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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:


  1. Methods of Compliance
  2. Methods of Compliance refer to the techniques and procedures to be followed in order to minimize the risk of exposure to bloodborne pathogens in the workplace. The four basic components to this approach include:

    • Universal Precautions
    • Engineering and Work Practice Controls
    • Personal Protective Equipment
    • Housekeeping Practices

    The methods outlined in this Plan are written generically so they are applicable to most job classifications with potential exposure to blood or body fluids. For more specific procedures consult your supervisor. Additional requirements for HIV/HBV research laboratories can be found in Appendix 7.

    1. Universal Precautions
      1. An approach to infection control that assumes that the blood, body fluids, and tissues of ALL persons are potentially infectious with bloodborne pathogens. These pathogens include human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), hepatitis B virus, hepatitis C virus, and other agents.
      2. Infection may occur via three types of occupational exposure to blood or other infectious body fluids:
        1. Parenteral exposure (needlestick, injection, cut)
        2. Mucous membrane exposure (eye, mouth)
        3. Non-intact skin exposure (wounds, dermatitis)

      3. Precautions designed to prevent exposure to blood and other potentially infectious materials will apply without regard to the particular person who is the source of the blood, body fluid, etc. The precautions to be taken are applied universally to all patients and all laboratory specimens containing blood/body fluids, hence the term Universal Precautions.
      4. Definition of Potentially Infectious Materials (for bloodborne pathogens):
        1. Human blood and blood products
        2. Human semen and vaginal secretions
        3. Human cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), synovial fluid, peritoneal fluid, pericardial fluid, amniotic fluid
        4. Human saliva in dental procedures (assume blood contamination)
        5. Any body fluid visibly contaminated with blood
        6. Any unfixed human tissue or organ
        7. Human cells and cell lines
        8. HIV-containing cell, tissue, or organ cultures and HIV- or HBV-containing culture medium or other solutions; and blood, orgaans or other tissues from experimental animals infected with HIB or hepatitis B virus (HBV).

        Notice that other body excretions such as saliva, breast milk, urine, stool, vomitus and respiratory secretions are not included on this list (unless visibly contaminated with blood). However, many of these excretions present other infectious hazards. AS A PRACTICAL MATTER, at the University of Rochester, UNIVERSAL PRECAUTIONS APPLY TO ALL BLOOD, BODY FLUIDS, TISSUES, AND SECRETIONS.

Continue to Section IV, Part B - Engineering and Work Practice Controls


QUESTIONS? Contact EH&S at (585) 275-3241 or e-mail EH&S Questions.

This page last updated 8/21/2019. Disclaimer