Approved May 13, 1999.

CHAPTER 408
(House Bill 287)

AN ACT concerning

Health Care Workers' Safety Act - Bloodborne Pathogen Standard —

Regulations

FOR the purpose of requiring the Occupational Safety and Health Advisory Board
Department of Health and Mental Hygiene to conduct a certain study on the
exposures of health care workers to blood and certain potentially infectious
materials by objects that can penetrate the skin; requiring the Board
Department to recommend regulations to establish hold hearings and prepare a
report on the establishment of a bloodborne pathogen standard in consultation
with certain government and private entities; requiring the Board Department
to complete the study and submit a report to the Commissioner of Labor by and
Industry Secretary of the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene and the
General Assembly on or before a certain date; requiring authorizing the
Commissioner to adopt regulations in accordance with the recommendations of
the Board by a certain date initiate within a certain period of time the process
for publishing and issuing a certain proposed regulation based on the Board's
report defining certain terms; providing for the termination of this Act; and
generally relating to a bloodborne pathogen standard and health care workers'
safety.

BY adding to

Article - Labor and Employment

Section 5-308.1

Annotated Code of Maryland

(1991 Volume and 1998 Supplement)

SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF
MARYLAND, That the Laws of Maryland read as follows:

Article - Labor and Employment

5-308.1.

(A) (1) IN THIS SECTION THE FOLLOWING WORDS HAVE THE MEANINGS
INDICATED.

(2) (I) "BLOODBORNE PATHOGENS" MEANS PATHOGENIC
MICROORGANISMS THAT ARE PRESENT IN HUMAN BLOOD AND CAN CAUSE DISEASE
IN HUMANS.