As used in this section and sections 4167.27 and 4767.28 of the Revised Code:

(A) "Bloodborne pathogen" means a microorganism present in human blood that can cause disease in humans, including the human immunodeficiency virus, hepatitis B virus, hepatitis C virus, and other pathogenic microorganisms.

(B) "Engineered sharps injury protection" means either of the following:

(1) A physical attribute built into a needle device used for withdrawing body fluids, accessing a vein or artery, or administering medications or other fluids that effectively reduces the risk of an exposure incident by a mechanism such as barrier creation, blunting, encapsulation, withdrawal, retraction, destruction, or any other effective mechanism;

(2) A physical attribute built into a type of needle device not included in division (B)(1) of this section, or built into a non-needle sharp, that effectively reduces the risk of an exposure incident.

(C) "Exposure incident" means an occurrence of occupational exposure to blood or other material potentially containing bloodborne pathogens, including exposure that occurs through a sharps injury.

(D) "Needleless system" means a device that does not utilize needles for the following:

(1) Withdrawing body fluids after initial venous or arterial access is established;

(2) Administering medication or fluids;

(3) Performing any other procedure involving potential exposure incidents.

(E) "Public health care worker" means a person who is employed by a public employer to provide health services that carry with them the potential for exposure incidents, including a person employed by a public hospital or other public health care facility, a person employed by a public employer to provide home health care, and a person employed by a public employer as a firefighter, emergency medical technician-basic, emergency medical technician-intermediate, or emergency medical technician-paramedic. "Public health care worker" does not include a person who is employed by a public employer to provide dental services, treatment, or training or a dental student who is receiving training from a public employer.

(F) "Sharp" means an object used in or encountered when providing health care services that can be reasonably anticipated to penetrate the skin or any other part of the body and result in an exposure incident, including objects such as needle devices, scalpels, lancets, and broken glass.

(G) "Sharps injury" means an injury caused by a sharp, including such injuries as cuts, abrasions, and needlesticks.

Effective Date: 10-05-2000; 12-30-2004; 06-27-2005 .