Healthcare workers use personal protective equipment, commonly called PPE, because we must consider all patients' blood and body fluids potentially infectious or biohazardous.
PPE refers to:
- protective clothing
- safety glasses or goggles
- facial shields
- gloves
- shoe covers
These PPE items protect the healthcare worker’s body from injury and exposure to infectious microorganisms or hazardous chemicals.
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) requires employers to provide all necessary PPE for every employee at no cost to the employee. Employees must never be asked to provide their own PPE.
OSHA also requires that any potentially infectious specimens, including most clinical laboratory samples, be placed in a secondary container with a biohazard symbol present when transported.
