2010 Alaska Statutes
Title 18. HEALTH, SAFETY, AND HOUSING
Chapter 18.60. SAFETY
Sec. 18.60.890. Definitions.

In AS 18.60.880 - 18.60.890,

(1) "bloodborne pathogens" means pathogenic microorganisms that are present in human blood and can cause disease in humans, including hepatitis B virus, hepatitis C virus, and human immunodeficiency virus;

(2) "department" means the Department of Labor and Workforce Development;

(3) "employer" means an employer having an employee with occupational exposure to human blood or other material potentially containing bloodborne pathogens;

(4) "engineered sharps injury protections" means a physical attribute built into

(A) 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 other effective mechanisms; or

(B) another type of needle device, or a nonneedle sharp, that effectively reduces the risk of an exposure incident;

(5) "engineering controls" means controls, including needleless systems and sharps with engineered sharps injury protections, that isolate or remove the bloodborne pathogens hazard from the workplace;

(6) "front-line health care worker" means a nonmanagerial employee responsible for direct patient care with potential occupational exposure to sharps-related injuries;

(7) "needleless system" means a device that does not use needles for

(A) the withdrawal of body fluids after initial venous or arterial access is established;

(B) the administration of medication or fluids; or

(C) another procedure involving the potential for an exposure incident;

(8) "sharp" means an object used or encountered in a health care setting that can be reasonably anticipated to penetrate the skin or any other part of the body and to result in an exposure incident, including needle devices, scalpels, lancets, broken glass, and broken capillary tubes;

(9) "sharps injury" means cuts, abrasions, needlesticks, or other injuries caused by a sharp;

(10) "sharps injury log" means a written or electronic record satisfying the requirements of AS 18.60.880 (c);

(11) "work practice controls" are controls that reduce the likelihood of exposure by altering the manner in which a task is performed.