Rule 511-5-9-.03 - Definitions(1) "Bloodborne pathogens" means pathogenic microorganisms that are present in human blood and can cause disease in humans. These pathogens include, but are not limited to, hepatitis B virus (HBV), hepatitis C virus (HCV) and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV).(2) "Engineered sharps injury protection" means either: (a) A physical attribute built into or used with a needle device used for withdrawing body fluids, accessing a vein or artery, or administering medications or other fluids, which effectively reduces the risk of an exposure incident by a mechanism such as barrier creation, blunting, encapsulation, withdrawal, retraction, destruction, or other effective mechanisms; or(b) a physical attribute built into or used with any other type of needle device or into a nonneedle sharp, which effectively reduces the risk of an exposure incident.(3) "Exposure incident" means any sharps injury which may reasonably have exposed the person so injured to another person's blood or other material potentially containing bloodborne pathogens.(4) "Front-line health care workers" means workers from a variety of occupational classifications and departments, including, but not limited to, registered professional nurses, nurse aids, medical technicians, phlebotomists, and physicians.(5) "Needleless system" means a device that does not utilize needles for: (a) The withdrawal of body fluids after initial venous or arterial access is established;(b) The administration of medication or fluids; or(c) Any other procedure involving the potential for an exposure incident.(6) "Public employee" means an employee of a county board of health established in accordance with Chapter 3 of Title 31 or an employee of the state or an agency or authority of the state employed in a public health care facility or other facility providing health care related services, currently not subject to the jurisdiction of the federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration.(7) "Public employer" means each employer having any public employee with occupational exposure to blood or other material potentially containing bloodborne pathogens.(8) "Sharp" means any object used or encountered in a health care setting that can be reasonably anticipated to penetrate the skin or any other part of the body and to result in an exposure incident, including, but not limited to, needle devices, scalpels, lancets, broken glass, and broken capillary tubes, but does not include prefilled syringes or other drugs or biologics prepackaged with an administration system requiring federal Food and Drug Administration approval for changes to packaging, labeling or product.(9) "Sharps injury" means any injury caused by a sharp, including, but not limited to, cuts, abrasions, or needlesticks.(10) "Sharps injury log" means a written or electronic record satisfying the requirements of Rule 511-5-9-.07.Ga. Comp. R. & Regs. R. 511-5-9-.03
O.C.G.A. Secs. 31-2A-6, 31-12-13.
Original Rule entitled "Definitions" adopted. F. Oct. 18, 2013; eff. Nov. 7, 2013.