting for innovations in proceduresand technological developments(i.e., sliding sheath needles)

• Method used to solicit input fromemployees


Engineering Controls

• Laser scalpels

• Glove boxes

• Splash guards

• Mechanical devices toclean up broken glass

• Biological safety cabi-nets for processingpotentially infectiousspecimens

• Autoclaves for treat- :\,ment of specimens and biological waste

• Sliding sheath needles

• All control measures that isolate or removethe hazard from the workplace

Other possibleengineering controlsinclude:

Engineering controls are one of the first :.defenses against exposure to bloodbornepathogens. They attempt to control the hazardat the source and prevent it from reachingemployees. OSHA's Bloodborne PathogensStandard requires these engineering controls:

• Special identified puncture-resistant,leak:Jroof containers for used orcontaminated sharp instruments

• Disposable airway equipment or resuscita-tion bags, mechanical respiratory assistancedevices, and pocketmouth-to-mouthresuscitation devices

".'"8


Work PracticeControls

OSHA also requires employers to usework practice controls. They are proceduresemployees should follow to eliminate orminimize exposure.

The most important work practice control isUniversal Precautions: treating all blood andother potentially infectious body fluids as ifthey are infected.

Another is to wash hands and exposed skinwith soap and water immediately after expo.sure to potentially infectious material or afterremoving gloves or other protective clothing.Use nonabrasive or antiseptic cleansers ortowelettes only if washing facilities are not eas.ilyaccessible.

9


Good hygiene is essential. Remember towash your hands with soap and water imme-diately, after:

t Tending to a patient

t Removing gloves or other protectiveequipment

t Contact with blood or other potentiallyinfectious materials

When you wash:

t Handle faucets with a clean paper towel

t Wash thoroughly with soap and water,even between the fingers, for 20 to 30seconds

t Rinse thoroughly

t Dry with a clean towel-not the one usedon the water faucets

Also, remember to avoid eating, drinking,smoking, applying makeup, etc., in areas thatmay be contaminated!

10

8/oodborne Pathogens

When performing procedures involvingblood and other fluids, try not to splash, spray,spatter, or create droplets. To transfer ordispose of materials that contain blood or otherpotentially infectious materials, use labeled,closed, leakproof containers. If the outside ofa container is contaminated, place it in asecond labeled leakproof and, if need be,puncture-proof, container.

When handlingcontaminatedinstruments, wearprotective gloves.Contaminatedinstruments orequipment should becovered or enclosedin a leakproof labeledcontainer when beingtransported. Then,wear an imperviousgown, gloves,mask, andgoggles todecontaminate.Remember touse an EPA-approveddisinfectant.

Examineequipment forcontaminationbefore it'sshipped orsent forservice.Decon-taminateit ifpossibleor labelit clearlybefore it'ssent out.

11


Sharps

Job-related exposure to blood bornepathogens most often results from contactwith contaminated needles, scalpels, razorblades, and other sharps.

Be extra careful when you draw blood,dispose of used needles, administer medica-tion, or collect and empty trash. OSHA requiresthat you NEVER:

t Brea'< or shear contaminated needles.

t Bend, recap, or remove contaminatedneecles or other sharps unless requiredby a medical procedure. ( If so, use amechanical device or one-handedtechnique.)

12


• Puncture-resistant

Incorporate new procedures or technologi-cal developments whenever possible (i.e.,needleless systems and sliding sheath nee-dles).

Immediately place used sharps in specialeasy-to-recognize containers. The containersare either red or have a fluorescent orange ororange-red biohazard label and the word BIO-HAZARD on them.

Sharpscontainersmust also be:

1

• Leakproof

• Closable

• Upright at alltimes

• As close as possible to where sharpsare found or used

Never reach into a containerof contaminatedsharps or open, empty, or clean containers

1 holding sharps by hand.

Don't overfill the containers. OSHA requiresregular removal and replacement to preventoverflow.

••••••••Attention law enforcement personnel:

Wear gloves to search suspects or handleevidence. Turn bags upside down to emptythem. Ask suspects to empty their pocketswhen possible.

