Ian Moone

Universal Precautions

Standards - 29 CFR 1910.1030(b)
Universal Precautions is an approach to infection control. According to the concept of Universal Precautions, all human blood and certain human body fluids are treated as if known to be infectious for HIV, HBV, and other bloodborne pathogens.

CDC, Update OpCit “…In universal precautions, all blood is assumed to be potentially infective for bloodborne pathogens…” OpCit Summary p.70

What does this mean? This means that everyone you ever meet that you don’t personally know (and most of the ones you do) are diseased. Or rather, to be considered so. The idea is that by assuming that each person you come in contact with is infectious, the safer your practice will be.

You are more careful about contamination if you assume someone has Hep C. 

Because sometimes they do.

And half of them don’t even know it.

What’s a bloodbourne pathogen?

blood-borne pathogens,

That. It’s the stuff in your blood that makes you get sick. And you should expect the same standard you would expect from a hospital as from a tattoo artist or piercer.

Why?

OSHA Bloodborne Pathogens Regulations (Standards) apply to tattoo and piercing.

“The scope and application of the Bloodborne Pathogen Standard is dependent on reasonably anticipated occupational exposure to blood and other potentially infectious materials (OPIM).  Since tattooing and piercing generate blood, workers in this industry would fall under the scope of the standard.”
Standard Interpretations 07/29/2002 - Applicability of the Bloodborne Pathogens standard to the tattoo and body piercing industries. OSHA

“The scope of the regulation should not be based on employment in one or a few specified industries….Healthcare workers may therefore be most commonly at risk, but it is their blood exposure, not the industry in which they are exposed, that places them at risk. Regardless of the industry in which they may be exposed, all workers with reasonably anticipated occupational exposure to blood or OPIM should be included in the scope of this rule. 
(CDC/NIOSH, Ex 20-634, p.3)” Section 9 -IX Summary and Explanation of the Standard p.2