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New bloodborne pathogens standards directive released - Brief Article

A new compliance directive for enforcing bloodborne pathogens standards has been released by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), according to a Nov 28, 2001, news release from the organization. The purpose of the directive is to guide OSHA safety and health inspection officers in enforcing bloodborne pathogens standards. These standards address occupational exposure to blood and other potentially infectious materials, and the directive ensures that officers follow consistent inspection procedures.

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This directive updates a 1999 directive and incorporates changes made by the Needlestick Safety and Prevention Act, which was passed in November 2000. The directive implements changes made to the standard, including requiring that employers choose safer needle devices when they become available and involve employees in identifying and selecting such devices.

The directive highlights major new requirements of the standard, including

* evaluating and implementing safer needle devices as part of reevaluating appropriate engineering controls during an employer's annual exposure control plan,

* documenting the involvement of nonmanagerial, frontline employees in choosing safer devices, and

* establishing and maintaining a sharps injury log for recording injuries from contaminated sharps.

The directive reminds compliance officers that no one safer medical device is appropriate for all situations and that employers must consider and implement devices that are appropriate, commercially available, and effective. It also contains instructions on inspecting multiemployer worksites (eg, employment agencies, personnel services, home health services, independent practices).

The directive includes engineering control evaluation forms, a web site resource list, and an exposure control plan that incorporates the most current guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention regarding management of occupational exposure to Hepatitis B, Hepatitis C, and HIV. The directive can be accessed at http://www.osha-slc .gov/OshDoc/Directive_data/CPL_2-2_69.html.

Compliance Directive for Bloodborne Pathogens Standard Updated (news release, Washington, DC: Occupational Safety and Health Administration, Nov 28, 2001) http://www.osha.gov/media/oshnews/nov01/ trade-20011128.html (accessed 29 Nov 2001).

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New bloodborne pathogens standards directive released - Brief Article

AORN Journal, Jan, 2002

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