WAC 296-823-13005. Make hepatitis B vaccination available to employees

(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 . Helpful tool: Sample declination form: 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.