(1) Employers must make sure that the hepatitis B vaccination series is available to all employees who have occupational exposure and that it is:

(a) Available at no cost to the employee;

(b) Available to the employee at a reasonable time and location;

(c) Administered by or under the supervision of a licensed physician or by another licensed health care professional;

(d) Provided according to recommendations of the United States Public Health Service that are current at the time these evaluations and procedures take place;

(e) Available to any employee who initially declines the vaccination but later decides to accept it while they are still covered by this chapter;

(f) Made available after the employee has received training required by this chapter and within ten working days of initial assignment.

(2) You must make sure participation in a prevaccination screening program for antibody status is not a condition for receiving hepatitis B vaccination.

(3) You must make sure that all laboratory tests are conducted by a laboratory licensed by the state or Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments (act) (CLIA).

(4) Make sure employees who decline the hepatitis B vaccination, offered by you, sign a form with this statement:

"I understand that due to my occupational exposure to blood or other potentially infectious materials I may be at risk of acquiring hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection. I have been given the opportunity to be vaccinated with hepatitis B vaccine, at no charge to myself. However, I decline hepatitis B vaccination at this time. I understand that by declining this vaccine, I continue to be at risk of acquiring hepatitis B, a serious disease. If in the future I continue to have occupational exposure to blood or other potentially infectious materials and I want to be vaccinated with hepatitis B vaccine, I can receive the vaccination series at no charge to me."

(5) Exemptions:

(a) You are not required to provide the hepatitis B vaccination series to employees who meet any of the following:

(i) The employee has previously received the complete hepatitis B vaccination series;

(ii) An antibody test has revealed that the employee is immune to hepatitis B;

(iii) There are medical reasons not to give the vaccine.

(b) You are not required to provide the hepatitis B vaccination series to employees assigned to provide first aid only as a secondary duty, when you do all of the following:

(i) Make hepatitis B vaccination available to all unvaccinated first-aid providers who render assistance in any situation involving the presence of blood or OPIM. Vaccination must be made available as soon as possible, but no later than twenty-four hours after the incident;

(ii) Provide a reporting procedure that ensures all first-aid incidents that involve the presence of blood or OPIM are reported before the end of the work shift;

(iii) Document first-aid incidents that involve blood or OPIM, include at least:

(A) The names of all first-aid providers who rendered assistance;

(B) The time and date of the first-aid incident;

(C) A description of the first-aid incident.

Reference:

You can find more information about the United States Public Health Service recommendations for hepatitis B vaccination at http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/diseases/hepatitis/b/index.htm.

The declination form can help you document employees who have declined the hepatitis B vaccine. You can find a copy of this form in the resource section of this chapter.