656 Bloodborne Pathogens in the Healthcare Setting

Who is covered by OSHA's Bloodborne Pathogens standard?

The standard applies to all employees who have occupational exposure to blood or other potentially infectious materials (OPIM).

• Occupational exposure is defined as "reasonably anticipated skin, eye, mucous membrane, or parenteral contact with blood or OPIM that may result from the performance of the employee's duties."
• Blood is defined as "human blood, human blood components, and products made from human blood."
• Other potentially infectious materials (OPIM) means:
1. Any of the following human body fluids:
• semen and vaginal secretions;
• cerebrospinal, synovial, pleural, pericardial, peritoneal, and amniotic fluids;
• saliva in dental procedures;
• other body fluid 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.

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