OSHA - Bloodborne Pathogens and Needlestick Prevention
Workers in many different occupations are at risk of exposure to bloodborne pathogens, including Hepatitis B, Hepatitis C, and HIV/AIDS. First aid team members, housekeeping personnel in some settings, nurses and other healthcare providers are examples of workers who may be at risk of exposure.
In 1991, OSHA issued the Bloodborne Pathogens Standard (29 CFR 1910.1030) to protect workers from this risk. In 2001, in response to the Needlestick Safety and Prevention Act, OSHA revised the Bloodborne Pathogens Standard. The revised standard clarifies the need for employers to select safer needle devices and to involve employees in identifying and choosing these devices. The updated standard also requires employers to maintain a log of injuries from contaminated sharps.
Bloodborne Pathogens and Needlestick Prevention - OSHA Standards
Needlestick injuries and other sharps-related injuries which expose workers to bloodborne pathogens continues to be an important public health concern. In 1991, OSHA issued the Bloodborne Pathogens Standard (29 CFR 1910.1030) to protect workers from this risk. In 2001, in response to the Needlestick Safety and Prevention Act, OSHA revised the Bloodborne Pathogens Standard. This page highlights OSHA standards, preambles to final rules (background to final rules), directives (instructions for compliance officers), and standard interpretations (official letters of interpretation of the standards) related to bloodborne pathogens and needlestick prevention.
Section 5(a)(1) of the OSH Act, often referred to as the General Duty Clause, requires employers to "furnish to each of his employees employment and a place of employment which are free from recognized hazards that are causing or are likely to cause death or serious physical harm to his employees". Section 5(a)(2) requires employers to "comply with occupational safety and health standards promulgated under this Act".
Bloodborne Pathogens and Needlestick Prevention - Hazard Recognition
OSHA estimates that 5.6 million workers in the health care industry and related occupations are at risk of occupational exposure to bloodborne pathogens, including human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), hepatitis B virus (HBV), hepatitis C virus (HCV), and others. All occupational exposure to blood or other potentially infectious materials (OPIM) place workers at risk for infection with bloodborne pathogens. OSHA defines blood to mean human blood, human blood components, and products made from human blood. Other potentially infectious materials (OPIM) means: (1) The following human body fluids: semen, vaginal secretions, cerebrospinal fluid, synovial fluid, pleural fluid, pericardial fluid, peritoneal fluid, amniotic fluid, saliva in dental procedures, any body fluid that is visibly contaminated with blood, and all body fluids in situations where it is difficult or impossible to differentiate between body fluids; (2) Any unfixed tissue or organ (other than intact skin) from a human (living or dead); and (3) HIV-containing cell or tissue cultures, organ cultures, and HIV- or HBV-containing culture medium or other solutions; and blood, organs, or other tissues from experimental animals infected with HIV or HBV.
Bloodborne Pathogens and Needlestick Prevention - Possible Solutions
Studies show that nurses sustain the most needlestick injuries and that as many as one-third of all sharps injuries occur during disposal. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates that 62 to 88 percent of sharps injuries can be prevented simply by using safer medical devices. The following references provide information regarding possible solutions for bloodborne pathogens and needlestick hazards.
Please Note: Articles/references that are dated before April 18, 2001 may not reflect the changes of the new Bloodborne Pathogens Standard but still provide relevant, general information.
·Checklist for Sharps Injury Prevention. University of Virginia, International Health Care Worker Safety Center, 21 KB PDF, 2 pages. Provides a checklist intended to help facilities comply with the sharps safety requirements of OSHA's Bloodborne Pathogens Standard.
·A Best Practices Approach for Reducing Bloodborne Pathogens Exposure. Cal/OSHA Consultation Service, Department of Industrial Relations, (2001), 3 MB PDF, 100 pages.
·Sharps Disposal Containers with Needle Removal Features. OSHA Hazard Information Bulletin (HIB), (1993, March 12). Alerts field personnel to the risk of possible safety and health hazards that may arise with the use of some sharps disposal containers that incorporate an "unwinder" mechanism to accomplish needle removal.
·Needle-Free Injection Technology. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Provides background information, scientific bibliography, history, and links to news reports, policy sources, device manufacturers, and related sites about this method that overcomes the drawbacks of needles for injections.
·Selected EPA-registered Disinfectants. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), (2006, January). Includes lists of EPA registered anti-microbial products to assist in choosing the appropriate decontaminant.
Bloodborne Pathogens and Needlestick Prevention - Post-exposure Evaluation
According to the NIOSH Alert Preventing Needlestick Injuries in Health Care Settings, it is estimated that 600,000 to 800,000 needlestick injuries (NSIs) and other percutaneous injuries (PIs) occur annually among health care workers. PIs are caused by sharp objects such as hypodermic needles, scalpels, suture needles, wires, trochanters, surgical pins, and saws. Additional exposure incidents include splashes and other contact with mucous membranes or non-intact skin. Post-exposure management is an integral part of a complete program for preventing infection following exposure incidents.
The following references provide useful information about the management of occupational exposure incidents to blood or other potentially infectious materials.
