BLOOD BORNE PATHOGENS - LESSON TWO

Does the Texas Department of Health Know About This?

Yes, as a result of House Bill #2085 which was passed by the 1999 Texas Legislation, Texas public school districts are required to implement bloodborne pathogen exposure control plans. The Texas Department of Health issued guidelines for protection against bloodborne pathogens.

Although the standards and rules are designed to protect you from all infection, the primary focus is to reduce the risk of the most troublesome infections from exposure to:

• Hepatitis B Virus (HBV)
• Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV)

According to the Texas Department of Health, you reduce the risk of exposure when you:

• Take training classes, such as this online course
• Follow guidelines
• Use protective equipment
• Read and follow all posted signs and labels

Belton ISD developed a policy that follows Texas Department of Health guidelines. The rules outlined in the Belton ISD policy add a focus on preventing infection from Hepatitis C (HCV) as well as Hepatitis B and HIV. In the next lesson, you learn about some of the most common bloodborne diseases and how to reduce your risk of exposure.

Check Up

In this lesson you learned that:

• Texas Department of Health developed a set of rules to guard you from bloodborne pathogens
• You can reduce your risk of infection through training, using protective equipment and by
  reading and following all posted signs and labels

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