Health care workers and others who are exposed to potentially infectious blood and/or other body fluids on the job are at risk. To reduce this risk, health care workers follow strict safety guidelines and use Universal Precautions to prevent spreading disease. Universal Precautions include always wearing latex gloves when taking blood samples or giving shots and washing hands before and after all procedures. While these guidelines have reduced the frequency of on-the-job exposures (occupational exposure) to HIV, needle-sticks and other direct contact with blood and body fluids sometimes occur. The New York State Department of Health recommends that health care workers who experience significant risk of exposure to HIV take medicines to reduce the risk of HIV infection. This is called postexposure prophylaxis (PEP) .