••••••••13


Disposing ofContaminatedSharps

Take care to prevent possible exposurewhen your job requires you to remove andreplace the containers that hold contaminatedsharps. OSHA requires these containers to beremoved and replaced often, so they don'toverflow. When you're performing this task,follow these OSHA rules:

UniversalIf Biohazard

Waste

~

t Carefully close the container

t If there's a risk of leaking, place it in asecond closable, leakproof, labeled orcolor-coded container

t Take the container and any othercontaminated waste to the assigneddisposal area

t Dispose ot the container safely, followingyour employer's procedures.

14


LabelingLearn to recognize labels, markers, and

colors that identify containers that containinfectious materials-bags, storage andshipping containers, even refrigeratorsor freezers that contain blood or otherpotentiaily infectious materials.

To warn you of danger,containers must be:• Red, or• Have fluorescent orange or orange redlabels that say BIOHAZARD and showthis symbol.

You'll see the same colors and symbol onsigns at entrances to certain labs and productionfacilities that work with infectious agents. Thesigns may be labeled "Biosafety Level 1,""Biosafety Level 2," or "Biosafety Level 3,"depending on the hazards. They may also tellwhat infectious agent is used there and explainspecial requirements for entering the area andwho is in charge.

15


3PersonalProtective Equipmentand Clothing

skin.J.

"

\.

clothes

• Repair andreplacePPE asneeded tomaintaineffective-ness

OSHArequires employersto provide appropri-ate PPE in varioussizes at no cost toemployees.Employers alsomust. at no cost toemployees:

• Launder,clean, anddispose ofPPEproperly ~l.

Personal protective equip-ment (PPE) and clothing arean important part of yourprotection against BBPs.

This clothing and equip-ment must prevent bloodor other potentiallyinfectious materialsfrom reaching f.your skin, eyes, ••mouth, mucousmembranes,and work orstreet clothes.

16


Employees must wear assigned PPEand always:

• RemovePPE that'spenetratedor grosslycontaminatedby blood oranypotentiallyinfectiousmaterialimmediately-or as soonas possible

• RemovePPE beforeleaving thework area orhandlingitems suchas phones,pens, etc .

• Place contaminated PPE in an assignedarea or container for cleaning, storage,decontamination, or disposal.

In an emergency, .. Suppose an apparentlystable patient begins to hemorrhage, or youhave damaged resuscitation equipment andyou must help a person who's not breathingYou may feel that PPE would get in the wayof doing such a job or pose a hazard. If youmake that judgment call, OSHA requiresemployer investigation and documentation. Thegoal is to figure out how to safely deal with suchemergencies in the future.

17


GlovesProper gloves are an essential protection

against bloodborne pathogens. OSHA requiresemployers to provide a good selection ofgloves at the workplace and in emergencyvehicles. For people allergic to the materials instandard protective gloves, employers mustprovide alternatives such as hypoallergenicgloves, glove liners, etc.

Wear gloves any time there's a possibilityof contact with potentially infectious materialsor contaminated items or surfaces. If exposureto large amounts of blood is possible, weargloves that fit tightly around the wrist. If youhave a cut or other broken skin, bandage itbefore putting on gloves.

. J 1<'1

18

Bfoodborne Pathogens

Put on clean gloves after each patient orprocedure, or when they become contaminated-whichever comes first. Remember to takegloves off carefully so the outside doesn't touchyour skin .

• Pinch the outside of the glove by the wristarea and slowly peel off the glove

• Bundle the removed glove in your glovedhand

• Remove the other glove by sliding theungloved index finger inside the wrist flapand drawing the glove off

• Place the first glove in the second glove

If you use disposable(single-use) gloves:

• Do not wash or decontaminate them forreuse

• Replace them as soon as you can ifthey're contaminated, torn, punctured,etc .

• Dispose of them in properly labeledBIOHAZARD containers or by yourfacility's policy

Utility gloves may be decontaminated forreuse if they're in good condition. But glovesthat are cracked, peeling, torn, punctured, etc.,might not offer full protection. Dispose of thempromptly in the proper containers.

