Hepatitis B Vaccination for Potentially Exposed Employees

The US Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) requires the hepatitis B vaccination to be made available to all employees with the potential for occupational exposure to blood/OPIM (other potentially infectious material), within ten working days of initial employment or new assignment. Employees must be provided with information on the vaccine’s efficacy, safety, method of administration, benefits, and that it is provided at no cost to the employee.

Employers are not required to offer the vaccination to employees who have already received the three-shot vaccination series, but should have employees sign a written declination form. For any employee that declines the vaccination, the employer must ensure the employee also signs a declination form.

Hepatitis B vaccination is administered in three doses, with the second and third doses administered at one month and six months after the first. Mandatory post-vaccination testing for immunity immediately following the hepatitis B three-shot vaccination series is required. Serological conversion should be tested within one to two months of the last shot of the three-shot series.

If the testing shows the vaccine did not work, then the employer must offer and pay for a second vaccine series and testing. Persons who do not respond to the vaccine series, about 5% of the population, should be considered susceptible to hepatitis B virus infection and should be counseled regarding precautions to prevent infection and the need to obtain hepatitis B immune globulin prophylaxis for any known or probable exposure to blood/OPIM.

OSHA does not require employers to provide routine booster shots or serologic testing, other than the serological testing required immediately following the vaccination series as described above.

For our OSHA Review subscribers… A hepatitis B vaccination declination form, Quick Guide 4 – Record of Hepatitis B Vaccination Offer, can be found in Section III of your OSHA Review binder.

OSHA Review, Inc. a registered continuing education provider in the State of California, specializing in Dental Practice Act, infection control, and Cal/OSHA training. OSHA Review subscribers in California receive updated regulatory compliance and infection control training thorough our bi-monthly newsletter.