In 1992, the International Lactation Consultant Association (ILCA) asked
OSHA, the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration, whether the
OSHA regulation "Occupational Exposure to Bloodborne Pathogens" applied to
breastmilk.  They replied that,

 "Breast milk is not included in the standard's definition of "other
potentially infectious materials". Therefore contact with breast milk does
not constitute occupational exposure, as defined by the standard."[21]

They based their position on "the Centers for Disease Control's findings
that human breast milk has not been implicated in the transmission of the
human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) or the hepatitis B virus (HBV) to
 workers".[22]  Like the CDC, they recommend that gloves be worn by
healthcare workers where exposures to breastmilk might be frequent, such as
in human milk banking.[23]


[21] Clark, Roger A., Director, Directorate of Compliance Programs, U.S.
Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA).  "Breast milk does not
constitute occupational exposure as defined by standard":
http://www.osha.gov/pls/oshaweb/owadisp.show_document?p_table=INTERPRETATION
S&p_id=20952&p_text_version=FALSE

[22]  "Perspectives in Disease Prevention and Health Promotion Update:
Universal Precautions for Prevention of Transmission of Human
Immunodeficiency Virus, Hepatitis B Virus, and Other Bloodborne Pathogens in
Health-Care Settings"  MMWR Weekly June 24, 1988/37(24); 377-388.
http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/00000039.htm

[23]  See note 21.


Barb Strange

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