Section 3.2
Bloodborne Pathogens Exposure Control Plan
Glossary

Blood:  Human blood, human blood components, and products made from human blood.

Bloodborne Pathogens:  Pathogenic microorganisms that are present in human blood have the potential to cause disease in humans. These pathogens include, but are not limited to, hepatitis B virus (HBV) and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV).

Contaminated:  The presence or reasonably anticipated presence of blood or other potentially infectious materials on an item or surface.

Decontamination:  The use of physical or chemical means to remove, inactivate, or destroy bloodborne pathogens on a surface or item to the point where they are no longer capable of transmitting infectious particles and the surface or item is rendered safe for handling, use or disposal.

Engineering Controls:  Controls (e.g., sharps disposal containers, self-sheathing needles, safer medical devices, such as sharps with engineered sharps injury protections and needleless systems) that isolate or remove the bloodborne pathogen hazard from the work place.

Epidemiology:  A branch of medical science that deals with the incidence, distribution, and control of disease in a population; the sum of the factors controlling the presence or absence of a disease or pathogen.

Exposure Incident:  A specific contact (e.g., eye, nose, mouth, other human membrane, non-intact skin or parenteral contact) with blood or other potentially infectious materials that may result from the performance of an employee's duties.

Handwashing Facilities:  A facility providing an adequate supply of running potable water, soap and single use towels or hot air drying machines.

HIV (Human Immunodeficiency Virus):  The HTLV-III retrovirus associated with acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) and the AIDS-related complex.

Hypoallergenic:  Specialized material having a low capacity to induce hypersensitivity.

Mucous Membrane:  A membrane rich in mucous glands which lines body passages and cavities which communicate directly or indirectly with the exterior and functions in the protection, support, nutrient absorption, and secretion of mucus, enzymes, and salts.

Needleless System:  A device that does not use a needle for:

• The collection of bodily fluids or withdrawal of body fluids after initial venous or arterial access is established;
• The administration of medication or fluids; or
• Any other procedure involving the potential for occupational exposure to bloodborne pathogens due to percutaneous injuries from contaminated sharps.  

Non-intact Skin:  Broken, torn or cut tissue from a human.

Occupational Exposure:  Reasonably anticipated skin, eye, mucous membrane, or parenteral contact with blood or other potentially infectious materials that may result from the performance of an employee's duties.

• The following human fluids: Semen, vaginal secretions, cerebrospinal fluid, synovial fluid, pleural fluid, pericardial fluid, peritoneal fluid, amniotic fluid, saliva in dental procedures, any body fluid that is visibly contaminated with blood and all body fluids in situations where it is difficult or impossible to differentiate between body fluids;
• Any unfixed tissue or organ (other than intact skin) from human (living or dead); and
• HIV-containing or other bloodborne pathogen-containing cell or tissue cultures, organ cultures and HIV-containing or HBV-containing culture medium or other solutions; and blood, organs or other tissues from experimental animals infected with HIV, HBV or other bloodborne pathogens.

Personal Protective Equipment (PPE):  Specialized clothing or equipment worn by an employee for protection against a hazard. General work clothes (e.g., uniforms, pants, shirts, blouses) not intended to function as protection against a hazard are not considered to be personal protective equipment.

Pipetting:  The act of drawing fluid by suction using a small piece of apparatus which typically consists of a narrow tube into which fluid is drawn as for dispensing or measuring and retained by closing the upper end.

Regulated Waste:

• Liquid or semi-liquid blood or other potentially infectious materials;
• Contaminated items that would release blood or other potentially infectious materials in a liquid or semi-liquid state if compressed;
• Items that are caked with dried blood or other potentially infectious materials and are capable of releasing these materials during handling;
• Contaminated sharps; and
• Pathological and microbiological wastes containing blood or other potentially infectious materials.

Sharps:  Objects that can penetrate the skin including, but not limited to, needles, scalpels, broken glass, broken capillary tubes and exposed ends of dental wires.

Sharps with Engineered Sharps Injury Protections (SESIP):  Non-needle sharp or a needle sharp with a built in safety feature or mechanism that effectively reduces the risk of an exposure incident.  

Transmission:  The act, process, or instance of sending or conveying from one person or place to another.

Universal Precautions:  An approach to infection control. Under this approach, all human blood and certain human body fluids are treated as if known to be infected with HIV, HBV and other bloodborne pathogens.

Section 3.2

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