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OSHA Healthcare Connection

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OSHA Healthcare Connection

Issue 52, December 26, 2006

• OSHA and AORN ally for safety

  OSHA and the Association of periOperative Registered Nurses (AORN) signed an alliance on December...

• Study: Obese workers cost more

  Obese workers are more likely to lose time from work and cost their employers more in lost...

Issue 51, December 19, 2006

• Tips for a safe office holiday party

  Historians say that elements of the modern-day office holiday party have roots in ancient Rome with...

• Breaking the backs of homecare workers

  Home healthcare work may be the most injury-prone occupation in healthcare and the least protected...

Issue 50, December 12, 2006

• Beating back hepatitis B

  Healthcare workers once considered potential hepatitis B virus (HBV) infections as part of the job...

• Straight-back posture is good posture-Not

  Your mother and other disciplinarian archetypes may have been wrong about the benefits of sitting...

Issue 49, December 5, 2006

• Healthcare workers honored for preventing sharps injuries

  In conjunction with World AIDS Day, December 1, and International Sharps Injury Prevention...

• OSHA reminds about whistleblowing protection

  It is not widely known that OSHA protects whistleblowers not just for reporting violations of the...

Issue 48, November 28, 2006

• Healthcare workers updated on avian flu protection

  Practical advice, such as washing your hands and using proper protective equipment, is the focus of...

• Nursing aides high on injury list

  Healthcare occupations continue to experience a high rate of injures, according to Nonfatal...

Issue 47, November 22, 2006

• OSHA and the JCAHO continue worker-safety alliance

  OSHA, the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (JCAHO), and its affiliate...

• Flu week makes last push for more vaccinations

  The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) designated the week after Thanksgiving...

Issue 46, November 17, 2006

• Healthcare workers advised on mumps exposure

  For recommendations on protection from mumps, check the National Immunization Program’s (NIP...

• Perioperative nurses celebrate healthcare safety

  Perioperative Nurse Week, November 12-18, recognizes the contribution of the profession in...

Issue 45, November 7, 2006

• CDC responds to mask vs. respirator debate for influenza

  The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is advising healthcare workers on selecting...

• Workplace violence incidents don’t spur change in policy

  Businesses report that workplace violence incidents increase employee fear and lower morale, but...

Issue 44, November 1, 2006

• Bloodborne pathogens catch practices red handed

  Bloodborne pathogens violations were the most frequently cited OSHA standard during inspections of...

• Healthcare ranks second in nonfatal injuries and illnesses

  Despite an 11% decrease in ambulatory settings, healthcare still ranks second in reported nonfatal...

Issue 43, October 24, 2006

• CDC posts guidelines to thwart MDRO threat

  Preventing the spread of infections from multidrug-resistant organisms (MDRO) requires aggressive...

• Report focuses on harmful healthcare

  The indoor environment of your healthcare facility may make your workers sick, according to an...

Issue 42, October 17, 2006

• OSHA advocates for drug-free workplace

  Working drug-free is key to workplace safety and is the focus for OSHA’s support of Drug-Free...

• CDC: Plenty of flu shots to go around

  At least 100 million influenza vaccines-the most ever in supply-will be available for this...

Issue 41, October 10, 2006

• Congress considers patient lifting safeguards to protect workers

  U.S. Representative John Conyers Jr. (D-MI) introduced a bill that would require healthcare...

• Give IC pros a hand-preferably a germ--free one

  "Infection prevention--"it's in your hands" is the theme of International Infection Prevention...

Issue 40, October 3, 2006

• Democrat wants CMS to mandate worker flu shot offer

  Healthcare facilities that do not provide free influenza vaccinations to workers should not...

Issue 39, September 26, 2006

• Changes in HIV screening improve worker safety

  Routine human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) testing among patients will provide essential...

• Immunization group adds to hepatitis B worker safety resource

  The Immunization Action Coalition (IAC) updated "Hepatitis B and the Healthcare Worker," a...

Issue 38, September 19, 2006

• OSHA contemplates "HazCom" change; wants your comments

  OSHA is accepting comments on incorporating the Globally Harmonized System of Classification and...

• NIOSH adds glutaraldehyde Web page

  For quick and useful information on the applications and exposure symptoms of glutaraldehyde, check...

Issue 37, September 12, 2006

• Staying in business is part of disaster planning

  In the wake of a disaster, getting your healthcare facility up and running to provide essential...

• Immunization group offers flu shot declination form

  Obtaining documentation from healthcare workers who decline influenza vaccinations is part of the...

Issue 36, September 5, 2006

• Labor Day checklist targets workplace cancer prevention

  Fatalities, increased healthcare costs, and reduced workplace productivity from cancer is the focus...

• CDC expands flu education materials

  The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) updated its Flu Gallery of education materials...

Issue 35, August 29, 2006

• China: Learn from SARS to contend with avian flu

  How Chinese healthcare workers responded to SARS outbreaks several winters ago can provide a...

• Mark your calendar to recognize environmental services and housekeeping staff

  The American Society for Healthcare Environmental Services (ASHES) encourages healthcare employers...

