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

Tattoo and body art in Philadelphia in Pennsylvania

Philadelphia requires a bloodborne pathogens course from the city's approved-provider list. This course is not on that list. Elsewhere in Pennsylvania there is no state body-art training approval; the employer's OSHA training rule applies.

Source: Philadelphia Department of Public Health: Approved BBP providers · County and state body-art table on TattooCert

Who the rule covers in Pennsylvania

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. State and local government employees in Pennsylvania are not covered by federal OSHA, but public employers commonly require the same training.

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 Pennsylvania approve online bloodborne pathogens courses?

No state or federal agency approves general bloodborne pathogens courses; OSHA does not accredit training providers. In Pennsylvania, 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: Pennsylvania has a separate rule for tattoo and body art in philadelphia (see above).

Will my Pennsylvania 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 Pennsylvania?

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. Licensing rules for tattoo and body art in philadelphia in Pennsylvania set their own schedule, described above.