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State and Federal regulations for occupational exposure to bloodborne pathogens cover the <br /> discarding and containment of contaminated sharps and other regulated waste."Regulated <br /> waste"is defined as: <br /> A. Liquid or semi-liquid blood or other potentially infectious material OPIM; <br /> B. Contaminated items that contain liquid or semi-liquid blood or OPIM and are capable of <br /> releasing these materials when handled or compressed; <br /> C. Contaminated sharps <br /> D. Pathological and microbiological waste containing blood or OPIM. <br /> E. "Medical Waste"as defined in sections 117600 through 118360 of California Health and <br /> Safety Code. Medical Waste can be either of the following: <br /> 1. Sharps Waste-any object used or encountered in the office that can be reasonably <br /> anticipated to penetrate the skin or any other part of the body and result in an exposure <br /> incident including but not limited to: <br /> a) Hypodennic needles,hypodermic needles with syringes,blades and needles with <br /> attached tubing,syringes contaminated with biohazardous waste,acupuncture <br /> needles and root canal files. <br /> b) Broken glass items,such as Pasteur pipettes and blood vials which are <br /> contaminated with bio do waste. <br /> 2. Biohazardous Waste: <br /> a) Laboratory waste including: <br /> i. Human or animal specimen cultures from medical and pathological <br /> Laboratory. <br /> ii. Cultures and stocks of infectious agents from research and industrial <br /> Laboratory. <br /> iii. Wastes from the production of bacteria,viruses or the uses of spores, <br /> discarded live and attenuated vaccines,and culture dishes and devices <br /> used to transfer, inoculate and mix cultures. <br /> b) Human surgery specimens or tissues removed at surgery or autopsy,which are <br /> suspected by the attending physician and surgeon or dentist of being contaminated <br /> with infectious agents known to be,contagious to humans. <br /> c) Animal parts, tissues, fluids or carcasses suspected by the attending veterinarian <br /> of being contaminated with infectious agents known to be contagious to humans. <br /> d) Waste,which at the point of transport from the generator's site,at the point of <br /> disposal or thereafter,contains recognizable fluid blood,fluid blood products, <br /> containers,or equipment containing blood that is fluid or blood from animals <br /> known to be infected with diseases highly communicable to humans. <br /> c) Discarded materials contaminated with excretion,exudate,or secretions from, <br /> humans isolated by the infection control staff,attending physician and surgeon, <br /> attending veterinarian,or the local health officer,to protect others from highly <br /> communicable diseases or isolated animals known to be infected with diseases <br /> highly communicable to humans. <br /> 1 <br />