1. (1) Employers must make sure that the hepatitis B vaccination series is available to all employees who have occupational exposure and that it is:

   1. (a) Available at no cost to the employee;
   2. (b) Available to the employee at a reasonable time and location;
   3. (c) Administered by or under the supervision of a licensed physician or by another licensed health care professional;
   4. (d) Provided according to recommendations of the United States Public Health Service that are current at the time these evaluations and procedures take place;
   5. (e) Available to any employee who initially declines the vaccination but later decides to accept it while they are still covered by this chapter;
   6. (f) Made available after the employee has received training required by this chapter and within ten working days of initial assignment.
2. (2) You must make sure participation in a prevaccination screening program for antibody status is not a condition for receiving hepatitis B vaccination.
3. (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. (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. (5) Exemptions:

   1. (a) You are not required to provide the hepatitis B vaccination series to employees who meet any of the following:

      1. (i) The employee has previously received the complete hepatitis B vaccination series;
      2. (ii) An antibody test has revealed that the employee is immune to hepatitis B;
      3. (iii) There are medical reasons not to give the vaccine.

   2. (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:

      1. (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;
      2. (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;

      3. (iii) Document first-aid incidents that involve blood or OPIM, include at least:

         1. (A) The names of all first-aid providers who rendered assistance;
         2. (B) The time and date of the first-aid incident;

         3. (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.

[Statutory Authority: RCW 49.17.010, 49.17.040, and 49.17.050. WSR 20-19-133, § 296-823-13005, filed 9/22/20, effective 10/23/20; WSR 15-23-086, § 296-823-13005, filed 11/17/15, effective 12/18/15. Statutory Authority: RCW 49.17.010, 49.17.040, 49.17.050, and 49.17.060. WSR 04-12-070, § 296-823-13005, filed 6/1/04, effective 9/1/04; WSR 03-09-110, § 296-823-13005, filed 4/22/03, effective 8/1/03.]