Issue 34, August 22, 2006

• Center posts fact sheet on suture-needle injuries

  Suture needles that cause percutaneous injuries to healthcare workers are the primary source of...

• Study warns that tough-to-treat skin infections are on the rise

  Healthcare workers are seeing more cases of community acquired methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus...

Issue 33, August 15, 2006

• Nurses suffer high incidence of occupational asthma

  Work-Related Lung Disease (eWoRLD) Surveillance System, produced by the National Institute for...

• FDA seeks comments on medical device tracking system

  The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced in the August 11 Federal Register that it is...

Issue 32, August 8, 2006

• Healthcare workers fitted for respiratory protection

  State healthcare workers in Brevard County, FL, will receive and be fit-tested for N95 respirators...

• Businesses can tap NIOSH for emergency management resources

  The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) has posted the Business Emergency...

Issue 31, August 2, 2006

• Flu bug experts want healthcare workers shot. . . with vaccine

  The Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) updated its recommendations on Prevention...

• California to restrict home needle disposal

  A new law will prohibit California residents from disposing of used needles and sharps in household...

Issue 30, July 25, 2006

• Healthcare workers arrested for alleged post-Katrina killings

  The attorney general in Louisiana issued warrants and obtained arrests for three clinicians who...

• Web site educates on surgical-fire devastation and prevention

  Catherine Lake, the daughter of a woman who was injured in a surgical fire, has created a Web site...

Issue 29, July 18, 2006

• APIC launches infection prevention Web site

  The Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology and Tyco Healthcare/Kendall...

• State slaps hospital for fouling landfill

  The Environment Department of New Mexico fined Alta Vista Regional Hospital, Las Vegas, NM, $44,500...

Issue 28, July 11, 2006

• OSHA seeks grant proposals for emergency planning

  Workplace emergency planning in healthcare is one of the target categories designated by OSHA for...

• Safety needle goes skin deep for protection

  A new safety syringe with a subepidermal locking sheath received approval from the Food and Drug...

Issue 27, July 4, 2006

• Hospital hit with $112,500 in fines for formaldehyde hazards

  OSHA fined New York Hospital in Queens, NY, for allegedly failing to protect workers from...

• AORN seeks comment on radiological exposure guidelines

  There is still time to comment on the practices for minimizing patient and healthcare worker...

Issue 26, June 27, 2006

• Manufacturers warn of respirator shortages to protect healthcare workers

  Many healthcare workers will battle an avian flu pandemic without protection, says a June 22 letter...

• NY law aims to prevent workplace violence

  New York State passed a new law to improve work site safety in the public sector, including public...

Issue 25, June 20, 2006

• OSHA renews alliance with safety engineer association

  OSHA and the American Society of Safety Engineers (ASSE) agreed to extend their alliance for...

• Study: Nearly half of all nurses stuck by contaminated needle

  Needlestick injuries "affect the vast majority of nurses," according to a study released June 15 by...

Issue 24, June 13, 2006

• Outbreak forces mumps immunity change

  Healthcare workers may not pass muster for the new mumps immunity criteria established by the...

• Study: Injury from falls is top worker safety concern

  U.S. workers consider slips and falls the greatest workplace hazard, according to a study...

Issue 23, June 6, 2006

• Nursing homes under OSHA scrutiny

  OSHA included nursing homes and personal care facilities as part of its 2006 site-specific...

• CDC recognizes 25 years of HIV/AIDS challenges and success

  June 5 marks the 25-year anniversary of the first identified cases of AIDS reported by the CDC. The...

Issue 22, May 30, 2006

• Web sites advise eye protection for healthcare staff

  The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) reminds healthcare workers about...

• The JCAHO issues hand-gel fire risk warning

  The Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (JCAHO) has alerted healthcare...

Issue 21, May 23, 2006

• OSHA and dental association renew alliance

  OSHA and the American Dental Association (ADA) renewed their two-year alliance to advance workplace...

• Study: Mucous membrane exposures significant for paramedics

  Paramedics risk exposure to bloodborne pathogens through nonintact skin and mucous membranes as...

Issue 20, May 16, 2006

• CDC: Good acceptance of HBV vaccine among healthcare workers

  The high percentage (80.3%) of healthcare workers receiving the hepatitis B virus (HBV) vaccine has...

• OSHA publishes guide to prevent workplace mold hazards

  OSHA posted Preventing Mold-Related Problems in the Indoor Workplace on its Web site this month.

Issue 19, May 9, 2006

• OSHA publishes guide for toxic disinfectant

  OSHA posted Best Practices for the Safe Use of Glutaraldehyde in Health Care on its Web site last...

• Study rates nurses above surgeons in OR safety

  Teamwork in the operating room is essential to safety, and nurses score better than surgeons...

Issue 18, May 3, 2006

• Study weighs in on worker obesity tab

  Injuries related to obesity account for 39.3 million lost workdays a year. The cost to U.S...

• Bird flu protection not "wash ’n wear"

  Cleaning and reusing the N95 respirators used to protect healthcare workers during an avian flu...

