scope:

PURPOSE

This directive establishes minimum requirements to reduce occupational exposure to blood and other potentially infectious materials that could result in transmission of bloodborne pathogens (BBP) that could lead to disease or death at the Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC).

The purpose of this program is to eliminate or minimize employee exposure to BBP from blood and other potentially infectious materials (OPIM) through a combination of engineering and work practice controls, personal protective clothing and equipment, medical surveillance, hepatitis B vaccination, signs, labels, and training. The two most significant BBP are hepatitis B virus (HBV), which causes hepatitis B, a serious liver disease, and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), which causes acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS).

GSFC policy is to provide a program that meets applicable Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) standard 29 CFR 1910.1030 requirements. This plan eliminates or minimizes employee exposure to BBP. The Bloodborne Pathogens Standard applies, by definition, to operations involving human blood or other potentially infectious materials of human origin. Universal precautions are followed as standard practice. Infection control for operations not covered by the Standard (i.e., rest room cleaning and sewer work) may follow these guidelines.

APPLICABILITY

This directive is applicable to all GSFC employees, both civil servants and contractors, who may potentially be exposed to bloodborne pathogens (See Section 1.6). Note: BBP regulations do not apply to "Good Samaritan" acts performed as a voluntary response to an emergency situation.