Text For Citation: 01 Item/Group: 002 Hazard: BLOODBORNE

Section 5(a)(1) of the Occupational 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 in that employees including, but not limited to, nurses, nurses aides, housekeepers and laundry workers were exposed to the hazard of being infected with, hepatitis B virus (HBV) through possible direct contact with blood or body fluids: ESTABLISHMENT: THE EMPLOYER DID NOT ENSURE THAT ALL EMPLOYEES WHO HAVE DIRECT CONTACT WITH BLOOD OR BODY FLUIDS WERE FORMALLY TRAINED IN PRECAUTIONARY MEASURES, EPIDEMIOLOGY MODES OF TRANSMISSION AND PREVENTION OF HBV/HIV AND OTHER BLOODBORNE PATHOGENS. AMONG OTHER METHODS, ONE FEASIBLE AND ACCEPTABLE ABATEMENT METHOD TO CORRECT THIS HAZARD WOULD BE TO PROVIDE TRAINING WHICH WOULD INCLUDE THE FOLLOWING ELEMENTS: (A) AN ACCESSIBLE COPY OF THE REGULATORY TEXT OF THE BLOODBORNE PATHOGEN STANDARD AND AN EXPLANATION OF ITS CONTENTS; (B) A GENERAL EXPLANATION OF THE EPIDEMIOLOGY AND SYMPTOMS OF BLOODBORNE DISEASES; (C) AN EXPLANATION OF THE MODES OF TRANSMISSION OF BLOODBORNE PATHOGENS; (D) AN EXPLANATION OF THE EMPLOYER'S EXPOSURE CONTROL PLAN AND THE MEANS BY WHICH THE EMPLOYEE CAN OBTAIN A COPY OF THE WRITTEN PLAN; (E) AN EXPLANATION OF THE APPROPRIATE METHODS FOR RECOGNIZING TASKS AND OTHER ACTIVITIES THAT MAY INVOLVE EXPOSURE TO BLOOD AND OTHER POTENTIALLY INFECTIOUS MATERIALS; (F) AN EXPLANATION OF THE USE AND LIMITATIONS OF METHODS THAT WILL PREVENT OR REDUCE EXPOSURE INCLUDING APPROPRIATE ENGINEERING CONTROLS, WORK PRACTICES, AND PERSONAL PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT; (G) INFORMATION ON THE TYPES, PROPER USE, LOCATION, REMOVAL, HANDLING, DECONTAMINATION AND DISPOSAL OF PERSONAL PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT; (H) AN EXPLANATION OF THE BASIS FOR SELECTION OF PERSONAL PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT; (I) INFORMATION ON THE HEPATITIS B VACCINE, INCLUDING INFORMATION ON ITS EFFICACY, SAFETY, METHOD OF ADMINISTRATION, THE BENEFITS OF BEING VACCINATED AND THAT THE VACCINE AND VACCINATION WILL BE OFFERED FREE OF CHARGE; (J) INFORMATION ON THE APPROPRIATE ACTIONS TO TAKE AND PERSONS TO CONTACT IN AN EMERGENCY INVOLVING BLOOD OR OTHER POTENTIALLY INFECTIOUS MATERIALS; (K) AN EXPLANATION OF THE PROCEDURE TO FOLLOW IF AN EXPOSURE INCIDENT OCCURS, INCLUDING THE METHOD OF REPORTING THE INCIDENT AND THE MEDICAL FOLLOW-UP THAT WILL BE MADE AVAILABALE; (L) INFORMATION ON THE POST-EXPOSURE EVALUATION AND FOLLOW-UP THAT THE EMPLOYER IS REQUIRED TO PROVIDE FOR THE EMPLOYEE FOLLOWING AN EXPOSURE INCIDENT; (M) AN EXPLANATION OF THE SIGNS AND LABELS AND/OR COLOR CODING REQUIRED BY THE BLOODBORNE PATHOGEN STANDARD; (N) AN OPPORTUNITY FOR INTERACTIVE QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS WITH THE PERSON CONDUCTING THE TRAINING SESSION.