19


Eye and FaceProtection

You don't want to risk having blood or otherpotentially infectious materials splash, spray, orspatter your eyes or face. If your job couldpossibly expose you to such contact, wear aface mask and eye protection.

Place the mask on your face so it coversyour nose and chin. The straps can go overyour head or under your ears. Find the mostcomfortable fit for you.

Then choose effective eye protection.OSHA recommends that you use goggles orglasses with solid side shields and/or chin-length face shields, which help protect againstsplashes.

20


ProtectiveClothing

Some work situations demand specialprotective clothing. You may need to coverup with an:

• Apron

• Gown

• Lab coat

• Clinic jacket.

Be sure to select protective clothing thatwill really protect you from the hazards youface. Wear fluid-proof clothes if there's a risk oflarge splashes. Fluid-resistant clothes may beadequate for a task with minimal exposurepotential.

Autopsies, orthopedic surgery, and otherhigh-risk situations demand added protection.OSHA requires impervious surgical caps orhoods and/or shoe covers and boots for thesetasks.

21


PPEPrecautions

Inspect PPE carefully before putting it on.Don't use anything that's damaged!

Don't touch uncontaminated items whilewearing PPE (they may become contaminated).Remove PPE before you go into a clean area.

To prevent contact with contaminatedPPE, keep your gloves on to remove protectiveclothes. Handle clothes from the outside only.Don't touch your skin or street clothes.

Immediately place all contaminated PPE inthe assigned area for storage, washing, decon-tamination, and disposal.

22

Bfoodborne Pathogens

Used PPE, linens, and other laundry maycontain infectious materials. Housekeeping andlaundry workers must take special care to protectthemselves and prevent the spread of infection.

To be safe with laundry, fof/ow UniversalPrecautions. Assume all laundry is contaminat-ed (if your facility does not use UniversalPrecautions for all laundry, keep contaminatedlaundry separate and transport it in labeled orcolor-coded bags). And follow all safety precau-tions when you handle it. That includes wearinggloves and other appropriate PPE.

In addition, OSHA requires employers toidentify and train employees whose jobs involvecontact with contaminated laundry so theyunderstand the hazards and the procedures tofollow to protect themselves.

23


To help prevent infection, OSHA alsorequires laundry and other staff tohandle contaminated laundry as little as possible.Don't shake used linens. Roll them up with thesoiled side on the inside.

Bag contaminated laundry where it wasused, according to your facilities procedure. Useleakproof bags for wet laundry.

You must sort and rinse contaminatedlaundry in a room other than the one where itwas used. Remember to use UniversalPrecautions in the laundry area, too.

24


4GoodHousekeeping

People whose jobs involve keeping healthcare facilities clean and sanitary play a vitalrole. There is, however, a small risk of expo-sure to blood borne pathogens while periormingthose jobs.

So be sure good housekeeping includesgood protection. Wear impervious gloves(gloves that will not rip or tear, or let BBPs getonto your skin) when you're handling soiledlinens, transporting containers of contaminateditems, or working anywhere around possiblycontaminated waste.

OSHA requires employers to have a writtenschedule for cleaning and decontamination. Ithas to explain exactly what must be done andhow often. Become familiar with the scheduleand follow it carefully.

25


Good housekeeping involves allemployees, too. OSHA requires employees to:

• Cover places where blood and/or bodyfluids may splatter, using plastic wrap,aluminum foil, or impervious absorbentpaper-and remove those covers whenthey're contaminated

• Clean and decontaminate all equipmentand surfaces that had contact with bloodor other potentially infectious materials

• Decontaminate and clean reusable bins,pails, etc., regularly-immediately afterthey've had contact with potentiallyinfectious materials

t Use a brush and pan,tongs, etc., not hands,to pick up brokenglass that may becontaminated

• Never store or processcontaminated reusablesharps whereemployees haveto reach themby hand.

