Environmental, Health and Safety Services

BBP Definitions

AIDS Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome. Tthe disease that results when the HIV virus attacks the human immune system.

Blood Human blood, human blood components, and products made from human blood.

Bloodborne Pathogens Pathogenic microorganisms that are present in human blood and can cause disease in humans. These pathogens include, but are not limited to:

  • Hepatitis B Virus (HBV)
  • Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV)
  • Hepatitis C Virus (HCV)
  • Human T-Lymphotrophic Virus Type 1
  • malaria
  • Syphilis
  • Babesiosis
  • Brucellosis
  • Leptospirosis
  • Arboviral Infections
  • Relapsing Fever
  • Creutzfeldz-Jakob Disease
  • Viral Hemorrhagic Fever

Clinical Laboratory A workplace where diagnostic or other screening procedures are performed on blood or other potentially infectious materials.

Contaminated Sharps Any blood contaminated object that can penetrate the skin including, but not limited to, needles, scalpels, broken glass, and exposed ends of dental wires.

Decontamination See chart in Housekeeping section for detailed definitions.

Engineering Controls Equipment or devices that isolate or remove the bloodborne pathogens hazard from the workplace. Examples include: sharps disposal containers, self-sheathing needles, equipment slash guards, biosafety cabinets, etc.

Exposure Incident A specific incident in which blood or other potentially infectious material contacts the employee in one of the following ways:

  • Eye
  • Mouth
  • Other mucous membrane
  • Non-intact skin surface
  • Puncture/stick/cut with sharp contaminated object

HBV Hepatitis B Virus, a bloodborne pathogen that may cause inflammation of the liver.

HIV Human Immunodeficiency Virus, the bloodborne pathogen that attacks the immune system and ultimately causes AIDS.

Occupational Exposure Reasonably anticipated skin, eye, mucous membrane, or parenteral contact with blood or other potentially infectious materials, that may result from the performance of an employee's duties.

Other Potentially Infectious Materials (OPIM)

The following human body fluids:

  • Semen
  • Vaginal Secretions
  • Cerebrospinal Fluid
  • Synovial Fluid
  • Pleural Fluid
  • Pericardial Fluid
  • Peritoneal Fluid
  • Amniotic Fluid
  • Saliva in Dental Procedures
  • Any Fluid Mixed with Blood
  • Any Unknown Body Fluid

The following human tissues:

  • Any Unfixed Tissue
  • Any Unfixed Organ (other than intact skin)

The following research media:

  • HIV-containing cell culture
  • HIV-containing tissue/organ culture
  • HIV- & HBV- containing culture media
  • infected research animal tissue

Regulated Medical Waste A waste stream which is regulated by the Department of Environmental Quality and must be disposed of through EHSS, even if it has been autoclaved or treated with another form of decontamination. The particulars of the waste stream are:

  • Cultures and stock of microorganisms and biologicals. Discarded cultures, stocks, specimens, vaccines and associated items likely to contain organisms likely to be pathogenic to healthy humans.
  • Blood and blood products. Wastes consisting of human blood, human blood products and items contaminated by human blood.
  • Human tissues and other anatomical wastes. All human anatomical wastes and all wastes that are human tissues, organs, body parts, or body fluids.
  • Sharps. It is university protocol to include all sharps in the regulated medical waste stream. That is, ALL hollow-bore needles, pipettes, and glassware from biological labs or medical settings.
  • Some animal carcasses, body parts, bedding, and related wastes. Animal carcasses, body parts, bedding, and related wastes if the animal has been intentionally infected with pathogenic organisms and are likely to be contaminated.

Regulated Medical Waste EXEMPTIONS The following waste streams are not subject to the requirements of regulated medical waste regulations when dispersed among other solid wastes and not accumulated separately:

  • Used products for personal hygiene, such as diapers, facial tissues and sanitary napkins.
  • Material, not including sharps, containing small amounts of blood or body fluids, but containing no free flowing or unabsorbed liquid(Band-Aids).

Universal Precautions An approach to infection control, where ALL body fluids and individuals are treated as known positives for HIV and HBV.

Work Practice Controls Procedures that reduce the likelihood of exposure through the manner in which tasks are performed.