Orange County NC Website
DocuSign Envelope ID:79C5D167-B6CA-4E59-B4AC-AA38CC1 B20BD <br /> Orange County Emergency Services0 t <br /> Exposure Control Policy <br /> Standard Operating Procedures <br /> EC 9: Annual Review Exposure Control Plan: <br /> • An annual review and update will be conducted to reflect changes in technology <br /> that eliminate or reduce exposure to bloodborne pathogens. Medical devices with <br /> engineered sharps injury protections and needle-less systems constitute an <br /> effective engineering control and will be considered during our review. These <br /> devices will be used where feasible to ensure employee safety. Refer to <br /> Appendix (E). <br /> • This review will: <br /> o Take into account innovations in medical procedure and technological <br /> developments that reduce the risk of exposure (e.g., newly available <br /> medical devices designed to reduce needlesticks); and <br /> o Document consideration and use of appropriate, commercially available, <br /> and effective safer devices (e.g., describe the devices identified as <br /> candidates for use, the method(s) used to evaluate those devices, and <br /> justification for the eventual selection). <br /> • Since no one medical device is considered appropriate or effective for all <br /> circumstances, we will select devices that, based on reasonable judgment: <br /> o Will not jeopardize client or employee safety or be medically inadvisable; <br /> o Will make an exposure incident less likely to occur <br /> OSHA States: (During your annual review of devices, you must inquire about new or <br /> prospective safer options and document this fact in your written Exposure Control Plan. <br /> This would include, but would not be limited to, newly available medical devices <br /> designed to reduce the risk of percutaneous exposure to bloodborne pathogens. <br /> Consideration and implementation of safer medical devices could be documented in the <br /> Exposure Control Plan by describing the safer devices identified as candidates for <br /> adoption; the method or methods used to evaluate devices and the results of <br /> evaluations; and justification for selection decisions. This information must be updated <br /> at least annually. <br /> The revised Exposure Control Plan requirements make clear that employers must <br /> implement the safer medical devices that are appropriate, commercially available, and <br /> effective. No one medical device is appropriate in all circumstances of use. For <br /> purposes of this standard, an "appropriate"safer medical device includes only devices <br /> whose use, based on reasonable judgment in individual cases, will not jeopardize <br /> patient or employee safety or be medically contraindicated. <br /> Although new devices are being continually introduced, OSHA recognizes that a safer <br /> device may not be available for every situation. If a safer device is not available in the <br /> marketplace, the employer is not required to develop any such device. Furthermore, the <br /> revised requirements are limited to the safer medical devices that are considered to be <br /> Revised July,2018 <br />