• A. Purpose and Background
• B. Oversight Committee
• C. Acknowledgements
• D. Terms and Definitions

The University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee ensures that all employees with occupational exposure to human bloodborne pathogens and selected students and volunteers are protected from contracting bloodborne disease through implementation of a bloodborne pathogens exposure control plan. This plan follows the requirements established by the Wisconsin Department of Industry, Labor and Human Relations (ILHR 32.50) as adopted from the rules issued by the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration in December, 1991 (29 CFR 1910.1030).

The UWM Division of Finance and Administrative Affairs Safety Coordinating Committee (AASCC) shall review and update the Exposure Control Plan at least annually. Additional meetings will be conducted as deemed necessary by the Committee or the Director of University Safety and Assurances. The Committee shall be responsible for the following:

1. Develop, review, revise, and implement the Exposure Determinations Policy as new or revised job positions are developed and/or as new or modified tasks and procedures are developed which affect positions with possible occupational exposure.
2. Review, revise, and implement the specific policy/procedure components of the Exposure Control Plan as the need arises, but no less than annually.
3. Review the circumstances surrounding exposure incidents with the goal of identifying and correcting problems in order to prevent the recurrence of similar incidents.
4. Maintain written minutes of meetings in sufficient detail to document all pertinent proceedings.
5. Ensure that a copy of the Exposure Control Plan is accessible to employees.
6. Assure that all components of the Exposure Control Plan are made available to the Wisconsin Department of Industry, Labor and Human Relations, or a designated representative for examination and copying upon request.

This document was prepared with the editorial assistance of P.J. Boylan (UWM), Paul H. Jordan (UWM/UW-Whitewater) and Bruce J. Omdoll (UWM) from an outline provided by UW-System Administration. Much useful information was provided by Peter R. Garcia (UWM), Robert J. Grieshaber (UWM), K. Leigh Leonard (UWSA), Patricia A. Kandziora (UWSA), and David J. Melitz (UWM). Regulatory interpretations were provided by John Lupo (DHFS) J. Lutz (DILHR), Terry Moehn (DHFS) and R. Schrader (DILHR).

Bloodborne Pathogen:

A bloodborne pathogen is a pathogenic microorganism present in human blood that can cause disease in humans. Also see Other Potentially Infectious Materials (OPIM) below.

Blood Titer:

A titer is a semi-quantitative (volume to volume) measurement. For the purpose of this policy, the term "blood titer" refers to the indirect measurement of blood levels of the Hepatitis B antibody through a measurement of the Hepatitis B surface antigen.

Contaminated:

The presence, or the reasonably anticipated presence, of blood or other potentially infectious materials on an item or surface.

Contaminated Laundry:

This means laundry which has been soiled with blood or other potentially infectious materials, or may contain sharps.

Department of Commerce (DCOM):

The Wisconsin agency that will enforce the Bloodborne Pathogens Rule for State agency workplaces (formerly known as the Department of Industry, Labor and Human Relations, or DILHR).

Department of Health and Family Services (DHFS):

For the purpose of this policy, this term refers to the Wisconsin Department of Health and Family Services (formerly known as Department of Health and Social Services, or DHSS).

Department of Natural Resources (DNR):

The Wisconsin agency that administers and enforces the State's environmental protection and natural resource conservation statutes, regulations and programs. DNR administers a statute and guidelines for infectious waste management which are referenced in this policy.

Designated First Aid Provider:

For the purpose of this policy, these are the individuals who are required to provide first aid in emergency situations as a condition of their employment. These individuals may perform this function as a primary duty (e.g. life guard), or as a duty incidental to other duties (e.g. day care providers or resident assistants).

Exposure Incident:

As defined in 29 CFR 1910.1030(b), this means a specific eye, mouth, other mucous membrane, non-intact skin, or parenteral contact with blood or other potentially infectious materials that results from the performance of an employee's duties.

Needleless System:

A device that does not use needles for:

• collection of bodily fluids or withdrawal of body fluids after initial venous or arterial access is established;
• the administration of medication or fluids; or
• any other procedure involving the potential for occupational exposure to bloodborne pathogens due to cuts from sharps.

Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA):

The federal agency that enforces Title 29 of the Code of Federal Regulations, which includes the Bloodborne Pathogens Standard. OSHA's jurisdiction is in the private sector only. However, for the Bloodborne Pathogens Rule, DILHR intends to use the OSHA compliance plan as a guide for applying the rule to public employees in Wisconsin. NOTE: IHLR adopted the OSHA standard, August, 1995.

Other Potentially Infectious Materials (OPIM):

This means certain human body fluids: semen, vaginal secretions, cerebrospinal fluid, synovial fluid, pleural fluid, peritoneal fluid, amniotic fluid, saliva in dental procedures, and any body fluid that is visibly contaminated with blood, and all body fluids in situations where it is difficult or impossible to differentiate between body fluids. It also includes any unfixed tissue or organ (other than intact skin) from a human (living or dead) and HIV-containing cell or tissue cultures, organ cultures, and HIV- or HBV-containing culture medium or other solutions; and blood, organs, or other tissues from experimental animals infected with HIV or HBV.

Post-Exposure Prophylaxis:

Post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) means medical consultation and taking medications as soon as possible after exposure to an agent so that the exposure will not result in infection or disease. Determining which medications to use for PEP or whether PEP is even warranted is based on risk assessment. See the Norris Health Center's "Protocol for Management of Blood & Body Fluid Exposure" and the "Updated U.S. Public Health Service Guidelines for the Management of Occupational Exposures to HBV, HCV, and HIV and Recommendations for Postexposure Prophylaxis" for additional information on PEP.

Serologic Status:

For the purpose of this policy, the term used to describe the results of blood testing to determine whether an individual has measurable levels of the Hepatitis B Virus or the Human Immunodeficiency Virus. A "positive" serologic status means the person has measurable blood levels of virus; a "negative" serologic status means the individual has not. A person who "seroconverts" changes from a negative to a positive status.

Sharps and Contaminated Sharps:

A "sharp" is any object that can readily penetrate the skin, including, but not limited to, broken glass, needles, scalpels, broken capillary tubes, and exposed ends of dental wires. For the purpose of this policy, the definition of "contaminated sharps" is limited to those contaminated with blood or other potentially infectious materials.

Sharps with Engineered Sharps Injury Protection:

A nonneedle sharp or a needle device used for withdrawing body fluids, accessing a vein or artery, or administering medications or other fluids, with a built-in safety feature or mechanism that effectively reduces the risk of an exposure incident.

Standard Precautions:

Standard Precautions, formerly referred to as Universal Precautions, is an approach to infection control whereby all human blood and certain human body fluids are treated as if known to be infectious for HBV, HIV and other bloodborne pathogens.

Universal Precautions:

See Standard Precautions.