OSHA Begins Enforcing Its Revised Bloodborne Pathogens Standard

On January 18, 2001, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (“OSHA”) published a revised bloodborne pathogens standard (29 CFR § 1910.1030) in accordance with a legislative mandate contained in the Needlestick Safety and Prevention Act. Under the revised standard, covered employers, in reviewing their bloodborne pathogens exposure control plans, must consider and/or adopt safer and more effective medical devices and engineering controls to reduce the risk of employee exposure to bloodborne pathogens. As part of this review, employers also must involve non-managerial health care workers in the identification, evaluation and selection of such safer devices and controls. In addition, employers covered by OSHA’s recordkeeping rules will also have to maintain a sharps injury log documenting: (1) the type and brand of device involved in any needlestick accident; (2) the location of the accident; and (3) a description of the accident.

OSHA began enforcing the new bloodborne pathogens provisions on July 17, 2001. Enforcement will begin on October 18, 2001 for states and territories that operate their own OSHA-approved programs. This White Paper briefly summarizes the most important revisions to the federal OSHA standard.

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