A WORK-SYSTEMS ANALYSIS OF COMPLIANCE WITH UNIVERSAL PRECAUTIONS AMONG HEALTH-CARE WORKERS

Universal precautions are work practices designed to protect health ca re workers from occupational exposure to HIV and other bloodborne path ogens. However, despite aggressive dissemination efforts by CDC and re gulatory action by OSHA, compliance remains less than satisfactory. Th is article argues that the minimization of risk from bloodborne pathog ens requires a multilevel or work-systems perspective that considers i ndividual, job/task and environmental/organizational factors. The avai lable literature on universal precautions suggests the potential of su ch an approach and provides insight into the limited success of curren t worker-focused mitigation efforts. In particular, specific opportuni ties exist to develop and apply engineering controls, to improve the d esign and organization of jobs and tasks, and to create organizations that facilitate and reinforce safe behavior.