Tex. Health & Safety Code § 81.301 · Subchapter H. BLOODBORNE PATHOGEN EXPOSURE CONTROL PLAN
DEFINITIONS.
Text — Current through the 89th 2nd Called Legislative Session, 2025
In this subchapter:
(1) "Bloodborne pathogens" means pathogenic microorganisms that are present in human blood and that can cause diseases in humans. The term includes hepatitis B virus, hepatitis C virus, and human immunodeficiency virus.
(2) "Engineered sharps injury protection" means:
(A) a physical attribute that is built into a needle device used for withdrawing body fluids, accessing a vein or artery, or administering medications or other fluids and that effectively reduces the risk of an exposure incident by a mechanism such as barrier creation, blunting, encapsulation, withdrawal, retraction, destruction, or another effective mechanism; or
(B) a physical attribute built into any other type of needle device, into a nonneedle sharp, or into a nonneedle infusion safety securement device that effectively reduces the risk of an exposure incident.
(3) "Governmental unit" means:
(A) this state and any agency of the state, including a department, bureau, board, commission, or office;
(B) a political subdivision of this state, including any municipality, county, or special district; and
(C) any other institution of government, including an institution of higher education.
(4) "Needleless system" means a device that does not use a needle and that is used:
(A) to withdraw body fluids after initial venous or arterial access is established;
(B) to administer medication or fluids; or
(C) for any other procedure involving the potential for an exposure incident.
(5) "Sharp" means an object used or encountered in a health care setting that can be reasonably anticipated to penetrate the skin or any other part of the body and to result in an exposure incident, including a needle device, a scalpel, a lancet, a piece of broken glass, a broken capillary tube, an exposed end of a dental wire, or a dental knife, drill, or bur.
(6) "Sharps injury" means any injury caused by a sharp, including a cut, abrasion, or needlestick.
Notes and commentary — not statutory text
History
Added by Acts 1999, 76th Leg., ch. 1411, Sec. 26.01, eff. Sept. 1, 1999.
Source of truth
- Edition
- Current through the 89th 2nd Called Legislative Session, 2025
- Official file
- https://statutes.capitol.texas.gov/Docs/HS/htm/HS.81.htm
- Text hash
- sha256 8bc9d7b090a9bd53d694620b4db1817299f611ede262607c00aefbdd0ecf88b0
- Composed by
- compose_tx.py 2026-10-05: the Legislative Council's chapter files read in document order; verify_tx.py's independent reading (lxml DOM walk) agrees character for character
Procedural information only. Not legal advice and not a substitute for the advice of an attorney. Confirm the current text with the official publisher before relying on it.