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A retailer learned the hard way that instructing a worker to clean up spilled blood means that the employee has �occupational exposure.� If an employer has one or more workers with occupational exposure, that employer falls under the Bloodborne Pathogens Standard!
To learn more, visit our Bloodborne Pathogens ezExplanation. |
In February, OSHA received a complaint that a retail worker at one of the stores was told to clean up spilled blood after a customer was injured. However, the agency found that:
In April, OSHA issued penalties in this case amounting to over $31,000. The agency also cited the company for �serious� violations of 1910.1030:
The retailer contested the citations. Now, OSHA reclassified the written plan violation as �other-than-serious.� The agency also lowered the total penalty to $10,000 and entered a settlement with the company. The agreement requires the company to withdraw its notice of contest. More importantly, it requires the company to take remedial actions at approximately 370 stores:
In addition, store managers and third-party consultants must monitor stores for compliance. The company must not retaliate against workers who express safety concerns to managers or to OSHA.
OSHA's Bloodborne Pathogens Standard protects workers who may reasonably be anticipated to come into contact with blood or OPIM as a result of performing their job duties. Workers with this type of contact have �occupational exposure.� Therefore, they are protected by 1910.1030. Its requirements include establishing an exposure control plan, training employees, and providing the hepatitis B vaccine, among other safeguards.
If you hire a contractor to handle blood spills, you still must ensure that the contract worker receives the protections under the standard. A September 1, 1992, OSHA letter of interpretation explains that:
The letter goes on to say that, in the context of 1910.1030, OSHA expects the contractor employer to:
On the flip side, client employers would normally:
The client may specify what qualifications are required for supplied workers, including vaccinations.
If you designate, instruct, or expect your worker to clean up blood spills, that worker has occupational exposure. That means you must provide the protections found at 1910.1030.
A retailer learned the hard way that instructing a worker to clean up spilled blood means that the employee has �occupational exposure.� If an employer has one or more workers with occupational exposure, that employer falls under the Bloodborne Pathogens Standard!
To learn more, visit our Bloodborne Pathogens ezExplanation. |
In February, OSHA received a complaint that a retail worker at one of the stores was told to clean up spilled blood after a customer was injured. However, the agency found that:
In April, OSHA issued penalties in this case amounting to over $31,000. The agency also cited the company for �serious� violations of 1910.1030:
The retailer contested the citations. Now, OSHA reclassified the written plan violation as �other-than-serious.� The agency also lowered the total penalty to $10,000 and entered a settlement with the company. The agreement requires the company to withdraw its notice of contest. More importantly, it requires the company to take remedial actions at approximately 370 stores:
In addition, store managers and third-party consultants must monitor stores for compliance. The company must not retaliate against workers who express safety concerns to managers or to OSHA.
OSHA's Bloodborne Pathogens Standard protects workers who may reasonably be anticipated to come into contact with blood or OPIM as a result of performing their job duties. Workers with this type of contact have �occupational exposure.� Therefore, they are protected by 1910.1030. Its requirements include establishing an exposure control plan, training employees, and providing the hepatitis B vaccine, among other safeguards.
If you hire a contractor to handle blood spills, you still must ensure that the contract worker receives the protections under the standard. A September 1, 1992, OSHA letter of interpretation explains that:
The letter goes on to say that, in the context of 1910.1030, OSHA expects the contractor employer to:
On the flip side, client employers would normally:
The client may specify what qualifications are required for supplied workers, including vaccinations.
If you designate, instruct, or expect your worker to clean up blood spills, that worker has occupational exposure. That means you must provide the protections found at 1910.1030.