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eliminate or minimize employee exposure. (ii) The Exposure Control Plan shall contain at least the following elements: (A) The exposure determination required by paragraph (c)(2), (B) The schedule and method of implementation for paragraphs (d) Methods of Compliance, (e) HIV and HBV Research Laboratories and Production Facilities, (f) Hepatitis B Vaccination and Post -Exposure Evaluation and Follow-up, (g) Communication of Hazards to Employees, and (h) Recordkeeping, of this standard, and (C) The procedure for the evaluation of circumstances surrounding exposure incidents as required by paragraph (f)(3)(i) of this standard. (iii) Each employer shall ensure that a copy of the Exposure Control Plan is accessible to employees in accordance with 29 CFR 1910.20(e). (iv) The Exposure Control Plan shall be reviewed and updated at least annually and whenever necessary to reflect new or modified tasks and procedures which affect occupational exposure and to reflect new or revised employee positions with occupational exposure. (v) The Exposure Control Plan shall be made available to the Assistant Secretary and the Director upon request `., for examination and copying. (2) Exposure determination. (i) Each employer who has an employee(s) with occupational exposure as defined by paragraph (b) of this section shall prepare an exposure determination. This exposure determination shall contain the following: (A) A list of all job classifications in which all employees in those job classifications have occupational exposure; (B) A list of job classifications in which some employees have occupational exposure, and (C) A list of all tasks and procedures or groups of closely related task and procedures in which occupational exposure occurs and that are performed by employees in job classifications listed in accordance with the provisions of paragraph (c)(2)(i)(B) of this standard. (ii) This exposure determination shall be made without regard to the use of personal protective equipment. (d) Methods of compliance—(1) General—Universal precautions shall be observed to prevent contact with blood or other potentially infectious materials. Under circumstances in which differentiation between body fluid types is difficult or impossible, all body fluids shall be considered potentially infectious materials. (2) Engineering and work practice controls. (i) Engineering and work practice controls shall be used to eliminate or minimize employee exposure. Where occupational exposure remains after institution of these controls, personal protective equipment shall also be used. (ii) Engineering controls shall be examined and maintained or replaced on a regular schedule to ensure their effectiveness. (iii) Employers shall provide handwashing facilities which are readily accessible to employees. (iv) When provision of handwashing facilities is not feasible, the employer shall provide either an appropriate antiseptic hand cleanser in conjunction with clean cloth/paper towels or antiseptic towelettes. When antiseptic hand cleansers or towelettes are used. hands shall be washed with soap and running water as soon as feasible. (v) Employers shall ensure that employees wash their hands immediately or as soon as feasible after removal of gloves or other personal protective equipment. (vi) Employers shall ensure that employees wash hands and any other skin with soap and water, or flush mucous membranes with water immediately or as soon as feasible following contact of such body areas with blood or other potentially infectious materials. (vii) Contaminated needles and other contaminated sharps shall not be bent, recapped, or removed except as noted in paragraphs (d)(2)(vii)(A) and (d)(2)(vii)(B) below. Shearing or breaking of contaminated needles is prohibited. (A) Contaminated needles and other contaminated sharps shall not be recapped or removed unless the employer can demonstrate that no alternative is feasible or that such action is required by a specific medical procedure. (B) Such recapping or needle removal must be accomplished through the use of a mechanical device or a one -handed technique. (viii) Immediately or as soon as possible after use, contaminated reusable sharps shall be placed in appropriate containers until properly reprocessed. These containers shall be: (A) Puncture resistant; (B) Labeled or color -coded in accordance with this standard; (C) Leakproof on the sides and bottom; and (D) In accordance with the requirements set forth in paragraph (d)(4)(ii)(E) for reusable sharps. (ix) Eating, drinking. smoking,— applying cosmetics or lip balm, *and handling contact lenses are prohibited in work areas where there is a reasonable likelihood of occupational exposure. (x) Food and drink shall not be kept in refrigerators, freezers, shelves, cabinets or on countertops or benchtops where blood or other potentially infectious materials are present. (xi) All procedures involving blood or other potentially infectious materials shall be performed in such a manner as to minimize splashing, spraying, spattering, and generation of droplets of :hese substances. (xii) Mouth pipetting/suctioning of blood or other potentially infectious materials is prohibited. (xiii) Specimens of blood or other potentially infectious materials shall be placed in a container which prevents leakage during collection, handling, processing, storage, transport, or shipping. (A) The container for storage, transport, or shipping shall be labeled or color -coded according to paragraph (g)(1)(i) and closed prior to being stored, transported, or shipped. When a facility utilizes Universal Precautions in the handling of all specimens, the labeling/ color -coding of specimens is not necessary provided containers are recognizable as containing specimens. This exemption only applies while such specimens/containers remain within the facility. Labeling or color -coding in accordance with paragraph (g)(1)(i) is required when such specimens/ containers leave the facility. (B) If outside contamination of the primary container occurs, the primary container shall be placed within a second container which prevents leakage during handling, processing, storage, transport, or shipping and is labeled or color -coded according to the requirements of this standard. (C) If the specimen could puncture the primary container, the primary container shall be placed within a secondary container which is puncture -resistant in addition to the above characteristics. (xiv) Equipment which may become contaminated with blood or other potentially infectious materials shall be examined prior to servicing or shipping and shall be decontaminated as necessary, unless the employer can demonstrate that decontamination of such equipment or portions of such equipment is not feasible. (A) A readily observable label in accordance with paragraph (g)(1)(f)(H) shall be attached to the equipment stating which portions remain contaminated.