Universal Precautions

The term "Universal Precautions" refers to the approach to infection control that one should treat all human blood and specific body fluids as if they are known to be infectious for bloodborne pathogens. If you are not sure, or unaware of, which body fluids you are exposed to, you should treat the substance as if it is infectious as well. Use such precautions as wearing the proper PPE for the task (gloves, masks, gowns, and so forth) and using engineering and work practice controls to limit exposure to the potential pathogen.

To learn more about Bloodborne Pathogens visit our Bloodborne Pathogens Safety Online Training web page.