757 Laboratory Safety

The Bloodborne Pathogens (BPP)

The standard covers all workers with "reasonably anticipated" exposure to blood or other potentially infectious materials (OPIM).

It requires that information and training be provided:

• before the worker begins work that may involve occupational exposure to bloodborne pathogens
• annually
• before a worker is offered a hepatitis B vaccination

The Bloodborne Pathogens standard also requires advance information and training for all workers in research laboratories who handle human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) or hepatitis B virus (HBV).

The employer must develop a written exposure control plan (ECP) to provide a safe and healthy work environment and is allowed some flexibility in accomplishing this goal. Among other things, the ECP requires employers to:

• Make an exposure determination.
• Establish procedures for evaluating incidents.
• Determine a schedule for implementing the standard's requirements, including engineering and work practice controls.
• Provide and pay for appropriate PPE for workers with occupational exposures.

Although the OSHA standard only applies to bloodborne pathogens, the protective measures in the standard (e.g., ECP, engineering and work practice controls, administrative controls, PPE, housekeeping, training, post-exposure medical follow-up) are the same measures for effectively controlling exposure to other biological agents.

For additional training on bloodborne pathogens safety, take course 655 Bloodborne Pathogens in the Workplace and course 755 Bloodborne Pathogens Program Management.

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