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Mercy Housing
Bloodborne Pathogens Program
Purpose
To outline the Exposure Control Program for Bloodborne Pathogens at Mercy Housing.
To specify how Mercy Housing is meeting the requirements of the OSHA standard on Bloodborne
Pathogens (29 CFR 1910.1030).
Scope
This program covers any and all operations and processes that involve work or potential contact
with human blood and other potentially infectious materials (OPIM) as defined in the OSHA
standard.
Definitions
Blood means human blood and blood components and products made from human blood
Bloodborne Pathogens (BBP) are microorganisms present in blood that can cause disease in
humans including, but not limited to, Hepatitis B (HBV), and human immunodeficiency virus
(HIV).
Other Potentially Infectious Materials (OPIM) are human body fluids including; semen, vaginal
secretions, cerebrospinal fluid, synovial fluid, pleural fluid, pericardial fluid, peritoneal fluid,
amniotic fluid, saliva in dental procedures and any body fluid that is visibly contaminated with
blood.
Contaminated means the presence or reasonably anticipated presence of blood or OPIM.
Sharps are any object(s) that can penetrate the skin including, but not limited to, needles, scalpels,
broken glass, broken capillary tubes and exposed ends of dental wires.
Contaminated Laundry is laundry that has been soiled with blood or OPIM or may contain sharps.
Decontamination means to use physical or chemical means to remove, inactivate or destroy BBP
on a surface or item.
Exposure Incident means a specific eye, mouth, other mucous membrane, non-intact skin, or
parenteral contact with blood or OPIM that results from the performance of an employee’s duties.
Occupational Exposure means any reasonably anticipated skin, eye, mucous membrane or other
parenteral contact with blood or OPIM that may result from the performance of an employee’s
duties not considering the use of personal protective equipment.
Parenteral means piercing mucous membranes or the skin barrier through such events as needle
sticks, human bites or scratches, cuts and abrasions.
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Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) is specialized clothing or equipment worn by employees for
protection against a hazard. Street clothes are not considered PPE.
Regulated Waste is liquid or semi-liquid blood or OPIM, contaminated items that would release
blood or OPIM in a liquid or semi-liquid state if compressed, items that are caked with dried blood
or OPIM and are capable of releasing them during handling and contaminated sharps.
Source Individual is a individual, living or dead, whose blood or OPIM may be a source of
exposure to an employee.
Sterilize means use of physical or chemical means to destroy all microbiological life including
highly resistant bacterial endospores.
Universal Precautions is an approach to infection control where all human blood and OPIM are
treated as if known to be infectious for HIV, HBV and other BBP’s.
Exposure Job Classifications and Tasks
All employees listed in the (Site Specific Template #1) have occupational exposure as defined by
the OSHA standard.
See (Site Specific Template #2) for tasks that are performed which involve occupational
exposure.
Methods of Compliance
Universal Precautions will be observed at all times when working with blood or OPIM.
Hand washing facilities and an antiseptic cleanser and clean cloth or paper towels must be readily
available when working with blood or OPIM.
Supervisors must ensure that employees working with blood or OPIM wash their hands
immediately after the task is complete or after they remove any personal protective equipment
(PPE).
Broken glass that is potentially contaminated must be picked up with a broom and dustpan.
Broken glass must not be picked up by hand.
Appropriate rubber (or disposable) gloves, eye protection and other PPE are made available to the
employees listed above.
The company provides appropriate equipment such as sharps containers and regulated waste
containers, which meet or exceed the OSHA requirements. These will be provided on sites with a
large elderly population or other circumstances in which the disposition of needles is likely.
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No article of PPE is to be taken out of the area by an employee. Mercy Housing is responsible for
cleaning, disinfecting and/or replacing used PPE.
Disposable gloves must be properly isolated from mainstream trash and discarded after each use.
Housekeeping
Any sharp object that may be contaminated will be immediately discarded in the sharps container.
Sharps containers must be kept in the immediate areas where needed and kept closed when not in
use.
Biohazard and sharps containers are disposed of before they are full.
Incidental spills that may be contaminated must be wiped up and decontaminated with a (See Site
Specific Template #3) immediately.
Work surfaces that may become contaminated will be decontaminated with (See Site Specific
Template #3) at the end of each shift.
Once full, sharps containers will be replaced and disposed by (See Site Specific Template #4).
Hepatitis B Vaccination and Post-exposure Evaluation and Follow-up
Mercy Housing makes Hepatitis B vaccinations available to all employees listed above in this
program within 10 days of initial assignment to working in areas with potential risk of exposure.
The vaccine is administered by (See Site Specific Template #5). Vaccines are provided during
normal working hours.
If an employee declines the vaccination, they must sign a copy of Appendix A (Blank form at end
of this chapter) of the OSHA standard. An employee who has declined the vaccine can change
their mind at any time and Mercy Housing will then provide it.
All employees must report any exposure incident to their supervisor immediately.
Post exposure follow-up and prophylaxis (if medically indicated) will be performed by our
medical provider.
Mercy Housing will receive a written opinion containing required information according to the
OSHA standard within 15 days of the medical evaluation.
Communication of Hazards to Employees
All biohazard waste containers and sharp containers used at Mercy Housing are color coded red.
Mercy Housing provides interactive training to all employees listed above in this program before
they are assigned duties that may result in occupational exposure.
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Training is provided by the (See Site Specific Template #6) at no cost to the employee and during
working hours.
Re-training is provided annually and whenever tasks and procedures are modified that may result
in different hazards or procedures.
Recordkeeping
Mercy Housing maintains confidential medical records for all employees listed above in this
procedure in accordance with the OSHA standard.
Mercy Housing maintains training records for all employees listed above in this procedure in
accordance with the OSHA standard.
Medical and training records are available to the individual employee, anyone having written
consent from the employee and the Area OSHA Director in accordance with 1910.1020.
Forms
1. Hepatitis B Vaccination Declination
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Hepatitis B Vaccination Declination – 1910.1030 Appendix A
I understand that due to my occupational exposure to blood or other potentially infectious
materials I may be at risk of acquiring hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection. I have been given the
opportunity to be vaccinated with hepatitis B vaccine, at no charge to myself. However, I decline
hepatitis B vaccination at this time. I understand that by declining this vaccine, I continue to be at
risk of acquiring hepatitis B, a serious disease. If in the future I continue to have occupational
exposure to blood or other potentially infectious materials and I want to be vaccinated with
hepatitis B vaccine, I can receive the vaccination series at no charge to me.
Print Name: _________________________
Date: _____________________
Signature: __________________________
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