Safety at Xavier

Exposure Control Plan

Xavier University has an Exposure control Plan to minimize the transmission of bloodborne pathogens, to provide a safe workplace for all workers and to ensure compliance with the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHS) Regulations, Standard - 29 CFR 1910.1030, Bloodborne Pathogens.

While this program only applies to those job titles which may have occupational exposure due to the nature of their work (police officer, athletic trainer, nurse, etc.), any of us may have occasion to encounter blood or other potentially infectious material in our lives. Therefore, it would be in your best interest to familiarize yourself with the principles of Universal Precautions, a concept that assumes that all human blood and certain human body fluids are treated as if known to be infectious for HIV, HBV and other bloodborne pathogens.

Bloodborne Pathogens are pathogenic (disease-producing) 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) and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV).

Other Potentially Infectious Materials (OPIM) include but are not limited to the following human body fluids: semen, vaginal secretions, synovial fluid, pleural fluid, pericardial fluid, peritoneal fluid, amniotic fluid, saliva in dental procedures, any body fluid that is visibly contaminated with blood and all body fluids in situations where it is difficult or impossible to differentiate between body fluids.

If your job does not require you to be trained on exposure control and you have occasion to encounter blood or other potentially infectious material while at work at Xavier, employ the universal precautions concept; call Campus Police, 513-745-1000 (or 1000 from a campus phone) if it is a medical emergency; call Physical Plant, 513-745-3151 (or 3151 from a campus phone) if a simple cleanup is required. Cordon off the suspect material with cones, chairs, wastebaskets or whatever is available to keep others from walking through or touching it until cleanup is completed.

The written Exposure Control Plan (PDF) for Xavier University can be accessed/ downloaded by clicking on the link at the top of the page.

Contact Xavier Police Department for additional information at 513-745-2000.