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OSHA Healthcare Connection

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OSHA Healthcare Connection

Issue 31, December 30, 2005

• FDA posts healthcare PPE information

  A new series of Web pages on personal protective equipment (PPE) and patient care appeared on the...

• CDC approves blood test for TB

  New CDC guidelines approve the use of a TB blood test, QuantiFERON®-TB Gold (QFT-G), as an...

Issue 30, December 23, 2005

• Cleanliness is tops when choosing a hospital

  Cleanliness and low infection rates are two of the top three reasons for which consumers select a...

• New HAZWOPER document guides emergency response

  OSHA announced on December 14 the availability of a new Web-based safety and health guidance...

Issue 29, December 19, 2005

• Study: Businesses not prepared for health or economic effects of flu pandemic

  U.S. businesses take the threat of an influenza pandemic seriously, but two-thirds of U.S...

• Safe lifting is the sign of the times

  Six of the top 10 professions with greatest risk of back injuries are in healthcare, according to...

Issue 28, December 12, 2005

• Employers report fewer injuries and illnesses for 2004

  Private industry reported 4.3 million nonfatal injuries and illnesses during 2004, down from 4.4...

• Drain cleaner mishap evacuates medical office

  Don’t underestimate the threat of everyday chemicals, especially during unmonitored use. A...

Issue 27, December 5, 2005

• APIC calls for mandatory flu shots

  The Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology (APIC) on November 15...

• Web site reveals OSHA violations by company

  Working America, an AFL-CIO affiliate, has created the Job Tracker Web site which identifies...

Issue 26, November 28, 2005

• OSHA renews alliance with Abbott

  OSHA and Abbott, a producer of pharmaceuticals, nutritionals, and medical products, announced the...

• Canadian workers make a point for safety needles

  Ontario healthcare workers face a higher risk of occupational infections than other Canadian...

Issue 25, November 16, 2005

• AORN infection prevention guidelines await review and comment

  The Association of Perioperative Registered Nurses (AORN) has posted "Recommended Practices for...

• Check CDC Web page for "bird flu" information

  With the threat of a "bird flu" pandemic, the CDC regularly updates its Avian Influenza Web page...

Issue 24, November 8, 2005

• Setting the record straight on OSHA recordkeeping

  OSHA placed the long-awaited Recordkeeping Handbook on its Web site on November 3.

• Diabetes awareness month includes workplace issues

  November is National Diabetes Awareness Month, a time to focus attention on a disease that afflicts...

Issue 23, November 1, 2005

• OSHA renews alliance with occupational health nurse group

  OSHA and the American Association of Occupational Health Nurses (AAOHN) have renewed their alliance...

• CDC: Hospital emergency drills lag behind emergency plans

  Approximately 75% of hospitals have emergency plans for responding to explosive or incendiary...

Issue 22, October 25, 2005

• Study: Non-hospital needlesticks increase

  A study of Washington state healthcare workers filing workers' compensation claims for needlestick...

• FDA reports more flu vaccine doses for 2005-2006

  The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) expects a significant increase in production of influenza...

Issue 21, October 18, 2005

• Seminars to educate healthcare workers on dangerous drug exposures

  Healthcare workers in the New England area can take advantage of free seminars on the handling of...

Issue 20, October 11, 2005

• Healthcare striding toward mercury-free alternatives

  Hospitals have made significant progress in minimizing the risk of mercury exposure to patients...

• Check NIOSH site for common toxins among healthcare workers

  The National Institute for Occupational Health and Safety (NIOSH) announced last week the creation...

Issue 19, October 7, 2005

• Worker HIV treatment changes

  The U.S. Public Health Service (USPHS) has changed treatment guidelines for workers exposed to HIV.

• Ambulatory association emphasizes sterilizer testing

  The American Association for Accreditation of Ambulatory Surgery Facilities (AAAASF) reminds...

Issue 18, September 28, 2005

• OSHA chief targets workplace asthma for national attention

  Occupational asthma will be OSHA’s next national emphasis program (NEP), said OSHA Deputy...

• NIH steps up consultations for Katrina patients

  telephone medical consultation service previously available to healthcare providers to all patients...

• Nothing to sneeze at: Flu priority deadline approaches

  The CDC recommends healthcare workers in direct patient care obtain the inactivated influenza...

Issue 17, September 23, 2005

• Mental health and gerontology nurses needed for Katrina response

  The American Nurses Association and the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) are recruiting...

• Last week in September: Time to check immunization status

  National Adult Immunization Awareness Week, which takes place September 25-October 1, is an...

Issue 16, September 13, 2005

• Special report: Evacuate now-here’s how

  The loss of life, property, and essential services in the Gulf Coast region of the United States...

• OSHA to employers: Affirm alcohol and drug addiction recovery work

  OSHA reminds employers and employees that abuse of alcohol and other drugs poses a significant, but...

Issue 15, September 12, 2005

• Katrina and business esumption

  Businesses, including healthcare facilities, will face imposing challenges to resuming operations...

• OSHA prepares for workplace asthma hazards

  OSHA officials identified occupational asthma as a concern that warrants local and regional...

• Q: When does a healthcare facility need a written emergency action plan?

  A: A written emergency action plan is a prudent measure to take for employee and patient safety.

Issue 14, August 30, 2005

• Med students stuck with inadequate needlestick training

  Inexperience puts medical school students at a greater risk to the incidence and consequence of...

• Q: During bloodborne pathogens training, is it okay to defer the question-and-an

  A: No, says OSHA's Electronic mail systems and bloodborne pathogens training requirements letter of...

Issue 13, August 23, 2005

• Blunt needles keep surgeons sharp on safety

  The American College of Surgeons (ACS) announced on August 3 its support for the use and...

• Longer work hours equate to greater injury risk

  No matter what job you work at, your risk of a work-related injury or illness increases when you...

• Q: What is the OSHA regulation for emergency eyewash station testing frequency?

  A: OSHA's medical services and first aid standard (1910.151) does not address testing. The American...

Issue 12, August 16, 2005

• Ten TB cases linked to infected physician

  Nine healthcare workers and one patient probably contracted TB from a Boston Medical Center...

• Healthy growth predicted for infection prevention business

  The demand for products and services from healthcare facilities will help the infection prevention...

• Healthy growth predicted for infection prevention business

  The demand for products and services from healthcare facilities will help the infection prevention...

Issue 11, August 9, 2005

• NIOSH warns transcriptionists of noise hazard

  Dictation headsets may expose medical transcriptions to risks from excessive noise in the workplace.

Issue 10, August 2, 2005

• CDC strongly recommends influenza shots for healthcare workers

  Vaccination of healthcare workers for influenza is a principal recommendation of "Prevention and...

• Patient safety bill becomes law

  President Bush signed the Patient Safety and Quality Improvement Act of 2005 into law on July 29...

• Q&A: How frequently must I review the exposure control plan?

  The minimum review requirement is once a year, but that is only if nothing has changed in your...