ABSTRACT
Dealing with the Risk of Bloodborne Pathogens It is imperative that analysts recognize the risk involved in processing bloodstained scenes. The very nature of the medium in which the bloodstain pattern analyst works represents a specific health hazard. Unfortunately, police organizations have been slow to develop programs to deal with this particular issue, and slower still to establish comprehensive training programs to teach effective risk management. In an informal survey in 1993, Stewart found 43 out of the 70 departments he queried without any comprehensive policy in place. Over 50 were unaware of Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) regulations governing employer responsibilities with regard to at-risk employees.1
