Avoiding Exposure to Bloodborne Pathogens in California
Course Description:
This course is intended for any employee who is likely to be exposed to blood or other potentially infectious materials (OPIM) in the workplace.
This course discusses how you might be exposed to bloodborne pathogens and infectious diseases, how you can protect yourself from exposure, and how to clean up and properly dispose of blood and OPIM.
Employees most likely to be exposed include healthcare workers, first-aid responders, janitorial and maintenance personnel, and workers assigned to clean up after an industrial accident.
Even if your job does not normally expose you to blood or OPIM, this session is helpful to raise your awareness of bloodborne pathogens, to understand why you should not come in contact with them, and to understand that it is important to report spills of blood or OPIM so that they can be cleaned up safely.
Why “Avoiding Exposure to Bloodborne Pathogens in California” Matters:
At the completion of this course, the participant will be able to:
- Recognize bloodborne pathogen hazards in the workplace
- Identify the symptoms of bloodborne diseases and how these diseases are spread
- Determine your risk of exposure to bloodborne pathogens in the workplace
- Protect yourself from exposure
- Respond appropriately if you are exposed to bloodborne pathogens
- Follow the appropriate postexposure procedures
- Apply California’s Bloodborne Pathogens Standard, found in Title 8, Section 5193 of the California Code of Regulations which includes strict requirements for working with hazardous needles, recording bloodborne pathogen exposure incidents, and postexposure evaluation
Key Points:
Be aware of the potential for exposure to bloodborne pathogens at work and the symptoms of the diseases they can cause.
Become familiar with your workplace’s exposure control plan.
Take universal precautions by assuming that all blood or bodily fluid is infected.
Use PPE and engineering controls, and follow safe work practices such as labeling and proper disposal of infectious material.
Report all incidents of possible exposure, and understand your postexposure evaluation rights.
