If you are in an industry that deals with blood or the potential exposure to blood, protection against bloodborne pathogens needs to be a top priority. OSHA has developed a standard, Standard 1910.1030, which regulates bloodborne pathogens. This standard explains what qualifies as a bloodborne pathogen, what steps need to be taken to prevent exposure, what to do in the event there is exposure, and how to track and monitor exposures. All of this information must be compiled into an exposure control plan.

The first step in prevention is ensuring correct personal protective equipment is worn. For work with blood, this would be gloves, gowns, laboratory coats, face shields or masks, eye protection, mouthpieces, resuscitation bags, pocket masks, or other ventilation devices. Personal protective equipment must not allow blood or other potentially infectious materials to pass through and reach your employees or their clothing. Personal protective equipment is the primary line of defense against the spread of infectious diseases, and must be properly utilized.

In the event there is an exposure incident, there must be a tracking and monitoring process in place. The process must include incident evaluation and medical evaluation. The incident evaluation must include documentation of what happened and how the exposure happened. The medical evaluation must include blood testing and any relevant medical or psychological treatment.

You also need to consider how you properly dispose of waste items, what signage you have, annual audits, training, and how you keep your records. If you have any questions about maintaining an exposure control plan for bloodborne pathogens or the specifics of standard 1910.1030, please contact us. If you have anything to add about bloodborne pathogens, please leave a comment.