Who is covered by the Bloodborne Pathogens Standard?

If an employer has even one employee who has occupational exposure to blood or other potentially infectious materials (OPIM) the standard at 29 CFR 1910.1030 applies. Occupational exposure is defined as reasonably anticipated skin, eye, mucous membrane, or parenteral contact with blood or OPIM that may result from the performance of an employee’s duties.

Blood is defined as human blood, human blood components, and products made from human blood. Whereas, OPIM is defined as the following:

• Saliva in dental procedures;
• Semen;
• Vaginal secretions;
• Cerebrospinal, synovial, pleural, pericardial, peritoneal, and amniotic fluids;
• Any body fluids visibly contaminated with blood;
• All body fluids in situations where it is difficult or impossible to differentiate between body fluids;
• Unfixed human tissues or organs (other than intact skin);
• HIV-containing cell or tissue cultures, organ cultures, and HIV- or HBV-containing culture media or other solutions; and
• Blood, organs, or other tissues from experimental animals infected with HIV or HBV.