Bloodborne Pathogens Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) Guide
Bloodborne Pathogens Training & Reference
Personal protective equipment (PPE) helps prevent blood and other potentially infectious materials from reaching a worker’s skin, eyes, mouth or clothing. The correct PPE depends on the task—not on a one-size-fits-all list of equipment.
PPE is important, but it is not the first or only control. OSHA requires employers to use engineering and work-practice controls to eliminate or minimize occupational exposure. PPE is used where exposure remains after those controls, and it must be appropriate for the task, readily accessible and provided at no cost to the employee.
What is Bloodborne Pathogens PPE?
Under OSHA’s Bloodborne Pathogens Standard, PPE is specialized clothing or equipment worn by an employee to protect against a hazard. General work clothing is not PPE unless it is intended to protect the worker from exposure.
Appropriate PPE must act as a barrier: under normal conditions of use, it should prevent blood or OPIM from passing through to the employee’s work clothes, undergarments, skin, eyes, mouth or other mucous membranes.
Choose PPE for the task and exposure risk
The right selection begins with a task-based assessment. Consider what material may be present, whether splashing or spraying is reasonably anticipated, how long the task will take and whether a puncture, cut or contamination of clothing is possible.
| Task or potential exposure | PPE to consider | Key control point |
|---|---|---|
| First aid, wound care or handling visibly bloody material | Disposable gloves; additional protection where the task may involve more extensive contact. | Gloves are required when hand contact with blood, OPIM, mucous membranes, non-intact skin or contaminated surfaces can reasonably be anticipated. |
| Task likely to create splashes, spray, spatter or droplets | Gloves plus a mask with eye protection or a chin-length face shield, as appropriate. | Protect the eyes, nose and mouth whenever splash exposure can reasonably be anticipated. |
| Cleaning a substantial blood or OPIM spill | Gloves and task-appropriate protective clothing; eye and face protection if splashing may occur. | Follow the written cleaning and decontamination procedure. PPE does not remove the need to restrict access and use approved cleaning methods. |
| Handling contaminated sharps or broken glass | Appropriate gloves, but never rely on gloves alone to prevent a sharps injury. | Use engineering controls and mechanical means. Never pick up contaminated broken glass directly by hand. |
| CPR or resuscitation duties | Resuscitation bags, pocket masks or other ventilation devices supplied by the employer. | Use a barrier device where resuscitation may involve contact with blood or OPIM. |
Common Bloodborne Pathogens PPE
Gloves
Disposable gloves are commonly used where hand contact may occur. Replace them when contaminated, torn, punctured or no longer able to function as a barrier.
Eye and face protection
Use goggles, glasses with solid side shields, or face shields with a mask whenever the task may create splash, spray, spatter or droplets.
Protective clothing
Gowns, aprons, lab coats or similar protective garments may be needed where the anticipated exposure could contaminate work clothing or skin.
Safe use, removal and disposal of PPE
PPE only protects when it is available, used correctly and removed without spreading contamination. Employers should train employees on the equipment provided at their worksite and make replacement PPE readily available.
- Check PPE before starting. Use equipment that is suitable for the task and in good condition. Request an alternative if a glove allergy, fit issue or damaged item creates a barrier to safe use.
- Change disposable gloves when needed. Disposable gloves must not be washed or decontaminated for reuse. Replace them as soon as practical when contaminated or when their protective barrier is compromised.
- Remove contaminated PPE before leaving the work area. Place it in the designated container or area for storage, washing, decontamination or disposal.
- Wash hands after removal. Employees should wash their hands immediately or as soon as feasible after removing gloves or other PPE.
- Report supply problems. Missing, unsuitable or inaccessible PPE is a workplace safety issue—not something employees should work around.
PPE does not replace exposure controls
Gloves do not make it safe to recap a contaminated needle, reach into a sharps container or pick up broken contaminated glass by hand. Those risks need engineering controls and safer work practices. OSHA requires contaminated sharps containers to be closable, puncture resistant, leakproof on the sides and bottom, and labeled or color-coded.
Likewise, a cleaning task should have a clear process for access control, decontamination, waste handling and incident reporting. PPE is one part of that process, not the entire plan.
Employer responsibility: When occupational exposure exists, employers must provide appropriate PPE at no cost, ensure employees use it, clean, launder, dispose of, repair or replace it as necessary, and make it readily accessible in appropriate sizes. The exact PPE selection must reflect the task and degree of exposure anticipated.
When is PPE required?
PPE is required where occupational exposure remains after engineering and work-practice controls are used. The employer’s Exposure Control Plan should identify the job classifications, tasks and procedures where exposure may occur and explain what protective measures are used.
For example, the requirements may differ for healthcare workers, dental teams, emergency responders, tattoo professionals, pharmacy staff or janitorial employees. Explore related guidance for janitorial teams, pharmacy staff and workers in fitness settings.
Learn the complete Bloodborne Pathogens standard
PPE training should sit alongside instruction on exposure-control planning, Universal Precautions, safer work practices, housekeeping, hepatitis B vaccination and post-exposure procedures. For the full regulatory requirements, see OSHA 29 CFR 1910.1030.
Individuals can take Bloodborne Pathogens training for the general workplace. Employers needing a simple way to assign and track training for teams can explore Bloodborne Pathogens group training.
