COMPLIANCE INFO - Laserfiche WebLink

Home Browse Search

BLOODBORNE PATHOGENS Exposure Control Plan Access Employees shall have access to a copy of the exposure control plan by request from their supervisor or the safety manager who will supply it in a reasonable time, place and manner. Procedure Reviews and Updates The exposure control procedure must be reviewed on an annual basis and updated whenever a new procedure, activity or function with the potential to expose employees to biohazards is introduced into a worksite. Universal Precautions Your employees shall observe universal precautions by treating all human blood and certain human body fluids as if they are known to be infectious for HIV, HBV and other pathogens even under circumstances where exposure is highly unlikely. Exposure Controls Exposure controls are designed to reduce or eliminate employee exposure to blood or potentially infectious materials and should be re-evaluated and revised if necessary on a regular basis to maximize their effectiveness in controlling employee exposure.Therefore: • Hand washing facilities are readily available at all work locations except those that cannot support or simply do not have such facilities. In these cases,appropriate antiseptic solutions and/or towelettes are available for use. • All sharps containers shall have a biohazard-warning label or a specific color to identify it as a biohazard, shall be resistant to punctures and shall be leak proof. The same characteristics shall apply to all secondary sharps containers. Safe Work Practices Safe work practices are designed to support exposure controls and further minimize or eliminate occupational exposure. Therefore: • Employees must wash hands and other applicable body parts as soon as potentially contaminated gloves or other PPE are removed to further prevent contamination. • If any part of the body has contact with blood or any other infectious material, employees must wash hands and other exposed body parts with soap and water immediately. • Only trained and authorized personnel are allowed to handle sharps, sharps containers and any other potentially sharp and infectious needles or equipment. • Activities such as applying make up, handling contact lenses, smoking or any other hand and eye, mouth, nose, ear or other body part contact is prohibited in areas where exposure to biohazards is possible. • Storage areas such as pantries, freezers, refrigerators and others that may contain potentially infectious materials shall not contain food or drink. • All equipment and surfaces that have had contact with blood or other infectious materials must be properly cleaned and decontaminated. • All biological specimens must be contained in leak proof containers for handling, storage and transport to minimize potential contact with other surfaces and employees. • In cases where the exterior surface of the specimen container is contaminated; the container must be placed into 28