If a tattooist is wearing protective gloves and then comes in contact with the client's blood, he is protected. However, if he answers the phone with those same gloves, the phone has been cross-contaminated with bloodborne pathogens. If he puts on a new pair of gloves, but then picks something up off the floor and then touches the client, the client has been cross-contaminated with numerous unknown bacteria.

Cross-contamination prevention is conscientously acting so as to eliminate any chance of spreading bacteria or disease.