Hang this poster beside the first aid kit and the spill supplies, so the order of the steps is in front of whoever responds.
What is on the poster
When blood or body fluid is spilled
- Students away, injured person helped first. Calm, seated or moved off. Nobody touches the spill. Serious injury: nurse, another adult, 9-1-1.
- Cover your own cuts, then gloves and goggles on. Nitrile or vinyl gloves, indirectly vented D3 splash goggles, an apron if it could splash.
- Absorb it, then disinfect. Absorbent lifted carefully, then the approved disinfectant for the contact time on its label.
- Bag it and label it. Absorbent, gloves and wipes in a bag labeled biohazard. Sharps and glass in a sharps container.
- Gloves off without touching the outside, then 20 seconds of soap. Palms, backs, wrists, fingertips, thumbs, between the fingers. Rinse, dry.
- Any exposure: report it at once. Broken skin, eyes, nose, mouth, a needlestick or a bite: tell the nurse or supervisor now.
Never eat, drink, or touch your face in the laboratory. Students never clean up blood.
Built to the Science Safety Teaching Standard
This poster carries the SSTS mark. Like every Science Safety course, it is built to the Science Safety Teaching Standard (SSTS): every rule on it is taken from the body that governs it, at its current edition, and the source is printed on the poster, so you can check it yourself.
Stay current
When you get this poster, it is saved to your Science Safety account. If we revise the poster, or the Bloodborne Pathogens module it comes from changes, we will email you, and the latest version will be waiting under Downloads in your account. Every revision carries its revision number and date at the bottom of the poster, so you can tell at a glance whether the copy on your wall is current.
Printing and hanging
- One-page PDF, US letter (8.5 by 11 inches).
- White background, so it prints clearly on any office or classroom printer without using much ink.
- Hang it beside the first aid kit and the spill supplies, at eye level.
- The QR code in the blue title band opens this page, so anyone can get their own copy.
- The QR code at the bottom opens the Bloodborne Pathogens module.
Learn more
The Bloodborne Pathogens module teaches the full topic this poster comes from.
Sources:
- 29 CFR 1910.1030, Bloodborne pathogens – Occupational Safety and Health Administration (reviewed September 30, 2026)
- Handwashing – Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (reviewed September 30, 2026)
- Bloodborne Pathogens module – Science Safety (reviewed September 30, 2026)
Poster SSP-0028, Rev. 1, September 2026.