26


5EmployeeTraining

Employers must provide special training toall employees whose jobs could expose them topotentially infectious materials. Training mustcover both the hazards and, most important,procedures that protect against them.

Training must take piace during workinghours, at no cost to empioyees. You receivetraining when you're assigned to a job withpossible exposure and at least every year afterthat. Employers must provide added trainingwhen tasks or procedures change.

OSHA says employers must presenttraining in a manner employees canunderstand, aliowing them to ask questions onanything that's not clear.

Training is an important form of protection,so make the most of it.

27


OSHA says training mustat least cover:

o The Bloodborne Pathogens Standard

o Symptoms and means of transmittalfor blood borne diseases

o Your employer's exposure controlplan and how you can obtain a copy

o How to recognize tasks or activitiesthat could expose you to blood andother potentially infectious materials

o Signs, warning labels, and/or colorcoding used on containers that couldcontain biohazards

o Engineering and work practice con-trols and PPE that reduce or preventexposure

o How to select, use, remove, handle,decontaminate, and dispose of PPE

o Hepatitis B vaccine information

o Procedures to follow in emergenciesinvolving blood or other potentiallyinfectious materials

o What to do if you're involved in anexposure incident

o Employer-provided medical evaluationand follow-up for exposed employees.

-28


MedicalEvaluation

If you think you've been in direct contactwith potentially infectious materials, reportit immediately to your supervisor. Youremployer will offer you a confidential medicalevaluation and follow-up. You don't have tohave this evaluation, but you should. It givesyou the benefit of expert medical attention andconsultation at no cost.

A medical evaluation first documents thepotential exposure incident. If possible, thesource individual's blood is tested and theexposed person is told the results.

A sample of your blood will also be takenand, if you consent, will be tested for HBV andHIV. You have up to 90 days to decide whetherto have those tests.

A medical professional will explain theresults of any tests to you and discuss anyconditions that require further study or treatment.You'll receive counseling and recommendationson next steps to take.

29


Hepatitis BVaccination

t Antibody testsreveal you'reimmune

Another form of protection against blood-borne disease is the hepatitis B vaccine series.Employers must offer these vaccinations, plusbooster doses recommended by the U.S. PublicHealth Service, to employees with possiblejob-related exposure. You won't be charged forthis preventive service.

Employers must offer the vaccinations toemployees after they're trained and within 10working days of initial assignment to a job withpossible exposure unless:

t You have hadthe completevaccinationseries

t You havemedicalreasons youcan't bevaccinated

You'll have to sign a form if you don't wantthe vaccinations. If you change your mind later,inform your employer. You can still bevaccinated at no cost.

If you work in health care, a lab, or anemergency response position, It's a good ideato take advantage of this valuable protection.

Note: There is no approved vaccination toprevent contraction of hepatitis C.

30


Medical Recordsand Training

OSHA requires employers to keep confidentialmedical records on all employees whose jobscould expose them to BBPs. Each individual'srecord must include information on:

Q~

L.

• Hepatitis B vaccinations

• Exposure incidents, including informationprovided to a health care professional,exam and test results, follow-upprocedures, and the health professional'swritten opinion on the results

Employersmust maintaina sharps injurylog.

Employersalso have tokeep recordson eachemployee'straining.

Trainingrecords mustbe kept for atleast threeyears.

You havethe right toexamine andcopy yourmedical andtraining recordsor to have arepresentativesee them.

31


6Bloodborne PathogensReview

Blood and other body fluids may carry BBPsthat cause such diseases as:

• HIV, the human immunodeficiency virusthat causes AIDS

• HBV, the hepatitis B virus that can causeserious liver problems

• HCV, the hepatitis C virus that is alsodangerous to the liver

OSHA's Bloodborne Pathogens Standardwas created to protect health care, emergencyresponse, lab, and other employees at risk.Become familiar with the Standard and youremployer's written Exposure Control Plan. Takeadvantage of protections your employer mustprovide.

