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Item No: 08B Meeting Date: May 23, 2011 Type of Business: CA Administrator Review: ____ City of Mounds View Staff Report To: Honorable Mayor and City Council From: Desaree Crane, Assistant City Administrator Item Title/Subject: Resolution 7783, Approving the Bloodborne Pathogen Policy Background: The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) Bloodborne Pathogen regulation protects employees who work in occupations where they are at risk of exposure to blood or other potentially infectious materials. All of the requirements of this regulation can be found in Title 29 of the Code of Federal Regulations (29 CFR 1910.1030). The OSHA Bloodborne Pathogen requirements state what employers must do to protect workers who are occupationally exposed to blood or other potentially infectious materials. This requires employers to develop written policies to explain how they will implement the policy, provide training to employees and to protect the health and safety of their workers. Currently, the Mounds View Police Department does have a policy dealing with Bloodborne Pathogen. However, under OSHA Bloodborne Pathogen regulation, the City is required to have a policy that covers all employees. The City Council and Staff reviewed the Bloodborne Pathogen Policy at the May Work Session, and it was the consensus of the City Council to place this report under Consent. Discussion: The OSHA Bloodborne Pathogen Regulation requires employers to:  Establish an exposure control plan. This is a written plan to eliminate or minimize occupational exposures. The City is required to prepare an exposure determination that contains a list of classifications in which all employees have occupational exposure and a list of job classifications in which some workers have occupational exposure, along with a list of the tasks and procedures performed by those workers that result in their exposure.  Employers must update the plan annually. The City must update the plan annually to reflect any changes in tasks, procedures and positions that affect occupational exposure, and also technological changes that eliminate or reduce occupational exposure. The City is also required to annually document in the plan that they have begun using commercially available effective safer medical devises designed to eliminate or minimize occupational exposure.  Indentify and use engineering controls. These are devises that isolate to remove the bloodborne pathogen hazard from the workplace. This includes sharp disposal containers, and self-sheathing needles. The Safety Committee is conducting an audit to identify the areas in the City where these disposal containers are required.  Identify and ensure work practice controls. These are practices that reduce the possibility of exposure by changing the way a task is performed, such as practices for handling and disposing of contaminated sharps, handling specimens, handling laundry, and cleaning contaminated surfaces and items.