A bloodborne pathogen is a microorganism that is in human blood, and it is very infectious. The pathogens include diseases like HIV and HBV. If someone has contracted these diseases, it can be straightforward to catch them from them. The government has rules in place that are required to comply with the standard that has been enforced so that work areas can be safe and you won’t be put in harm’s way.
Unfortunately, in states like California, they have rejected new updates and rules about the mask mandate, and as a result, it could have devastating consequences on workers. With so many companies having issues and people getting hurt, these regulations are being developed and reviewed with the utmost care. It is a shame that it is causing massive debates among businesses and groups, but everyone is scrambling to find the correct information to have the knowledge they need for the people who work for them.
Let’s see the requirements of the OSHA bloodborne pathogens standard and new information about it.
The New Update
The OSHA Standards Board has decided to reject the new mask rules that would have made it so that California’s mask mandate would be valid until next year. That would be the standard even if the workers are vaccinated. The rules were said to frustrate business owners and various groups because of the high standard set. They wanted to adopt a plan that would be better for social situations. The trouble with that thinking is that it has been proven through research and studies that the virus is still influential in many areas. As such, it is widely accepted that the mask rules will stay in place for at least another month, if not longer. That would give more people time to get vaccinated if they choose to.
However, other information from the Disease Control Centers has said that you should be safe anywhere if you are vaccinated. Other informational centers have debated that it is still relatively easy to contract Covid, which is frustrating because they don’t understand why so much information is being spread that is contradictory.
Currently, almost half of California’s residents are vaccinated to prevent any diseases or pathogens from coming their way. Because it is becoming easier to get hurt at work, the standards have been changing to help people in companies be safer and be protected if they get hurt. The debate among businesses is that employees should be encouraged to vaccinate every worker in the building as soon as possible. It is also believed that if workers choose not to vaccinate, they should be kept in another building section to segregate them as they could still get sick. That caused debates as well. Companies have been wondering if the vaccine is foolproof, why would separation be something that would need to be put in place at all? This is another area where people get confused because they don’t understand the information they received first and the information they receive now. This has caused distrust and mass confusion.
Another debate taking place is that several different business groups have been upset that the regulations that have been re-drafted do not line up with the CDC guidance. In addition to this, new rules would also dictate that a face mask is no longer aligned with bandanas, ski masks, or single layers. These types of covers are no longer considered to be acceptable as far as safety standards are concerned. Instead, you will need a respirator or something of a higher quality. That is another source of contention among people as they think that they shouldn’t have to wear anything other than what they already do.
OSHA Bloodborne Pathogens
The standard with OSHA bloodborne pathogens has been revised and is now trying to add new requirements for employers as they feel that new laws and standards would ensure the safety of their workers better than the current regulation. For example, the new condition specifies more incredible engineering options and controls, such as safer medical devices, so the chances of bloodborne pathogens spreading aren’t as severe.
There is also a new exposure plan. The plan mandates that as an employer, you must have an annual review and take medical procedures into account and develop innovative and technological advances that would provide a reduced chance of exposure and the reduction of using needlesticks. Another addition is safer devices, evaluations on said devices, and documentation is up to date. The employer must also file exposure incidents.
New Implementations That Will Come
The future bloodborne pathogen laws are trying to move toward a needleless system believing that that will cause a massive reduction in the spreading of viruses and that it is possible to administer medication and IV fluids through a catheter instead. Another option would be jet injection systems. These types of plans are designed to deliver medication in the liquid form beneath your skin or through a targeted muscle.
Other implementations that are coming into place are syringes with a sheath that can slide and shield your body from the attached needle once you have finished using the needle and needles that will retract themselves when you are finished using them. The idea of shielding and retraction is already being considered, with many companies and areas testing out the vision to see if it would work more efficiently. It is also believed that these standards would change businesses for years to come.
Understanding The New Methodologies
The new standards that will be put into place are for the betterment and the safety of workers to feel like they don’t have to be afraid when they go to work every day. Instead, the standards are changing to help people feel like they can avoid getting a life-threatening disease. Being infected with a bloodborne pathogen can affect you for the rest of your life or cause fatality. So standards to help protect people from that are both necessary and put in place for the safety and care of companies.