normal conditions of use and for the duration of time that the protective equipment is
used.
(b) An employer shall ensure that an employee uses appropriate personal protective
equipment unless the employer shows that the employee temporarily and briefly declined
to use PPE when, under rare and extraordinary circumstances, it was the employee’s
professional judgment that in the specific instance the use of PPE would have prevented
the delivery of health care or public safety services or would have posed an increased
hazard to the safety of the worker or coworker. When the employee makes this judgment,
the circumstances shall be investigated and documented to determine if changes can be
made to prevent future occurrences.
(c) An employer shall assure that appropriate protective equipment and clothing in
the appropriate sizes are readily accessible at the worksite or issued to employees at no
cost to the employees. Hypoallergenic gloves, glove liners, powderless gloves, or other
similar alternatives shall be readily accessible to employees who are allergic to the gloves
normally provided. See appendix A for more information.
(d) An employer shall provide for the cleaning, laundering, or disposing of
protective clothing and equipment required by this rule.
(e) An employer shall repair or replace required protective clothing and equipment
as needed to maintain their effectiveness.
(f) An employee shall wear gloves if there is a reasonable anticipation of direct skin
contact with blood, other potentially infectious material, mucous membranes, or
nonintact skin of patients; when performing vascular access procedures, except as
specified in subdivision (g) of this subrule; and when handling items or surfaces that are
soiled with blood or other potentially infectious material. Disposable (single-use) gloves,
such as surgical or examination gloves, shall be replaced as soon as practical if
contaminated or as soon as feasible if torn, punctured, or ineffective as barriers.
Disposable gloves shall not be washed or decontaminated for reuse. Utility gloves shall
be discarded if any are cracked, peeling, discolored, torn, or punctured or exhibit other
signs of deterioration, but may be decontaminated for reuse if the integrity of the glove is
maintained.
(g) If an employer of a volunteer blood donation center judges that routine gloving
for all phlebotomies is not necessary, the employer shall do all of the following:
(i) Periodically reevaluate this policy.
(ii) Make appropriate gloves available to all employees who wish to use them for
phlebotomy.
(iii) Not discourage the use of gloves for phlebotomy.
(iv) Require that gloves be used for phlebotomy in the following circumstances:
(A) When the employee has cuts, scratches, or other breaks in the skin on his or her
hands or wrists.
(B) When the employee judges that hand contamination with blood may occur, for
example, when performing phlebotomy on an uncooperative patient.
(C) When the employee is receiving training in phlebotomy.
(h) Employees shall wear masks and eye protection or chin-length face shields as
appropriate if splashes, sprays, spatters, droplets, or aerosols of blood or other potentially
infectious material may be generated and if there is a likelihood for eye, nose, or mouth
contamination.
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