WAC 296-27-01109   Recording criteria for needlestick and sharps injuries.  (1) Basic requirement. You must record all work-related needlestick injuries and cuts from sharp objects that are contaminated with another person's blood or other potentially infectious material (as defined by chapter 296-823 WAC, Occupational exposure to bloodborne pathogens). You must enter the case on the OSHA 300 Log as an injury. To protect the employee's privacy, you may not enter the employee's name on the OSHA 300 Log (see the requirements for privacy cases in WAC 296-27-01119).

     (2) Implementation.

     (a) What does "other potentially infectious materials" mean? The term "other potentially infectious materials" is defined in the bloodborne pathogens portion of Part J (Biological Agents) of chapter 296-62 WAC, General occupational health standards. These materials include:

     • The following human body fluids: Semen, vaginal secretions, cerebrospinal fluid, synovial fluid, pleural fluid, pericardial fluid, peritoneal fluid, amniotic fluid, saliva in dental procedures, any body fluid that is visibly contaminated with blood, and all body fluids in situations where it is difficult or impossible to differentiate between body fluids;

     • Any unfixed tissue or organ (other than intact skin) from a human (living or dead); and

     • HIV-containing cell or tissue cultures, organ cultures, and HIV- or HBV-containing culture medium or other solutions; and blood, organs, or other tissues from experimental animals infected with HIV or HBV.

     (b) Does this mean that I must record all cuts, lacerations, punctures, and scratches? No, you need to record cuts, lacerations, punctures, and scratches only if they are work-related and involve contamination with another person's blood or other potentially infectious material. If the cut, laceration, or scratch involves a clean object, or a contaminant other than blood or other potentially infectious material, you need to record the case only if it meets one or more of the recording criteria in WAC 296-27-01107.

     (c) If I record an injury and the employee is later diagnosed with an infectious bloodborne disease, do I need to update the OSHA 300 Log? Yes, you must update the classification of the case on the OSHA 300 Log if the case results in death, days away from work, restricted work, or job transfer. You must also update the description to identify the infectious disease and change the classification of the case from an injury to an illness.

     (d) What if one of my employees is splashed or exposed to blood or other potentially infectious material without being cut or scratched? Do I need to record this incident? You need to record such an incident on the OSHA 300 Log as an illness if:

     (i) It results in the diagnosis of a bloodborne illness, such as HIV, hepatitis B, or hepatitis C; or

     (ii) It meets one or more of the recording criteria in WAC 296-27-01107.



[Statutory Authority: RCW 49.17.010, 49.17.040, 49.17.050, and 49.17.060. 03-09-110, § 296-27-01109, filed 4/22/03, effective 8/1/03. Statutory Authority: RCW 49.17.010,[49.17].040 , and [49.17].050. 02-01-064, § 296-27-01109, filed 12/14/01, effective 1/1/02.]