If your job could expose you to blood orother potentially infectious materials:

o Practice Universal Precautions-treat all blood and potentiallyinfectious materials as if they areinfectious.

o Pay attention to training thatexplains the hazards you face-and the ways you can protectyourself.

o Get the no-cost hepatitis Bvaccination series.

o Report any exposure incidentsimmediately and use the medicalassistance you're offered.

32


EmployersWant toHelp

Employers must take active steps toreduce the chances that their employees will beexposed to bloodborne pathogens on the job.

They provide:

t Engineeringcontrols toremove orisolate thehazard or placesome barrierbetween theemployee andexposure to thehazard

t Work practicecontrols tochange howemployeesperform a taskin order toeliminate orminimizeexposure

t Protectiveclothing toprevent directcontact withblood or otherpotentiallyinfectiousmaterials.

33


Make these precautions a habit:oWash your hands with soap and

water immediately after contactwith blood or other potentiallyinfectious materials

o Avoid recapping needles

o Never break or shearcontaminated needles

o Dispose of used sharps inleakproof, puncture-prooflabeled biohazard containers

o Dispose of contaminatedlaundry in leakproof bags,avoiding direct contact andminimizing handling

o Wear gloves or other PPE whenyou have contact with peopleand when handling instruments,laundry, or other items thatmight be contaminated

o Remove PPE properly beforeleaving the work area orhandling uncontaminated items

Take care of yourself! Beaware of the hazards of

bloodborne illness and makefull use of the protectionsyour employer provides.

34


7 Dictionary of TermsAIDS Acquired immunodeficiency syndrome, a diseasethat may develop from HIV infection and leaves thebody unable to fight off other diseases.

Amniotic fluid Fluid found in the amniotic cavity whichholds the fetus.

Blood Human blood. its components, or productsmade from it.

Bloodborne pathogens Microorganisms present inhuman blood that can cause disease in humans. suchas hepatitis B and human immunodeficiency viruses(HBV and HIV).

Cerebrospinal fluid Fluid contained in and around thebrain and in the spinal cord.

Clinical laboratory Workplace where diagnostic orother screening procedures are performed on blood orother potentially infectious materials.

Contaminated Blood or other potentially infectiousmaterials that are on an item or surface or arereasonably anticipated to be there.

Contaminated laundry Laundry soiled with blood orother potentially infectious materials or which maycontain sharps.

Contaminated sharps Any contaminated objects thatcan penetrate the skin, including needles, scalpels,broken glass or capillary tubes, and exposed ends ofdental wires.

Decontaminate To remove, inactivate, or destroybloodborne pathogens on a surface or item by physicalor chemical means so they can't be transmitted. Also,making the surface or item safe to handle, use, ordispose of.

Disinfect To destroy or make inactive virtually allrecognized microorganisms on inanimate objects suchas clothing, though not necessarily destroying all micro-bial forms.

Engineering controls Controls such as self-sheathingneedles that remove the bloodborne pathogens hazardor isolate it from the employee.

Exposure Control Plan An employer-written plan thatidentifies potential employee blood borne pathogenexposure and schedules and implements means ofcontrol that meet OSHA standards.

35

Btoodborne Pathogens

Exposure Incident Specific contact between blood orother potentially infectious materials and an employee'seye, mouth, mucous membrane; non-intact or piercedskin that occurs as a result of performing job duties.

Hand.washlng facility Facility with an adequatesupply of running potable water, soap. and either single-use towels or hot air drying machines.

HBV Hepatitis B virus, a bloodborne pathogen that mayseverely damage the liver and cause cancer.

HeV Hepatitis C virus, a highly contagious blood bornepathogen that causes liver disease.

Health care workers People, including trainees andstudents, whose jobs involve contact with patients,blood, or other patients' body fluids, in a health caresetting.

HIV Human immunodeficiency virus, a bloodbornepathogen that can lead to acquired immunodeficiencysyndrome (AIDS), a disease in which the body is unable10fight off other diseases.

Infectious waste Blood and blood products, contami-nated sharps, and pathological and microbiologicalwastes.

Licensed health care professional Person legallypermitted to independently perform hepatitis B vaccina-tions and evaluation and follow-up of anyone exposedto bloodborne pathogens on the job.

