Bloodborne Pathogens

Exposure Control Program

Faculty, staff and students who may reasonably anticipate skin, eye, mucous membrane, or parenteral (under the skin) contact with human blood or other potentially infectious materials during the performance of their job duties are covered under the Bloodborne Pathogen Exposure Control Program.

Potentially infectious materials include:

  • All human blood and body fluids;
  • Any unfixed tissue or organ other than intact skin from a human, living or dead;
  • Human cell lines or cultures, human tissue cultures, human organ cultures;
  • Non-human primate blood, bodily fluids or other tissues;
  • Liquid or solid culture medium or other materials containing biologicial agents capable of causing disease in healthy adults;
  • Blood, body fluids or other tissues from experimental animals infected with bloodborne pathogens;
  • Liquid or solid culture medium or other materials containing or potentially contaminated with recombinant or synthetic nucleic acid molecules.

Bloodborne Pathogen Training

All University faculty and staff who are occupationally exposed to bloodborne pathogens are required to complete Bloodborne Pathogen training annually. Visit the Training section for the live training schedule and online training options.

Hepatitis B

Hepatitis B virus vaccination is recommended for all faculty and staff who are exposed to bloodborne pathogens. Those who consent to vaccination will receive it at no cost. Contact MyHealth@Pitt at: MyHealthAtWorkPitt@upmc.edu or 412-647-4949.