Environmental Health & Safety
In Compliance with 29 CFR 1910.1030 OSHA Standard for Occupational Exposure to Bloodborne Pathogens
Bloodborne Pathogens Exposure Control Plan
Printable files are available in two parts with Adobe Acrobat Reader:
- Methods of Compliance
- Spills
- Contain the spill by placing an absorbent cloth (i.e., paper towels, sheet) over the area involved. Keep all unnecessary people out of the area. If the spill is in a patient room or laboratory, close the door. If the spill is in a public access area such as a hallway, call Public Safety at x13 for assistance in limiting access to the area.
- Any employee sustaining skin, mucous membrane, or percutaneous contact with potentially infectious materials shall cleanse the affected areas as soon as possible, as follows:
- Intact skin - wash with soap and water.
- Non-intact skin and needlesticks/scalpel cuts - wash with soap and water.
- Intra-oral exposure - spit and rinse the mouth with water.
- Eyes - rinse well with sterile saline or water (if available), or tap water. (Note: Remove contact lenses first. After rinsing eyes, disinfect contacts per manufacturer's recommendation.)
- An employee who has had an exposure is required to:
- Report exposure, as soon as possible, to the Blood Exposure Hotline 24/7 at 275-1164.
- Contact his/her supervisor
- Fill out an incident report form (www.safety.rochester.edu/SMH115.html)
- A properly trained employee* (see definition above) shall proceed with the clean-up and decontamination of the area involved.
- Wear appropriate personal protective equipment to prevent blood or other potentially infectious materials from reaching the employee's work clothes, street clothes, undergarments, skin, eyes, mouth, or other mucous membranes. Examples of appropriate personal protective equipment include, but are not limited to, gloves, lab coat, goggles, and mask.
- Cover the spilled material with bleach solution or other appropriate disinfectant approved by the appropriate Infection Control Committee (SMH or Eastman Institute for Oral Health). Work from the outside inward. Avoid splashing or splattering of blood.
- Pick up any broken glass or sharps by mechanical means, such as tongs or a broom and dustpan. This debris can then be deposited into a sharps disposal container. Never pick up sharps directly by hand.
- Wipe up blood and bleach solution with absorbent cloth or paper towels.
- Discard disposable cloths/towels and protective equipment into a red bag.
- Wash hands with soap and water.
- If the spill was cleaned by someone other than an Environmental Services employee and the area needs further cleaning, then call Environmental Services to have the area cleaned with regular detergent-disinfectant. The Eastman Institute for Oral Health employees are to call the Maintenance Department at ext. 5-5070 to have their area cleaned with regular detergent disinfectant.
The most immediate concern following a spill of potentially infectious material is to contain the area and treat any exposed persons. Then a properly trained employee* can begin the clean-up and decontamination process.
* A properly trained employee is an employee who has taken Bloodborne Pathogens Training (in MyPath) or has received "live training" from Environmental Health & Safety.
The following steps are to be taken immediately after a spill:
Continue to Section IV, Part F - Waste Disposal
QUESTIONS? Contact EH&S at (585) 275-3241 or e-mail EH&S Questions.
This page last updated 8/22/2019. Disclaimer
