Working Safely
By: Steve Sayer
( Editor’s note; Many of you know Steve Sayer as a friend or neighbor here in Aliso Viejo. He was asked by meatingplace.com to write on safety issues for their online blog. Meatingplace.com is an on-line community for red meat and poultry processors
in North America. Membership is FREE. Meatingplace.com is published by the Marketing & Technology Group.)
Don’t overlook OSHA’s bloodborne pathogen standard
Question: What do Bram Stoker, OSHA, and USDA inspected establishments have in common?
Answer: The bloodborne pathogens standard as defined in 29 CFR 1910.1030(g)(2), which requires employers to provide training (and at least annually thereafter) to any employees who have occupational exposure to human blood or other potentially infectious materials, such as employees assigned medical or first aid duties by their employers.
The standard at 29 CFR 1910.1030(b) defines occupational exposure as “reasonably anticipated skin, eye, mucous membrane, or parenteral contact with blood or other potentially infectious materials that may result from the performance of an employee’s duties.” Under the same section the standard further delineates bloodborne pathogens as being “pathogenic microorganisms that are present in human blood and can cause disease in humans. These pathogens include, but are not limited to; hepatitis B virus and human immunodeficiency virus.”
Any injuries or illnesses requiring first aid in the general industry that occurs at the workplace, federal OSHA’s first aid standard 29 CFR 1910.151(b) comes into play, requiring trained first-aid providers at all workplaces of any size if … there is no “infirmary, clinic, or hospital in near proximity to the workplace which is used for the treatment of all injured employees.”
Federal OSHA has in the past defined “close proximity” as being emergency care that is available “three to four minutes away” from the workplace. OSHA has consistently taken the view that the reasonable availability of a trained emergency provider, such as fire department paramedics, would be equivalent to an infirmary, clinic or hospital.
When OSHA promulgated this standard back on Dec. 6, 1991, they were zeroing in on the healthcare sectors and other related fields because of the potential risks of cross-contamination posed from human blood and other bodily fluids between patients and health care-providers; including potentially infectious materials such as needles, soiled garments and the like.
However, despite the industry at hand, if an employee is trained in first aid and is identified by their employer as responsible for rendering medical assistance as part of his/her job duties, then that employee is covered by federal OSHA’s bloodborne pathogens standard which includes the offering of the hepatitis B vaccination shot. In addition, a written exposure program is required by OSHA that would identify the unique exposure hazards at your establishment. Model templates of OSHA’s bloodborne pathogen standard can be viewed by tapping here.
I’m not aware of any personal protective equipment (PPE) that’s available that would protect one from a nocturnal centuries-old count’s bite from Transylvania, save for oversized tattooed crosses on both sides of ones neck. However, there are plenty of 21st century PPE readily available whenever one renders basic first aid and CPR that will protect both parties from potential cross-contamination of bodily fluids.
OSHA has cited USDA inspected establishments in the past for failing to abide to the bloodborne pathogen standard. Follow the provided link to OSHA’s most frequently asked questions concerning the bloodborne pathogen standard for more information concerning this frequently overlooked OSHA standard.
January 26, 2011
meatingplace.com
