Safety

Tip of the week: Ensure interactive bloodborne pathogens training

Hospital Safety Connection, June 11, 2008

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The idea of having an instructor available for questions during required bloodborne pathogens training for employees seems to generate confusion. OSHA is clear on its requirements, though.
 
Under the bloodborne pathogens standard, OSHA mandates that a hospital must ensure that training participants have the opportunity to directly ask questions with the instructor during required education sessions.
 
“The standard does not specify that the trainer be ‘physically’ in the classroom while training is being conducted,” OSHA wrote in an interpretation letter earlier this year.
 
Possible options for training noted by OSHA include the following, which aren’t the only choices:
  • In-person education
  • Digital video transmission between the instructor’s location and the classroom
  • Telephone training session
In all cases, the question-and-answer portion of the education must be interactive, allowing for real-time questions during the training session. Hotlines on which participants leave a voice mail and then later receive a call back from the instructor are a violation of the bloodborne pathogens standard, the interpretation letter stated.



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