Develop an Exposure Control PlanWhy is an Exposure Control Plan important? Show
If one of your workers is exposed to an inmate’s blood, he or she may need to be examined and tested, undergo counseling and possibly treatment. Workers who are exposed to a bloodborne disease may have to take time off work to cope with the illness. This impacts your worker, his or her family, and other staff who may have to fill in. An Exposure Control Plan is important because it helps you protect your workers from exposures to blood and other body fluids*. By protecting your workers, you also control exposure incident costs. An Exposure Control Plan is meant to be a “living” document, used as a source of information for answering bloodborne pathogen-related questions and to help ensure exposure control activities are in place. If exposures to blood or other body fluids* are reasonably anticipated, you are required by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) Bloodborne Pathogens Standard to develop an Exposure Control Plan. Be sure your facility’s Exposure Control Plan meets OSHA’s criteriaAccording to the OSHA Bloodborne Pathogens Standard, an Exposure Control Plan must meet certain criteria:
You must regularly educate your workers on the uses of the Exposure Control Plan and where it’s kept, so it is available when needed.2 OSHA developed a model template, the Model Plans and Programs for the OSHA Bloodborne Pathogens and Hazard Communications Standardspdf iconexternal icon, which includes a guide for creating an Exposure Control Plan that meets the requirements of the OSHA Bloodborne Pathogens Standard. For a brochure that addresses common issues among correctional facilities’ Exposure Control Plans, download a copy of Protect Your Employees with an Exposure Control Planpdf icon. * “Other body fluids” includes other potentially infectious material, such as semen, vaginal secretions, cerebrospinal, synovial, pleural, peritoneal, pericardial, and amniotic fluids, and any other body fluid that contains visible blood.
OSHA Standards for Bloodborne PathogensIn 1991, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) promulgated the Occupational Exposure to Bloodborne Pathogens Standard . This standard is designed to protect approximately 5.6 million workers in the healthcare and related occupations from the risk of exposure to bloodborne pathogens, such as the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) and the Hepatitis B Virus (HBV). The Bloodborne Pathogens Standard has numerous requirements, including the development of an Exposure Control Plan. The Standard also includes rules specific to certain types of wastes generated at healthcare facilities, termed “regulated waste.” Regulated waste includes blood and items contaminated with blood or other potentially infectious materials (OPIM). This section of the HERC Center contains a summary of OSHA Bloodborne Pathogens Standards relating to regulated waste.
DefinitionsWhat is an Exposure Control Plan? The exposure control plan must contain at a minimum:
What does OSHA mean by the term "regulated waste"?
It is the employer's responsibility to determine the existence of regulated waste. This determination should not based on actual volume of blood, but rather on the potential to release blood, (e.g., when compacted in the waste container). If an OSHA inspector determines 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. OSHA has provided some additional guidance for the determination of regulated waste. OSHA stated that bandages which are not saturated to the point of releasing blood or OPIM if compressed would not be considered as regulated waste. Similarly, discarded feminine hygiene products do not normally meet the criteria for regulated waste as defined by the standard. Beyond these guidelines, it is the employer's responsibility to determine the existence of regulated waste. Management of SharpsHow should sharps containers be handled?
Where should sharps containers be located? 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. What type of container should be purchased to dispose of sharps? For more information on sharps containers and proper placement, see Selecting, Evaluating and Using Sharps Containers, a guidance document issued by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) (Figure 1 on page 12 of the document shows measurements for proper placement). How do I dispose of regulated waste? In addition to state rules for disposing of regulated waste, there are basic OSHA requirements that protect workers. The OSHA rules state that regulated waste must be placed in containers which are:
OSHA has no specific requirement for hospitals or other healthcare facilities to treat (e.g., autoclave) waste before disposal. Such rules are usually published by state agencies ( Go to HERC Regulated Medical Waste Locator ). Communication of Hazard to EmployeesWhen are labels required? What are the required colors for the labels? Can there be substitutes for the labels? What are the exceptions to the labeling requirement?
*A note concerning Specimen Bags: Some healthcare facilities use plastic bags to transport specimen containers from patient care areas to in-house laboratories. The healthcare facilities label the plastic bag "biohazard" and dispose of the plastic bag as infectious waste. If not contaminated, the plastic transport bags are not considered infectious waste and may be disposed of as solid waste. However, if the bags are labeled "biohazard," healthcare facilities run the risk that the solid waste hauler might refuse to transport the waste because of the belief that the bags are infectious. Biohazard labeled plastic bags used as secondary containment for internal transport of specimens is not required by OSHA. The labeling exemption, listed in 29 CFR 1910.1030 (d)(2)(xii)(A) of the Occupational Exposure to Bloodborne Pathogens, applies to facilities that handle all specimens with Universal Precautions, provided the containers are recognizable as containing specimens. The exemption applies only while these specimens remain within the facility. If the specimens leave the facility, a label or red color-coding is required. In addition, secondary containers or bags are only required if the primary container is contaminated on the outside. Does OSHA accept Department of Transportation's (DOT) labels for waste and specimens which will be shipped or transported? 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. TrainingWhich employees must be trained? Should part-time and temporary
employees be trained? Who has the responsibility for training workers employed by agencies which provide personnel (e.g., nurses) to other employers? In the context of OSHA's standard on Bloodborne Pathogens, the personnel provider would be required to provide the general training outlined in the standard, the client employer would be responsible for providing site-specific training. 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. What are the qualifications that a person must possess in order to conduct employee training regarding bloodborne pathogens? Where could information be obtained for conducting training on the Bloodborne Pathogens Standard? Who are some examples of persons who could conduct training on the bloodborne standard? Which type of vaccination are employers required to provide for their employees who may be exposed to bloodborne pathogens quizlet?Hepatitis B vaccination is recognized as an effective defense against HBV infection. The standard requires employers to offer the vaccination series to all workers who have occupational exposure.
What must be offered free of charge if you are occupationally exposed to BBP quizlet?When there is occupational exposure, the employer shall provide, at no cost to the employee, appropriate personal protective equipment such as, but not limited to, gloves, gowns, laboratory coats, face shields or masks and eye protection, and mouthpieces, resuscitation bags, pocket masks, or other ventilation devices.
Which of the following employees is likely to be occupationally exposed to bloodborne pathogens?Needlesticks and other sharps-related injuries may expose workers to bloodborne pathogens. Workers in many occupations, including first responders, housekeeping personnel in some industries, nurses and other healthcare personnel, all may be at risk for exposure to bloodborne pathogens.
What is the protocol if you are exposed to bloodborne pathogens quizlet?The first step, taken immediately after any exposure to blood or OPIM, is to wash the exposed area with soap and water. If mucous membranes are affected, flush well with water. Irrigate eyes with clean water, saline, or sterile irrigants.
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