The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) issued the Bloodborne Pathogens (BBP) Standard to protect workers from occupational exposure to hepatitis B virus (HBV), hepatitis C virus (HCV), human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), and other bloodborne pathogens. The Standard requires that employees regard blood and certain other bodily fluids from any individual as potentially infectious, thus applying the concept of universal precautions. Reasonably anticipated contact with blood and other potentially infectious materials is what places an individual "at risk" of exposure to bloodborne pathogens.
For information specific to the University of Iowa Bloodborne Pathogens Program, please read the “Bloodborne Pathogens Program” document linked under the Documents Tab.
Contact information and areas of expertise can be found on the Contact Us page.
Documents
Training
Each department is responsible for training its employees who are determined to be at risk of occupational exposure. Training courses for “at risk” employees are available. There are four different BBP courses available, make sure the employee(s) takes the course appropriate for their work.
- Bloodborne Pathogens (BBP) for FM, Housing & Dining Employees - W518BO
- This course is required initially and annually for at risk workers. To finish your training requirement, you must also know specific information unique to your own work area. Use the Site-Specific Training checklist located within the course content to review site-specific training items with your supervisor or designated work area trainer.
- Audience: Individuals in Facilities Management and University Housing and Dining at risk for BBP exposure.
- Bloodborne Pathogens (BBP), Lab - W003BO
- This course is required initially for at risk workers. To finish your training requirement, you must also know specific information unique to your own work area. Use the Site-Specific Training checklist located within the course content to review site-specific training items with your supervisor or designated work area trainer. Subsequent annual training requirements can be met by completing the BBP-Refresher (W132BO) course, see below.
- Audience: Lab personnel at risk for BBP exposure, e.g., work with human blood, cell lines, tissues or other potentially infectious materials (OPIM), as defined by OSHA.
- Bloodborne Pathogens (BBP), Non-Lab - W131BO
- This course is required initially and annually for at risk workers. To finish your training requirement, you must also know specific information unique to your own work area. Use the Site-Specific Training checklist located within the course content to review site-specific training items with your supervisor or designated work area trainer.
- Audience: Non-lab workers at risk for BBP exposure, e.g., staff who may come into contact with human blood (DPS staff, athletic trainers), clean up areas having blood splatter, transport biohazardous waste, etc.
- Bloodborne Pathogens (BBP), Refresher - W132BO
- This course is required annually for at risk laboratory workers, after completing BBP for Lab workers, or BBP for CPH initially. May not be used as initial training, refer to Bloodborne Pathogens for Lab Workers.
- Audience: Lab workers or individuals in the College of Public Health at risk for Bloodborne Pathogen exposure.
When completing BBP for Lab Workers and BBP for Non-lab Workers courses online, additional, site-specific, departmental information must be provided in order to be in regulatory compliance with OSHA. A site-specific training form is available within the course content; it is the responsibility of the employee, along with their supervisor or designated work area trainer, to complete the site-specific training and maintain a copy of this record.
A few departments on campus offer BBP training from within the department. Staff and students attending this training do not need to complete EHS’s online BBP course.
For further training and registration information go to EHS Safety Training.
Resources
- Annual Program Review Form
- At Risk Assessment Form
- Biohazard Waste Guide
- Exposure Control Plan Template
- Hepatitis B Virus Vaccination Survey Instructions
- Bloodborne Pathogens Training Site-Specific Form
External Links