The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) promulgated a ruling in 1991 (OSHA Bloodborne Pathogens Standard, 42 CFR 1910.1050) with the purpose of protecting employees from occupationally acquiring illnesses caused by bloodborne pathogens. Bloodborne pathogens include any organism that is present in human blood or body fluids that can cause disease. Common examples of bloodborne pathogens are the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV), which causes AIDS, and the Hepatitis B Virus, which causes the liver disease Hepatitis B.
Employees working with human blood or potentially infectious human blood, body fluids, tissues, or cell lines as part of their job duties are required by OSHA to participate in the Bloodborne Pathogen Program. The program requires annual training and a written Exposure Control Plan (ECP) for all potentially exposed employees. The Rutgers Bloodborne Pathogens Guide contains an ECP for use by clinical and non-clinical/non-research sites. For research sites, the Biosafety Protocol includes a written ECP (Addendum E). Research sites must submit a biosafety protocol for experiments, including human subject studies, involving human-derived materials processed in a Rutgers research laboratory. Contact biosafety@rutgers.edu with any questions.
