Janitorial workers and the bloodborne pathogens rule

April 17, 1992

Peter W. Michaels
Cooper, White & Cooper
[Recipient address omitted]
Dear Mr. Michaels:

This is in response to your letter of February 24, in which you requested clarification concerning the scope of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) regulation on "Occupational Exposure to Bloodborne Pathogens", 29 CFR 1910.1030. Specifically, you requested an interpretation on the coverage of janitorial workers.

OSHA does not generally consider maintenance personnel/janitorial /housekeeping staff employed in non-health care facilities to have occupational exposure. "Occupational exposure" is defined as "reasonably anticipated skin, eye, mucous membrane, or parenteral contact with blood or other potentially infectious material which may result from the performance on an employee's duties."

At the same time, it is the employer's responsibility to determine which job classifications or specific tasks and procedures involve occupational exposure. If OSHA determines, on a case-by-case basis, that sufficient evidence exists of reasonably anticipated exposure, the employer will be held responsible for providing the protections of 29 CFR 1910.1030 to the employees with occupational exposure.

As you are no doubt aware, the State of California administers its own occupational safety and health program which is overseen and monitored by federal OSHA. State plan regulations must be at least as effective as federal OSHA regulations, and the state may choose to promulgate and enforce requirements which are stricter than federal OSHA's. We, therefore, recommend that you contact your state plan regarding this issue as well. They may be reached at the following address and phone number:

Dr. John Howard, Chief
California Department of Industrial Relations
Division of Occupational Safety and Health
Room 5202
455 Golden Gate Avenue
San Francisco, California 94102
Phone: (415) 703-4341

We hope this information is responsive to your concerns. Thank you for your interest in worker safety and health.

Sincerely,
Patricia K. Clark, Director
Directorate of Compliance Programs