What it means
Anything of living origin that can carry germs harmful to health. In health care it includes blood and items soaked with it, other potentially infectious body fluids, used needles and blades, tissue and lab cultures. Such waste is marked with the biohazard symbol and placed in red bags or puncture-proof sharps containers.
For the nurse
Treat all blood and body fluids as potentially infectious (standard precautions). Put sharps in the sharps container right after use without recapping, and do not overfill it. Report any needlestick or splash right away.
At a glance
| Also written | biohazards, biohazardous |
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Related terms
pathogen
A germ, such as a bacterium, virus, fungus or parasite, that can cause disease.
precaution
A step taken ahead of time to prevent harm, such as the infection-control practices used with every client.
SDS
Safety Data Sheet: a document that describes a chemical product's hazards and how to handle it safely.