Employer's Exposure Control Plan
An employer Exposure Control Plan (ECP) is a requirement of 29 CFR 1910.1030(c) of the Bloodborne Pathogens Standard established by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). The purpose of the written ECP is to establish strategies and procedures to eliminate or minimize employee exposure to bloodborne pathogens.
The site-specific plan identifies all employee classifications which may have occupational exposure to bloodborne pathogens and other potentially infectious materials.
Additional components of an ECP are:
- engineering and work practice controls
- personal protective equipment (PPE)
- good housekeeping practices
- containment and labeling of potentially infectious materials
Another key component of the plan includes listing the site-specific means by which the facility will reduce the employee risk. These methods include:
- appropriate training,
- communication of hazards,
- hepatitis B vaccinations for any employee who has occupational risk of exposure,
- methods for post-exposure evaluation and follow-up,
- proper recordkeeping, and
- a sharps injury log.
The final part of the plan describes the procedure for investigating and evaluating of circumstances surrounding exposure incidents. The purpose of the procedure is to provide effective follow-up care to exposed employees. This investigation will also help each site team learn from accidents and establish new measures to prevent them from happening again.
The written exposure control plan must be accessible to all employees. It must be reviewed and updated annually or when alterations in procedures create the possibility of new occupational exposures.
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1-7. For which purpose does an employer establish strategies and procedures as part of their Exposure Control Plan (ECP)?
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