OSHA Violations and the Bloodborne Pathogens Standard
Did you know that the most frequent cause of OSHA violations related to the Bloodborne Pathogens Standard is outdated, or otherwise non-compliant, Exposure Control Plans?
It is generally known in the biotech community that Exposure Control Plans are required to be in place for any facility working with blood or other potentially infectious material (OPIM). What is often overlooked is that there is a specific regulatory requirement to update the Plan.
The Bloodborne Pathogens Standard (in section 1910.1030(c)(1)(iv) ) specifies that the Exposure Control Plan must be reviewed and updated at least annually and whenever necessary to include new or modified tasks and procedures which affect occupational exposure and to address new or revised employee positions with occupational exposure.
The review and update of the Exposure Control Plan must also reflect changes in technology that eliminate or reduce exposure to bloodborne pathogens and document annually consideration and implementation of appropriate commercially available and effective safer medical […]
OSHA Form 300A, Summary of Work-Related Injuries and Illnesses, is used to summarize the recordable injuries and illnesses for the previous year and includes the number of days work was lost or restricted, and the types of injuries and illnesses that occurred.
With the holidays, there’s a guarantee of rushing around which makes errors more likely to happen in the lab. Many people are typically off on vacation which adds another variable for accidents to happen.
It’s not too late to conduct your annual refresher safety training! With all the COVID 19-related changes that everyone has had to make in the workplace this year, it’s easy to see how this requirement could slip through the cracks.
In a November 17th, 2020 Lab Advisory, the CDC announced the release of the 6th Edition of Biosafety in Microbiological and Biomedical Laboratories (BMBL)! The BMBL has become the foundation of biosafety practice since it was first published in 1984. Historically, the information in this publication has been advisory in nature although some legislation and regulations, in particular local recombinant DNA ordinances, have made compliance with the guidance provided mandatory. The previous version of the BMBL (5th Edition) was published in December 2009.
Ryan Burke, tCSO at Safety Partners, is also part of the New Hampshire Marine Corps and currently on reserve. Note, as part of Safety Partners policies, we allow any employee to take a leave of absence from work to serve in the United States uniformed services – including active or inactive military duty for training, National Guard duty or training, and Armed Forces Reserve duty.
Often companies seek to check off all of the regulatory boxes so non-compliance doesn’t interfere with their work and timelines. While this may be reasonable, regulations can be general and do not always achieve safety standards that appropriately address workplace hazards.