Issue 17, April 25, 2006

• "Workers Memorial Day" observed April 28

  "Good Jobs, Safe Jobs" is the message for "Workers Memorial Day," designated by the American...

• HHS provides pandemic help for medical practices

  A new planning tool will help medical offices and ambulatory clinics assess and improve their...

Issue 16, April 18, 2006

• Glove punctures a big concern among operating room nurses

  A survey of operating room nurses shows that 82% of respondents were very concerned that contact...

• NIOSH guides nursing homes on lifting equipment benefits

  A new guide, Safe Lifting and Movement of Nursing Home Residents, appeared on the National...

Issue 15, April 11, 2006

• Congress shackles OSHA on TB respirator testing, again

  For those who like their OSHA exemptions in writing, check out the prohibition against annual...

• Hand hygiene in healthcare not making the grade

  Impatient with workers not washing their hands frequently or well enough, hospitals are...

Issue 14, April 4, 2006

• Mercury spill disrupts medical practices

  A broken blood pressure gauge released mercury and forced the evacuation of two Lima, OH...

• A day to appreciate safety officers

  You might be susceptible to musculoskeletal disorders from excessive back patting on May 3...

Issue 13, March 28, 2006

• Alliance to make nursing homes safer workplaces

  Protecting Illinois nursing home workers from safety and health hazards is the focus of a new...

• Senate confirms new OSHA director

  The U.S. Senate confirmed Edwin G. Foulke Jr. as assistant secretary of labor for OSHA on March 15.

Issue 12, March 21, 2006

• Dental group brushes up members on TB guidelines

  The American Dental Association (ADA) updated its tuberculosis Web page to reflect the CDC...

• Lucky this OR nightmare is only a cartoon

  Think you are up to snuff on safe work practices and infection control recommendations in the...

Issue 11, March 14, 2006

• HSS instructs home healthcare on flu pandemic preparedness

  It won't be business as usual for home healthcare agencies if a flu pandemic hits.

• Are your vaccinations up to date?

  Two, new, colorful posters from the National Immunization Program exhort healthcare workers to...

Issue 10, March 7, 2006

• NIOSH wants your star rating for video

  If the Oscars didn't satisfy your need to opine about films, the National Institute of Occupational...

• Patient safety highlighted this week

  The National Patient Safety Foundation (NPSF) encourages healthcare organizations across the...

Issue 9, February 28, 2006

• Pertussis vaccine for healthcare workers gains support

  The National Foundation for Infectious Diseases (NFID) has added its support for vaccinating all...

• NIOSH seeks comments on healthcare anesthetic hazards

  The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) will review and evaluate toxicity...

Issue 8, February 21, 2006

• Ergonomics standard? Doubt it

  Those of you wishing for an ergonomics standard from the OSHA are out of lucky stars.

• C. difficile is on the minds of the feds

  Three federal agencies will host a conference on May 11 to discuss, among other concerns...

Issue 7, February 14, 2006

• OSHA to receive 2007 budget increase as plans for inspections level off

  President Bush has requested a $483.7 million budget for OSHA in fiscal year 2007, an increase of...

• Report predicts healthy and pricey needle-free device market

  The escalating incidence of needlestick injuries and the rising cost of treating those injuries...

Issue 6, February 7, 2006

• OSHA declares FY 2005 strong on enforcement

  OSHA sustained a vigorous enforcement program during the 2005 fiscal year despite temporary...

• Oregon squeezes medical center for dumping compacted infectious waste

  The Oregon Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) hit St. Charles Medical Center in Bend, OR...

Issue 5, January 31, 2006

• Organized healthcare comments on JCAHO flu proposal

  Two associations that represent healthcare workers have voiced opposition to the mandatory...

• Boomers tied to worker injury rate

  Musculoskeletal disorders (MSD) remain the leading cause of lost work time for U.S. employees, and...

Issue 4, January 24, 2006

• Check for OSHA injury and illness posting exemptions

  February 1 is the date OSHA requires employers to post a summary of job-related injuries and...

• The JCAHO explores mandatory flu shots

  The Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (JCAHO) is conducting a field...

Issue 3, January 17, 2006

• Federal court sides with nurses against mandatory flu shots

  The U.S. District Court in Seattle ruled in favor of the Washington State Nurses Association...

• HHS releases avian flu guide for families

  The U.S. Health and Human Services announced the release of Pandemic Influenza Planning: A Guide...

Issue 2, January 10, 2006

• Keeping an eye on colleagues' health

  With 10%-15% of all healthcare professionals misusing drugs at some time in their careers, the...

• Employer group promotes drive safely to work week

  The Network of Employers for Traffic Safety urges businesses to put the brakes on workplace traffic...

• County may require doctors to report MRSA infections

  Pediatricians may soon have to notify the Allegheny County Health Department when they diagnose...

Issue 1, January 3, 2006

• TB guidelines approved, at last

  The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has published "Guidelines for Preventing the...

• Study: Drug-resistant

  New research estimates that about two million people carry a strain of drug-resistant bacteria...