This is the fifth in a series of blog posts that will highlight OSHA's guidelines and manuals relating to bloodborne pathogens. Sharps are objects that can penetrate a worker’s skin, such as needles, scalpels, broken glass, capillary tubes and the exposed ends of dental wires. If blood or other potentially infectious materials (OPIM), as defined in the OSHA Bloodborne Pathogens standard (29 CFR 1910.1030), are present or may be present on the sharp, it is a contaminated sharp

This is the fourth in a series of blog posts that will highlight OSHA's guidelines and manuals relating to bloodborne pathogens. OSHA’s Bloodborne Pathogens standard (29 CFR 1910.1030) requires employers to protect workers who are occupationally exposed to blood and other potentially infectious materials (OPIM), as defined in the standard. That is, the standard protects workers who can reasonably be anticipated to come into contact with blood or OPIM as a result of doing thei

This is the third in a series of blog posts that will highlight OSHA's guidelines and manuals relating to bloodborne pathogens. Bloodborne pathogens are infectious microorganisms present in blood that can cause disease in humans. These pathogens include, but are not limited to, hepatitis B virus (HBV), hepatitis C virus (HCV), and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), the virus that causes AIDS. Workers exposed to bloodborne pathogens are at risk for serious or life-threatening

This is the second in a series of blog posts that will highlight OSHA's guidelines and manuals relating to bloodborne pathogens. Hepatitis B virus (HBV) is a pathogenic microorganism that can cause potentially lifethreatening disease in humans. HBV infection is transmitted through exposure to blood and other potentially infectious materials (OPIM), as defined in the OSHA Bloodborne Pathogens standard, 29 CFR 1910.1030. Any workers who have reasonably anticipated contact with

This is the first in a series of blog posts that will highlight OSHA's guidelines and manuals relating to bloodborne pathogens. OSHA’s Bloodborne Pathogens standard (29 CFR 1910.1030) requires employers to make immediate confidential medical evaluation and follow-up available for workers who have an exposure incident, such as a needlestick. An exposure incident is a specific eye, mouth, other mucous membrane, non-intact skin, or parenteral contact with blood or other potentia