OSHA’s Blood Cleanup Precautions and Standards

In order to maintain the highest level of safety when handling blood and other potentially infectious materials, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration has established a list of standards that they call their Bloodborne Pathogens Standard. Although trauma cleanup is not yet a federally regulated industry, it is recommended that trauma scene cleanup technicians follow OSHA’s guidelines for blood cleanup to ensure the health and safety of themselves, fellow employees, and the customers they serve.

OSHA’s Bloodborne Pathogens Standard

Some key points outlined in OSHA’s Bloodborne Pathogens Standard include:

• Establishing a plan to minimize exposure to contaminated material
• Implementing the universal precautions in treating all contaminated material as if it were infectious
• Providing personal protective equipment, such as gloves, eye protection, suits, and masks
• Ensuring each worker has received regular education and training in all elements of the standard, such as bloodborne pathogens and occupational exposure

When approaching blood cleanup, trauma cleanup specialists are also encouraged to follow OSHA’s universal precautions. This is an approach to infection control by treating all human blood and bodily fluids as if they were infected with a bloodborne pathogen, such HIV, Hepatitis B, or Hepatitis C.

Given that 1 in every 24 people is infected with one of these three diseases, the statistics support this extra level of precaution when workers are dealing with blood.

Aftermath Complies with Federal, State, and Local Standards

Aftermath, an industry leader in crime and trauma cleanup for almost 20 years, follows the guidelines outlined in OSHA’s Bloodborne Pathogens Standard. Additionally, we have established this 28-point checklist, not only as a guide for our own technicians, but as a guide for all technicians working in the industry.

Even when working in less complex trauma sites, Aftermath technicians are trained to abide by federal, state, and local cleanup standards. These regulations aim to protect them from potential diseases as they work to remediate homes and properties. Aftermath technicians follow the standards and practices of the following key agencies:

• OSHA
• CDC
• National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)
• Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
• Department of Transportation (DOT)
• Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA)

For more information on our safety precautions or how we remain in compliance with OSHA blood cleanup standards, contact us today.