Bloodborne Pathogens

Bloodborne Pathogens Program

Oregon employees with exposure to blood or other potentially infectious materials (OPIM) are covered under Oregon Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OR-OSHA), OAR 437-002-1910.1030, Bloodborne Pathogens. EHS maintains the PSU Bloodborne Pathogen Exposure Control Plan, which can be accessed by the link provided below.

PSU Bloodborne Pathogen Exposure Control Plan

All PSU employees whose job duties may include cleaning up sharps (discarded needles), bodily fluids, potentially contaminated abandoned property, or who may contact sewage, should read the PSU Bloodborne Pathogens Exposure Control Plan including Appendix A, Biohazard Waste Procedures.

EHS provides Bloodborne Pathogen training for all employees upon initial assignment and annually whose job duties may potentially expose them to BBP hazards in accordance with OR-OSHA Bloodborne Pathogens Standard.

Awareness level training is provided to all other Facilities & Property Management (FPM), Capital Projects and Construction (CPC), and Campus Sustainability Office (CSO) employees as they may come across bloodborne pathogens in their course of work on campus.

More information on BBP training may be found on the EHS Training webpage.

PSU Hepatitis B Vaccination Program

The Hepatitis B vaccination is available to all PSU employees with potential occupational exposure to bloodborne pathogens at no cost to the employee. All employees who have potential occupational exposure to bloodborne pathogens are offered the Hepatitis B vaccination declination form.

Hepatitis B is a serious disease that affects the liver. It is caused by the Hepatitis B virus. Hepatitis B can cause mild illness lasting a few weeks, or it can lead to a serious, lifelong illness.

CDC Vaccine Information Statement: Hepatitis B
CDC Hepatitis B Q&A: Vaccination

All employees with potential exposure to bloodborne pathogens are required to complete the Hepatitis B Vaccination Declination Form upon completion of their training.

Instructions for obtaining the Hepatitis B vaccination or titer antibody test can be found here:

Kaiser Hepatitis B Vaccination Immunization Form
Kaiser Hepatitis B Antibody (Titer) Form

PSU Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee

Portland State University's Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC) oversees all research activities, facilities, and procedures involving animals. PSU's IACUC program is designed to facilitate the human use, care, and treatment of animals used for research purposes.

Researchers are required to complete the PSU Occupational Health and Safety Program prior to requesting funding or starting any research.

PSU IACUC Occupational Health and Safety Program

Vaccines Available Under the IACUC Research Program

Tdap

Tdap or Tetanus, diphtheria, and pertussis are very serious diseases. Tdap vaccine can protect us from these diseases. And, Tdap vaccine given to pregnant women can protect newborn babies against pertussis.

CDC Vaccine Information Statement: Tdap

Rabies

Rabies is a serious disease. It is caused by a virus. Rabies is mainly a disease of animals. Humans get rabies when they are bitten by infected animals. The Rabies vaccine is available to researchers who work with wild animals, especially bats, skunks, dogs, cats, coyotes, foxes, or other mammals that transmit the disease.

CDC Vaccine Information Statement: Rabies