My assistant was stuck by an instrument. What do I do?
Employer Obligations after Exposure Incidents OSHA Reporting Incident — Employees should immediately report exposure incidents to the employer to permit timely medical follow-up. According to the U.S. Public Health Service, if HIV postexposure prophylaxis is medically indicated it should be initiated promptly, preferably within 1-2 hours after the exposure incident. Immediate reporting also enables the dental employer to evaluate the circumstances surrounding the exposure incident to try to find ways to prevent such a situation from occurring again.
Referral to a Health Care Professional (HCP) — Following a report of an exposure incident, the dental employer shall make immediately available to the exposed employee a confidential medical evaluation and follow-up at no cost to the employee. The dental employer is responsible for providing follow-up, but is not required to perform the follow-up. The employer must refer the exposed employee to a licensed health care professional who will perform all medical evaluations and procedures in accordance with the most current recommendations of the U.S. Public Health Service.
Note: The bloodborne pathogens standard is a performance oriented standard. As such, it requires that medical evaluation and follow-up be provided in accordance with the U.S. Public Health Service recommendations, but does not cite specific recommendations. OSHA intentionally drafted the standard in this fashion to ensure that the most current recommendations would be followed.
Documentation — The dental employer must prepare a report of the exposure incident, including the route(s) of exposure, the circumstances under which the exposure incident occurred, and the identity of the source patient — if known, and if permitted by law (see Identification and Testing of Source Patient’s Blood). This report must be placed in the employee’s confidential medical record. A copy also must be provided to the evaluating health care professional.
Overview
Step-by-Step Guide to Compliance
Flow Chart
Questions and Answers for Dental Employers
Reference List
Additional Links