This program is designed to help supervisors and/or designated department representatives understand and meet the provisions for university workers who may have exposure to human blood, blood products, tissues, or cells. Examples include (but not limited to):

  • Staff with job duties that require them to protect others by immediately cleaning up small blood spills or confine large spills for proper clean-up
  • Laboratory workers handling human blood, tissue, or established human cell lines or waste from such procedures
  • Designated emergency teams that perform spill clean-up response
  • Human health care providers (i.e., Campus Health, Athletics)

Program Requirements To be compliant with OSHA Bloodborne Pathogens standards at NC State University, the supervisor or department representative completes the following:

  • Model Exposure Control Plan is completed by supervisor, or departmental administrator as necessary; must be updated annually and be available to workers at all times. For Supervisors/Principal Investigators of laboratories working with human-derived material use the Laboratory Exposure Control Plan.
  • Hepatitis B vaccinations must be offered to the worker within 10 days of assignment to duties covered under the Exposure Control Plan or be officially declined. For the vaccination series, complete and submit the Exam Request Form, review the guidance provided by the Centers for Disease Control
  • Training requirements for bloodborne pathogens must be completed by each worker according to instructions provided in their specific Bloodborne Pathogens Exposure Control Plan, within 10 days of assignment to duties covered under the Exposure Control Plan, and annually thereafter.

Reviewing Safer Sharps Devices is a requirement of your Exposure Control Plan.  Review the EHS Sharps Precautions Fact Sheet and the Example Safety Feature Evaluation Form Syringes.  Use the resources from the CDC ‘Stop Sticks’ program to help you review your sharps devices: https://www.cdc.gov/nora/councils/hcsa/stopsticks/default.html.  This CDC resource provides guidance to elicit feedback on safer sharps devices used in your work area: https://www.cdc.gov/infection-control/hcp/sharps-safety/

Resources and Training A copy of the standard must be made available to all employees upon request – OSHA Bloodborne Pathogens Standard 1910.1030. Laboratories should review the June 21,1994 OSHA interpretation letter which provides additional insight on the applicability of the OSHA BBP standard to established human cell lines. Employees must complete the training within 10 days of assignment.  To help supervisors meet this requirement, EHS has developed the following online Bloodborne Pathogens training module in REPORTER:  

Although any supervisor or department may arrange in-person training by contacting the Biosafety Office, this is a requirement for Facilities Operations/Housekeeping. 

BBP Medical Alert Cards EHS has developed a Bloodborne Pathogens Medical Alert Card to print, complete, and place in your purse, pocket, or wallet.  The card lists exposure response steps and provides pertinent phone numbers.