Needleless system Devices that do not use needlesfor the collection of bodily fluids, administering medica-tion, or any other procedure that might expose a personto a sharps hazard.

Occupational exposure Employee skin, eye, mucousmembrane, or skin-piercing contact with blood or otherpotentially infectious materials that may reasonably beanticipated to result from performance of an employee'sduties.

Other potentially infectious materials Any body lIuidvisibly contaminated with blood, as well as such bodyfluids as semen, vaginal secretions, cerebrospinal fluid,synovial fluid, pleural fluid, pericardial fluid, peritonealfluid, amniotic fluid, and saliva in dental procedures.Also, any unfixed human tissue or organ from a living ordead person (except intact skin); HIV- or HBV-containingcell or tissue cultures, organ cultures, culture medium orother solutions; and blood, organs. or other tissues fromexperimental animals infected with HIV or HBV.

36


Parenteral Exposure that results from piercing the skin.

Pathogen A microorganism or virus that can causedisease.

Pericardlal fluid Fluid in the sac that surrounds theheart and the roots of the great vessels.

Peritoneal fluid Fluid found in Ihe lining of theabdominopelvic walls.

Personal protective equipment (PPE) Specializedclothing or equipment an employee wears as protectionfrom a hazard.

Pleural fluid Fluid found in Ihe membranes of thelungs.

Production facility Facility engaged in industrial.scaJe,iarge volume production of HIV or HBV or high-concentration production of HIV or HBV.

Regulated waste Liquid or semiliquid blood or otherpotentially infectious materials; contaminated items thatcould release such materials if compressed; itemscaked with dried blood or olher potentially infectiousmaterials that could release those materials when han.dIed; contaminated sharps: pathological and microbio-logical wastes containing blood or other potentiallyinfectious materials.

Research laboratory Laboratory that producesresearch laboratory-scale amounts of HIV or HBV.

Sharps Any objects that can penetrate the skin, suchas needles, scalpels, and broken capillary tubes.

Sharps with engineered sharps Injury protection Aneedle device with a built.in safety feature that reducesIhe sharp hazard (i.e., slide sheathing needles).

Source individual Individual, living or dead, whoseblood or other potentially infectious materials may be asource of occupational exposure to the employee.

Sterilize Destroy all microbial life with a physical orchemical procedure.

Synovial fluid Fluid contained in the synovial mem-brane and in joints and tendons.

Universal precautions An infection control methodthat treats all human blood and certain human bodyfluids as if they are infectious for HIV, HBV, and otherbloodborne pathogens.

Work practice controls Altering the way in which atask is performed to reduce the likelihood of exposure.

37


Notes:

38


8Test Your BBP Knowledge

True or False:

1. The hepatitis B Virus (HBV) is 0 0more common than the humanimmunodeficiency virus (HIV).

2. Universal Precautions means 0 0treating all blood and body fluidsas if they are infected.

3. The most common form of job- 0 0related exposure to BBPs issurgical procedures.

4. Gloves are one of the most 0 0important forms of PPE.

5. Proper containers for used sharps 0 0and contaminated items arecolored black.

6. Employers are required to keep 0 0a written Exposure Control Planand train employees to use it.

7. Engineering controls include theuse of puncture-resistant, leakproofcontainers, disposable airwayequipment, and splash guards.

8. HBV is the virus that causes AIDS.

9. After removing contaminated PPE,you should place it in an assignedarea or container for storage,cleaning. decontamination, ordisposal.

10. You should receive training whenyou're assigned to a job withpossible BBP exposure, and at leastevery year after that.

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9BloodbornePathogensTrainingVerification

I have read the Bloodborne PathogensPocket Guide. I understand the

requirements of the OSHA BloodbornePathogens Standard. I also understand

my role in preventing exposure toblood borne pathogens on the job.

Employee Name (print)

Employee Signature

Dale

Supervisor Name (print)

Supervisor Signature

Date

40

Protection from Bloodborne Pathogens Pocket Guide

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