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Archived News Release--Caution:
information may be out of date.
As mandated by the Needlestick Safety and Prevention Act,
OSHA has revised its bloodborne pathogens standard to clarify the need for
employers to select safer needle devices as they become available and to
involve employees in identifying and choosing the devices. The updated standard
also requires employers to maintain a log of injuries from contaminated sharps.
"These changes in the OSHA bloodborne pathogens standard
reaffirm our commitment to protecting health care providers who care for us
all," said Labor Secretary Alexis M. Herman. "Newer, safer medical devices can
reduce the risk of needlesticks and the chance of contracting deadly bloodborne
diseases such as AIDS and hepatitis C. Employers need to consult their workers
and use the safer devices when possible."
According to the Needlestick Act, in March 2000, the
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimated that selecting safer
medical devices could prevent 62 to 88 percent of sharps injuries in hospital
settings.
"Our revised bloodborne pathogen standard sets forth
clearly the importance of re-evaluating needle systems to identify safer
devices every year. The new requirement to record all needlesticks will help
employers determine the effectiveness of the devices they use and track how
many needlesticks are occurring within their workplaces," said OSHA
Administrator Charles N. Jeffress.
The revised OSHA bloodborne pathogen standard specifically
mandates consideration of safer needle devices as part of the re-evaluation of
appropriate engineering controls during the annual review of the employer's
exposure control plan. It calls for employers to solicit frontline employee
input in choosing safer devices. New provisions require employers to establish
a log
to track needlesticks rather than only recording those cuts
or sticks that actually lead to illness and to maintain the privacy of
employees who have suffered these injuries.
Passed unanimously by Congress and signed by President
Clinton on Nov. 6, 2000, the Needlestick Safety and Prevention Act mandated
specific revisions of OSHA's bloodborne
pathogens standard within six months. The legislation
exempted OSHA from certain standard rulemaking requirements so that the changes
could be adopted quickly.
The revised bloodborne pathogens standard is scheduled for
publication in the Jan. 18 Federal Register. The updated rules become
effective April 18, 2001.
Archived News Release--Caution:
information may be out of date.
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