§ 14300.8. Recording Criteria for Needlestick and Sharps Injuries.

(a) Basic requirement. You must record all work-related needlestick injuries and cuts from sharp objects that are contaminated with another person's blood or other potentially infectious material (as defined by Title 8, Section 5193). You must enter the case on the Cal/OSHA Form 300 as an injury. To protect the employee's privacy, you may not enter the employee's name on the Cal/OSHA Form 300 (see the requirements for privacy cases in Subsections 14300.29(b)(6) through 14300.29(b)(9)). Note : The requirements of this section are not limited to health care and related establishments.

(b) Implementation.

(1) What does “other potentially infectious material” mean?

The term “other potentially infectious materials” is defined in the standard for Bloodborne Pathogens at Title 8 Section 5193(b) and includes the following materials:

(A) Human bodily fluids, tissues and organs, and

(B) Other materials infected with the HIV, hepatitis B virus (HBV) or hepatitis C virus (HCV) such as laboratory cultures or tissues from experimental animals.

(2) Does this mean that I must record all cuts, lacerations, punctures, and scratches?

No. You need to record cuts, lacerations, punctures, and scratches only if they are work-related and involve contamination with another person's blood or other potentially infectious material. If the cut, laceration, or scratch involves a clean object, or a contaminant other than blood or other potentially infectious material, you need to record the case only if it meets one or more of the recording criteria in Section 14300.7.

(3) If I record an injury and the employee is later diagnosed with an infectious bloodborne disease, do I need to update the Cal/OSHA Form 300?

Yes. You must update the classification of the case on the Cal/OSHA Form 300 if the case results in death, days away from work, restricted work, or job transfer. You must also update the description to identify the infectious disease and change the classification of the case from an injury to an illness.

(4) What if one of my employees is splashed or exposed to blood or other potentially infectious material without being cut or scratched? Do I need to record this incident?

You need to record such an incident on the Cal/OSHA Form 300 as an illness if:

(A) It results in the diagnosis of a bloodborne illness, such as HIV, hepatitis B, or hepatitis C; or

(B) It meets one or more of the recording criteria in Section 14300.7.

HISTORY

1. New section filed 1-15-2002; operative 1-15-2002 pursuant to Government Code section 11343.4 (Register 2002, No. 3).

Note

Note: Authority cited: Section 6410, Labor Code. Reference: Section 6410, Labor Code.