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Appendix 4

8. GENERAL PERSONAL PROTECTIVE PRACTICES

The following work practices are universal and are intended to protect you from the risk of infection from contact with human blood and other potentially infectious materials. They must always be followed.

    1. Wash your hands immediately after removal of your gloves or other personal protective equipment and after hand contact with blood or other potentially infectious materials.
    2. Remove your protective equipment/clothing immediately when leaving your work area or as soon as possible if it is visibly contaminated.
    3. Place your protective equipment immediately in the location designated by your supervisor for storage, disinfection, or disposal.
    4. Place used needles and any sharp items only in designated, color-coded sharps containers. Never resheath, shear, bend, break, or recap a needle. Never remove used needles from disposable syringes.
    5. Never eat, drink, smoke, apply cosmetics or lip balm, or handle contact lenses in areas with potential exposure to blood or other potentially infectious materials.
    6. Refrain from habits such as face-touching, ear-pulling, or scratching.
    7. Never store food or drink in refrigerators, freezers, or cabinets where blood is stored or in areas of potential exposure to blood or other potentially infectious materials.
    8. Always minimize splashing, spraying, and generation of droplets of blood or other potentially infectious materials. When these are anticipated, wear personal protective equipment, such as gloves, safety goggles, face mask, and protective clothing.
    9. Never mouth pipette.

Additional protective practices are presented in the exposure control plan for your department or work area.

[ Up ] [ Foreword ] [ 1.0 OSHA's BBP Standard ] [ 2.0 Occupations with Potential Exposure ] [ 3.0 Exposure Control Plan ] [ 4.0 Potentially Infectious Materials ] [ 5.0 Bloodborne Diseases ] [ 6.0 Recognizing Task and Activities Involving Exposure to Blood ] [ 7.0 Universal Precautions ] [ 8.0 General Personal Protective Practices ] [ 9.0 Personal Protective Equipment ] [ 10.0 Signs, Labels, and Color Coding ] [ 11.0 HIV and HBV Research Laboratories... ] [ 12.0 Emergency Procedures ] [ 13.0 Bibliography ]

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