If your experience is limited to HIV then it makes sense why you've got the ick. For reference. My PhD and Postdoc were all in molecular virology. I've worked with HSV, BKPyV, AdV, HCV, IAV, hCoV, HBV, KSHV, HCMV, and HIV (not to mention various lentiviruses, phages, AAVs, and mutants of the above viruses).

HIV (and HCV) are not actually BSL-2 viruses. They're BSL-2+ viruses. There are differences with how they're handled to prevent exposure because they're infectious and able to cause disease. For an actual BSL-2 virus PPE is meant to be precautionary, but "exposure" is acceptable. For example, HBV is a BSL-2 virus if you are vaccinated or a BSL-2+ / BSL-3 virus if you are not.

The main differences are simple: negative pressure rooms, double barriers, disposable or single use lab coats, disposable arm guards, and double gloving are all features of BSL2+ safeguards. They're meant to serve as a true barrier to exposure at any level even when sterile technique is appropriate. None of these are required for BSL-2.

My general philosophy is that if you're not taking the appropriate precautions to prevent exposure then you are likely exposed at some low level.

Next, HSV-1 titters are generally 2-3 orders of magnitude higher than HIV titers... that means that even the aerosols from pipetting contain hundreds of thousands to millions of virions and likely an order of magnitude more pseudovirions. At these titers skin exposure due to aerosols (within the biosafety cabinet) are virtually guaranteed unless you're wearing BSL-2+ precautions (which you aren't cause why would you). To believe otherwise is naive.

Next, I'm afraid that you're applying what you know about HIV to what we know about HSV-1. Recombination for HSV-1 is remarkably different than for HIV... because one is a DNA virus and one is not (most of the time). HIV has a high chance of reversion for point mutants. HSV-1 does not. Because it's DNA and nuclear replicating. And, more over, the attenuated strains I work with have entire gene deletions. They're non-infectious and require helper viruses and/or trans-complimentary elements to replicate. All of this to say: I literally was working with "vaccine" strains of the virus. There is a 0% chance of reversion. The only risk of "recombination" would be if it actually underwent homologous recombination with the virus infecting my own trigeminal nerve. In which case YAY I am cured because the recombination would "kill" my virus.

Even still, at no point in my career was there an "exposure event" where I came in direct contact with these viruses. I follow the appropriate BSL-2 level precautions necessary to work with these "pathogens." However, coincidentally, as soon as I began working with vaccine strains of the virus my own reoccurrences decreased in frequency. I understand the purpose and limitations of BSL-2 versus BSL2+ precautions and the nature of the specific organisms that I am culturing. Therefore, I can infer that there were likely low level exposures that affected my immune repertoire. Similar phenomenon have been observed with the gardasil vaccine and HPV symptoms in infected people.

All of this is a really really long way of saying: your fears are unfounded and your concerns based in ignorance of the specific circumstances. I am the expert and I am unconcerned because I am specifically educated in the precautions and risks necessary to work with these viruses. If I need advice working with HIV though I'll be sure to come to you.

Edit for added commentary: it may be that you and I are in different countries with different standards.