▁surfaces ▁and ▁at ▁room ▁temperature ▁to ▁kill ▁disease ▁causing ▁micro organ isms . ▁Ult rav io let ▁light ▁has ▁also ▁been ▁used ▁to ▁dis in fect ▁the ▁rooms ▁of ▁patients ▁inf ected ▁with ▁Clo str id ium ▁diff icile ▁after ▁dis charge . ▁Dis in fection ▁is ▁less ▁effective ▁than ▁ster il ization ▁because ▁it ▁does ▁not ▁kill ▁b acter ial ▁end os por es . ▁ ▁Personal ▁protect ive ▁equipment ▁ ▁Personal ▁protect ive ▁equipment ▁( P PE ) ▁is ▁special ized ▁cl othing ▁or ▁equipment ▁worn ▁by ▁a ▁worker ▁for ▁protection ▁against ▁a ▁ha z ard . ▁The ▁ha z ard ▁in ▁a ▁health ▁care ▁setting ▁is ▁expos ure ▁to ▁blood , ▁sal iva , ▁or ▁other ▁bod ily ▁flu ids ▁or ▁a eros ols ▁that ▁may ▁carry ▁inf ect ious ▁materials ▁such ▁as ▁He pat itis ▁C , ▁H IV , ▁or ▁other ▁blood ▁bor ne ▁or ▁bod ily ▁fluid ▁path ogen . ▁P PE ▁prevents ▁contact ▁with ▁a ▁potentially ▁inf ect ious ▁material ▁by ▁creating ▁a ▁physical ▁bar rier ▁between ▁the ▁potential ▁inf ect ious ▁material ▁and ▁the ▁health care ▁worker . ▁ ▁The ▁United ▁States ▁Occ up ational ▁Saf ety ▁and ▁Health ▁Administration ▁( OS HA ) ▁requires ▁the ▁use ▁of ▁personal ▁protect ive ▁equipment ▁( P PE ) ▁by ▁workers ▁to ▁guard ▁against ▁blood ▁bor ne ▁path og ens ▁if ▁there ▁is ▁a ▁reason ably ▁anticip ated ▁expos ure ▁to ▁blood ▁or ▁other ▁potentially ▁inf ect ious ▁materials . ▁ ▁Com ponents ▁of ▁P PE ▁include ▁glo