Text For Citation: 01 Item/Group: 001 Hazard: BLOODBORNE

SECTION 5(A)(1) OF THE OCFUPATIONAL SAFETY AND HEALTH ACT OF 1970: THE EMPLOYER DID NOT FURNISH EMPLOYMENT AND A PLACE OF EMPLOYMENT WHICH WERE FREE FROM RECOGNIZED HAZARDS THAT WERE CAUSING OR LIKELY TO CAUSE DEATH OR SERIOUS PHYSICAL HARM TO EMPLOYEES. HIGH RISK HEALTH CARE WORKERS (SUCH AS TECHNICIANS AND ASSISTANTS), WERE EXPOSED TO THE HAZARDS OF BEING INFECTED BY HBV AND/OR HIV THROUGH POSSIBLE DIRECT CONTACT WITH BLOOD OR OTHER BODY FLUIDS. FEASIBLE AND USEFUL ABATEMENT METHODS OF REDUCING THIS HAZARD, AMONG OTHERS ARE: 1) PROVIDE TRAINING AND EDUCATION, AS STIPULATED BY THE CENTER FOR DISEASE CONTROL, ACQUIRED IMMUNODEFICIENCY SYNDROME, AIDS RECOMMENDATIONS AND GUIDELINES TO INCLUDE AT LEAST THE FOLLOWING: A) ALL HIGH RISK HEALTH CARE WORKERS SHALL RECEIVE EDUCATION ON PRECAUTIONARY MEASURES, EPIDEMIOLOGY, MODES OF TRANSMISSION AND PREVENTION OF HIV/HBV.HEALTH CARE WORKERS SHALL BE COUNSELED REGARDING POSSIBLE RISKS TO THE FETUS FROM HIV/HBV AND OTHER ASSOCIATED INFECTIOUS AGENTS. B) IN ADDITION, SUCH HIGH RISK WORKERS MUST RECEIVE TRAINING REGARDING THE LOCATION AND PROPER USE OF PERSONAL PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT. THEY SHALL BE TRAINED CONCERNING PROPER WORK PRACTICES AND, IF THE FACILITY HAS IMPLEMENTED THEM, SHALL UNDERSTAND THE CONCEPT OF "UNIVERSAL PRECAUTION" AS IT APPLIES TO THEIR WORK PRACTICES. THEY SHALL BE TRAINED ABOUT THE MEANING OF COLOR CODING OR OTHER METHODS USED TO DESIGNATE CONTAMINATED ARTICLES OR INFECTIOUS WASTE. WORKERS SHALL RECEIVE TRAINING ABOUT PROCEDURES TO BE USED IF THEY ARE EXPOSED TO NEEDLESTICK OR TO BODY FLUIDS.