The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) is an agency within the US Department of Labor. According to its website, OSHA is charged with ensuring “safe and healthful working conditions for workers by setting and enforcing standards and by providing training, outreach, education and assistance.” To help protect workers who are likely to be exposed to blood as part of their jobs, OSHA created the Bloodborne Pathogens Standard, a federal law inscribed in the Code of Federal Regulations.

Bloodborne pathogens are microorganisms, such as bacteria and viruses, that can be present in human blood and other body fluids. These pathogens can lead to serious, and sometimes life-threatening, diseases if they enter the bloodstream of another person. The transmission of bloodborne pathogens can occur through various means:

The most common bloodborne pathogens are hepatitis B, hepatitis C, and human immunodeficiency virus. These viruses are all associated with illness, disease, and death and are also the bloodborne pathogens that are most transmitted as a result of occupational accidents in the health care field.

Bloodborne pathogens are infectious microorganisms that can be present in blood and other body fluids and can be transmitted in the following situations:

Bloodborne pathogens can be present in the following fluids and contact with them can pose a risk of transmission:

The most straightforward advice for avoid exposing to bloodborne pathogens is simply to avoid contact with blood and other bodily fluids. Such precautions include :

The risk of infection by bloodborne pathogens is not limited to specific health care professions; it extends to various jobs and activities where individuals may come into contact with blood or other potentially infectious materials.

Hepatitis B (HBV), hepatitis C (HCV), and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) are all infections that can have serious effects on the human body.