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October 3, 2000
(House)

H.R. 5178 - Needlestick Safety and Prevention Act
(Rep. Ballenger (R) North Carolina and 83 cosponsors)

The Administration supports House passage of H.R. 5178, which would amend OSHA's bloodborne pathogens standard by setting forth in greater detail its requirement that employers identify, evaluate, and make use of effective safer medical devices. The principles of this bill closely follow OSHA's 1999 revised compliance directive on bloodborne pathogens. The Administration will work during implementation of this bill to minimize recordkeeping burdens on employers.

The Administration believes enactment of this bill will raise awareness of the bloodborne pathogens standard's requirements and make it clearer to employers that they have a responsibility to use commercially available safer medical devices that can lessen the risk of percutaneous injuries from contaminated sharps. The Administration also believes that this legislation will encourage manufacturers of medical sharps and needle devices to improve and bring to the market more of these safer devices.