Safety

Blood exposure reports increase among physicians and lab workers

OSHA Healthcare Connection, April 3, 2007

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While registered nurses bear the brunt of most of the reported occupational bloodborne pathogen exposures, the rate of reports has increased in two occupations, physicians and laboratory technicians, according to a report in the March American Journal of Industrial Medicine.

The report used data from the National Electronic Injury Surveillance System to assess the potential for bloodborne pathogen exposures in all industries and occupations in the United States.

Registered nurses accounted for more than one-third of the exposures reported between 1998 and 2000-a rate that remained constant throughout the reporting period. During that same time, however, reported exposures for physicians increased 101% while the rate for laboratory technicians increased 31%, Reuters Health reported on March 27.

In addition to healthcare workers, two other occupations, police/detectives/public services and janitors/cleaners, had significant numbers of exposures, according to the report.



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