114 STAT. 1902 PUBLIC LAW 106-430—NOV. 6, 2000 by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration in 1998 on engineering and work practice controls used to eliminate or minimize the risk of occupational exposure to bloodborne pathogens due to percutaneous injuries from contaminated sharps. Comments were provided by health care facilities, groups representing healthcare workers, researchers, educational institutions, professional and industry associations, and manufacturers of medical devices. (7) Numerous studies have demonstrated that the use of safer medical devices, such as needleless systems and sharps with engineered sharps injury protections, when they are part of an overall bloodborne pathogens risk-reduction program, can be extremely effective in reducing accidental sharps injuries. (8) In March 2000, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimated that, depending on the type of device used and the procedure involved, 62 to 88 percent of sharps injuries can potentially be prevented by the use of safer medical devices. (9) The OSHA 200 Log, as it is currently maintained, does not sufficiently reflect injuries that may involve exposure to bloodborne pathogens in healthcare facilities. More than 98 percent of healthcare facilities responding to the RFI have adopted surveillance systems in addition to the OSHA 200 Log. Information gathered through these surveillance systems is commonly used for hazard identification and evaluation of program and device effectiveness. (10) Training and education in the use of safer medical devices and safer work practices are significant elements in the prevention of percutaneous exposure incidents. Staff involvement in the device selection and evaluation process is also an important element to achieving a reduction in sharps injuries, particularly as new safer devices are introduced into the work setting. (11) Modification of the bloodborne pathogens standard is appropriate to set forth in greater detail its requirement that employers identify, evaluate, and make use of effective safer medical devices. SEC. 3. BLOODBORNE PATHOGENS STANDARD. The bloodborne pathogens standard published at 29 CFR 1910.1030 shall be revised as follows: (1) The definition of "Engineering Controls" (at 29 CFR 1910.1030(b)) shall include as additional examples of controls the following: "safer medical devices, such as sharps with engineered sharps injury protections and needleless systems". (2) The term "Sharps with Engineered Sharps Injury Protections" shall be added to the definitions (at 29 CFR 1910.1030(b)) and defined as "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". (3) The term "Needleless Systems" shall be added to the definitions (at 29 CFR 1910.1030(b)) and defined as "a device that does not use needles for: (A) the collection of bodily fluids or withdrawal of body fluids after initial venous or arterial access is established; (B) the administration of medication or
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