Bloodborne Pathogens can pose a serious threat to the health of all cleaning employees who encounter them within their work duties. Bloodborne pathogens come in the form of many deadly and life altering diseases, such as HIV and Hepatitis B. It is vital that before starting a job where there is even the potential to come into contact with bloodborne pathogens that each cleaning employee fully understands the dangers associated with them. Even more important for the individual is acquiring the knowledge and skills to protect themselves against catching these bloodborne pathogens, while successfully completing their work duties.

Understanding the dangers means understanding what bloodborne pathogens are and how they can be transmitted. It’s not just by blood but other bodily liquids such as saliva and vomit that can pose a serious threat of exposing a cleaner to possible infection. Just by removing trash containing syringes, or cleaning up laundry soiled with body fluids or even vomit from a child can expose someone to the very worst of bloodborne pathogens.

Once a cleaning employee has been educated of the dangers that bloodborne pathogens can hold, it is easier to teach them how to safely protect themselves and also what to do in the unlikely case of a health breach occuring. Protection comes in the form of following universal precautions set out by OSHA in their bloodborne standard. One of the main foundations of this standard is that you should always assume any blood or bodily fluids that you come into contact with will be infectious. By thinking this way you will always act in accordance with the specific cleaning rules you will have been taught. Remember the best defence is a strong offence when dealing with such high stakes.