Methods of Compliance

Engineering and Work Practice Controls

Engineering and work practice controls are to be used to eliminate or minimize employee exposure for each task within the work area. Where occupational exposure remains after institution of these controls, personal protective equipment is used. Engineering controls are used where there is a reasonable likelihood of occupational exposure.

2. Please list engineering controls utilized such as sharps containers, biosafety cabinets, etc.

Engineering controls are examined and maintained or replaced on a regular schedule by the supervisor and employee to ensure their effectiveness.

3. Please list the schedule for examining and maintaining these controls such as daily, once weekly, etc., and who is responsible for reviewing the effectiveness of these controls (supervisors, etc.).

The following minimum requirements are followed:

Hands are washed immediately or as soon as feasible after removal of gloves or other personal protective equipment.

Following contact with blood or other potentially infectious materials, hands and any other skin will be washed with soap and water. Mucous membranes are flushed with water. List the locations of hand washing facilities.

When hand washing facilities are not available, the supervisor will provide antiseptic hand cleanser and paper towels or antiseptic towlettes. Hands are washed with soap and water as soon as feasible.

4.  List the locations of both handwashing sinks and emergency eyewash and  safety shower and who is responsible for ensuring maintenance and accessibility of these alternatives.

Contaminated needles and other contaminated sharps are not to be bent, sheared or broken.

Recapping needles by hand is prohibited. Recapping and needle removal must be accomplished through the use of a mechanical device or a one-handed technique. List procedures where needle recapping is permitted and the mechanical device to be used, or if a one-handed technique will be used.

Immediately or as soon as possible after use, contaminated sharps must be placed in puncture resistant, labeled, leakproof containers. List where sharps containers are located as well as who has responsibility for removing them and how often they will be checked.

Eating (chewing gum, use of throat lozenges) drinking, smoking, applying facial cosmetics (including lip balm) and handling contact lenses are prohibited in all work areas.  Prior to the consumption of any food after handling potentially infectious materials, employees will remove potentially contaminated PPE, wash hands, and exit the work area.

Food and drink are prohibited from lab or work areas, (i.e., refrigerators, freezers, shelves, cabinets, on counter tops or bench tops where blood or other potentially infectious materials are present.

All procedures involving blood or other potentially infectious materials are performed in a manner that minimizes splashing, spraying, spattering, and generation of droplets of these substances.

5.  List methods used to minimize splashing, spraying, splattering and generation of droplets of blood or other potentially infectious materials (centrifuge covers, benchtop safety shields, etc.).  (click Appendix D - Personal Protective Equipment to review additional personnel and laboratory procedures and practices that may be helpful.) 

Mouth pipetting/suctioning is prohibited.

Specimens of blood or other potentially infectious materials are placed in a container which prevents leakage during collection, handling, processing, storage, transport or shipping. The container is closed prior to storing, transporting or shipping. Specimens are labeled when leaving the facility.  The standard provides for an exemption to this requirement, provided that the facility utilizes universal precautions in the handling of all specimens and the containers are recognizable as containing specimens. The exemption applies only when specimens remain in the facility.

6.  If an exemption is claimed, it must be stated here.

If outside contamination of the primary container occurs, the primary container is placed within a secondary container which prevents leakage during handling, processing, storage, transport or shipping. If a specimen could puncture the primary container, the primary container is then placed within a secondary puncture-resistant container.

7.  Specify how the use of secondary specimen containers will be carried out, which specimens, if any, could puncture a primary container, which containers can be used as secondary containers and where the secondary containers are located at the facility.

Equipment which may become contaminated with blood or other potentially infectious materials are examined by the employee prior to servicing or shipping and will be decontaminated as necessary, unless demonstrated that decontamination of the equipment or portions of such equipment is not feasible. A readily observable label with the Universal Biohazard symbol is attached to the equipment stating which portions remain contaminated. This information is conveyed to all affected employees, the servicing representative, and/or the manufacturer, as appropriate, prior to handling, servicing, or shipping so that appropriate precautions are taken.

Standard cleaning, disinfection and sterilization procedures currently recommended in a variety of Health Care settings are adequate to clean, disinfect or sterilize instruments, devices or other items contaminated with body fluids.  Medical devices or instrument that require disinfection or sterilization must be thoroughly cleaned before being exposed to the germicide and the manufacturer's instructions for the use of the germicide will be followed.  Instruments or devices that enter sterile tissue of any patient shall be sterilized or receive high level disinfection.

8.  List any equipment which cannot be decontaminated prior to servicing or shipping.

LABELING AND SIGNAGE

The Standard requires that the fluorescent orange or orange-red warning labels be attached to containers of regulated wastes, refrigerators and freezers containing blood and other potentially infectious materials, and other containers used to store, transport, or ship blood or other potentially infectious materials.

These labels are not required when (1) red bags or red containers are use, (2) containers of blood, blood components, or blood products are labeled as to their contents and have been released for transfusion or other clinical use, and (3) individual containers of blood or other potentially infectious materials are placed in a labeled container during storage, transport, shipment or disposal.

The warning label must be fluorescent orange or orange-red, contain the biohazard symbol and the word BIOHAZARD, in a contrasting color, and be attached to each object by string, wire, adhesive, or another method to prevent loss or unintentional removal of the label.