Blood Borne Pathogens

Bloodborne Pathogens, Rights & Responsibilities
OSHA's Bloodborne Pathogens standard (29 CFR 1910.1030) as amended pursuant to the Needlestick Safety and Prevention Act of 2000, prescribes safeguards to protect workers against the health hazards caused by bloodborne pathogens. Its requirements address items such as exposure control plans, universal precautions, engineering and work practice controls, personal protective equipment, housekeeping, laboratories, hepatitis B vaccination, post-exposure follow-up, hazard communication and training, and recordkeeping. The standard places requirements on employers whose workers can be reasonably anticipated to contact blood or other potentially infectious materials (OPIM), such as unfixed human tissues and certain body fluids.

Bloodborne Pathogen: germs in the blood that can make people sick
Bloodborne Pathogen
Additional Symptoms & Long-Term Effects

Hepatitis B Virus/Hepatitis C Virus

• Yellowing of the skin or whites of eyes
• Feeling tired
• Pain in abdomen
• Nausea, vomiting, diarrhea
• Loss of appetite
• Damage to the liver
• Can lead to death

HIV

• Extreme unexplained tiredness
• Poor appetite w/rapid weight loss
• Unexplained fever
• Swollen glands
• Increased chance of other illnesses
• Can cause Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS)
• Can lead to death

www.cdc.gov/niosh/topics.bbp

Bloodborne Pathogens can enter the body and make a person sick by

• A needle stick or other sharp object that has infected blood on it
• Infected blood or blood-containing material enters into your eye, nose, mouth, or any opening in the skin

*Exposure does not always indicate infection will spread.  Risk is based on the amount of pathogen that enters the body vs. the body’s ability to fight the pathogen, treatments are available to decrease your risk of sickness after an exposure.

American Heart Association recommendation for exposure, Make a P.A.C.T.

P
Protect yourself from blood or blood-containing materials

A
Act quickly and safely

C
Clean the area that has blood or blood-containing materials

T
Tell your supervisor about the incident

 *Always remember Scene Safety, do not put yourself in harm’s way.
            Equipment in operation, electrical exposure, chemical exposure, slick surfaces, etc.
 
Universal Precautions = PPE
A person cannot look at blood and determine that there is a bloodborne pathogen, the use of Universal Precautions can minimize exposure.

For Exposure:

• Remove Gloves if worn, immediately wash hands for at least 20 seconds with warm water and antibacterial liquid soap.
• If blood or blood containing materials comes in contact with eyes, nose, mouth, or open wounds flush for 5 minutes at least and seek medical care

 Spill Containment and Reporting:

• Put on PPE

• Clean surface with approved surface cleaner
• The use of a Spill Kit may be necessary for larger incidents
• Remove all PPE and any other items that may have been contaminated
• Dispose of contaminated items properly
• Wash hands/clean yourself; seek healthcare professional if concerned with BBP Exposure
• Fill-out appropriate report and follow-up with necessary meetings

• *Follow all workplace procedures as written in the H & S Bloodborne Pathogen Program as mandated by OSHA/NIOSH

 
Disposal of Contaminants:

• Any blood or blood containing materials
• Needles
• Miscellaneous materials contaminated with blood or blood containing materials