OSHA requires the Hepatitis B vaccine to be offered to every employee who is potentially exposed to bloodborne pathogens during their employment. However, this is not necessary if the individual has already been vaccinated.
After the Hepatitis B vaccine was produced in 1982, the World Health Organization (WHO) recommended it to be included as a routine immunization for all children in all countries. In 1995, the US implemented this recommendation, which means most US citizens who are currently 26-years old or younger have already received this vaccination.
Is your company offering and paying for unnecessary vaccinations? If so, you might consider changing your program to avoid this offer whenever hiring younger workers.
While this might be great news for some… there is something else that needs to be considered. According to the Center for Disease Control (CDC), the Hepatitis B vaccine only lasts for 30-years. So while you can avoid offering the vaccine when hiring younger workers, if those workers stay with your company until age 30, you will need to offer them the vaccine at that time.
