Which vaccine must OSHA employers provide free to employees?

• A. Hepatitis B vaccine
• B. Hepatitis A vaccine
• C. Influenza vaccine
• D. Tetanus vaccine

Answer: (A)

OSHA’s Bloodborne Pathogens Standard requires employers to offer the Hepatitis B vaccine at no cost to workers who have occupational exposure to blood or other potentially infectious materials. This protection targets the real risk in tattooing and piercing, where exposure to blood and body fluids can occur. The vaccine is given as a three-dose series and the offer must be made within a reasonable time after the worker is assigned to exposure-prone duties; the employee may decline, but the vaccine must be provided free if they choose to accept. The other vaccines listed—Hepatitis A, influenza, and tetanus—are not mandated by OSHA to be provided free to all employees under this standard, though vaccination programs for them may exist in some workplaces.