Bloodborne pathogens certification in California: who needs it and what's accepted

Tattoo, piercing and body art in California

The Safe Body Art Act requires at least two hours of body-art-specific bloodborne pathogens training from a provider approved by the county, with a chance to ask the instructor questions, and a two-hour update every year. Los Angeles, Orange, San Diego, Ventura and Sacramento counties keep their own approved lists. A one-hour general OSHA course, including this one, does not meet that requirement.

Source: California Health & Safety Code 119307 · County and state body-art table on TattooCert

Dental assistants in California

Before any procedure with potential exposure to blood or saliva, an unlicensed dental assistant must pass the Dental Assisting National Board's Infection Control exam or complete an infection control course the statute lists: a board-approved eight-hour course, or a course of at least four hours of instruction and two hours of lab from a California Dental Association, ADA CERP or AGD PACE provider, which may be online. That requirement is separate from, and does not replace, the employer's annual OSHA bloodborne pathogens training.

Source: California Business and Professions Code 1750(c) and 1755(b) · More on our page for this job

Who the rule covers in California

Anyone whose job can reasonably be expected to involve contact with blood or other potentially infectious materials: nurses, CNAs and medical assistants; dental staff; home health aides; EMS; lab and phlebotomy staff; custodians and cleaning crews assigned to blood or sharps cleanup; school nurses and designated first-aid responders; child care staff; tattoo and piercing artists; and new hires in any of those roles.

What this certificate shows

Your name, course and completion date, a retrain-by date 12 months out, a verification number and QR code anyone can check at bloodbornecert.com/verify, and on page 2 each OSHA training element the course covered. You get a reminder before the retrain-by date. Employers can buy seats for staff, invite them by email and see who has passed.

Questions

Does California approve online bloodborne pathogens courses?

No state or federal agency approves general bloodborne pathogens courses; OSHA does not accredit training providers. In California, as everywhere, the employer must provide training covering the elements in 29 CFR 1910.1030(g)(2)(vii) and keep the record. An online course that covers those elements satisfies the rule. The exception is licensing: California has a separate rule for tattoo, piercing and body art and dental assistants (see above).

Will my California employer accept an online certificate?

Most do. The certificate should name the OSHA standard, show your name, completion date and provider, and be verifiable. Bloodborne Cert certificates carry a verification number anyone can check at bloodbornecert.com/verify and list the training elements on page 2. The employer still adds its own exposure control plan and a way to ask questions. Clinical sites and some employers name a provider, so ask first.

How often is bloodborne pathogens training required in California?

Under OSHA, at the time of initial assignment and at least once a year after that, plus whenever tasks change in a way that affects exposure. California's state plan follows the same annual cycle. Licensing rules for tattoo, piercing and body art and dental assistants in California set their own schedule, described above.