Teachers of infants and toddlers come in contact with a variety of bodily fluids on a daily basis. Therefore, it is of the utmost importance that they be trained in ways to protect their own health and the health of the children in their care. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA; Bloodborne Pathogens, 1992) has published guidelines for preventing the spread of bloodborne pathogens, such as AIDS and hepatitis. These guidelines define universal infection control precautions to be used in all child care programs to break the chain of transmission for bloodborne pathogens. Following these regulations has also been proven to prevent the spread of other communicable diseases.
