Disinfectant claims for bloodborne pathogen protection

NOTICE: This is an OSHA Archive Document, and may no longer represent OSHA Policy. It is presented here as historical content, for research and review purposes only.

June 29, 1993

Ms. Jill Haukos
Associate Director for
Special Projects
Texas Tech University
[Recipient address omitted]
Dear Ms. Haukos:

This is in response to your letter of April 5 regarding the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) regulation 29 CFR 1910.1030, "Occupational Exposure to Bloodborne Pathogens." Specifically, you requested confirmation of information received during a telephone conversation you had with a member of my staff.

The information you received was as follows, according to your correspondence:

1. OSHA Instruction CPL 2-2.44C is still the current version. Proposed revisions have not been approved and published yet.

2. OSHA assumes that a product labeled for TB will be effective against HIV-1 and, therefore, HIV-1 label claims are not needed for compliance with the bloodborne pathogens regulation. Questions on this topic should be routed to the Regional Bloodborne Pathogen Coordinator with the regional OSHA offices.

3. OSHA will accept an HIV-1 label claim for products being used in HIV-1 research laboratories where that is the only pathogen that could be found in the samples (blood or tissue culture, etc...). If there is any chance of HBV, the lab will need a TB effective product.

All of these statements are correct, however we would like to add to item #3. If there is any chance of not only HBV presence, but presence of any bloodborne pathogen other than HIV, the lab will need a tuberculocidal disinfectant.

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

Sincerely,
Roger A. Clark, Director
Directorate of Compliance Programs

[Requester letter reproduced on OSHA page; omitted here.]