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OSHA Healthcare Connection

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OSHA Healthcare Connection

Issue 52, December 30, 2008

• Study: Device availability and enforcement cut needlestick exposures

  Needlestick incidents declined 34% among U.S. healthcare workers from 1993 to 2004, according to a...

• OSHA touts focused and efficient inspection activity

  OSHA issued its most recent inspection activity report on December 19 and characterized its work as...

• Q&A: Electric outlet covers

  Q: Do the electric outlets in our patient waiting area need safety covers?

Issue 51, December 23, 2008

• OSHA to employers: PPE for all

  OSHA gave notice on December 12 that it has standardized the requirement for providing employees...

• Study shows female and young workers hit hardest by workplace allergies

  A study conducted by the Occupational Health & Safety Agency for Healthcare in British Columbia...

• Q&A: Evacuation plan requirements

  Q: Must we have an evacuation plan even if we have only a few employees?

Issue 50, December 16, 2008

• When the economy takes a bite out of emergency preparedness

  A report from Trust for America’s Health (TFAH) and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF...

• OSHA Hospital eTool focuses on MRSA

  With medical facilities across the country becoming more concerned about MRSA infections, OSHA has...

• Q&A: Space heater approval

  Q: Is it against regulations to use a space heater in a physician office?

Issue 49, December 9, 2008

• True needlestick prevention experts

  The International Sharps Injury Prevention Society (ISIPS) has taken the time to honor those who...

• EPA proposes to add pharmaceutical waste to universal list

  The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is proposing a new rule that would add hazardous...

Issue 48, December 2, 2008

• Healthcare Worker Vaccination Day, Dec. 12: What is your flu vaccination rate?

  December 8–14 is "National Influenza Vaccination Week," and the CDC will focus on...

• Achoo-googling: Search engine tracks flu through online surfers

  When the flu hits, sufferers surf the Internet, according to Fox News.

Issue 47, November 25, 2008

• Waste management horror stories

  The incident of medical waste dumped at the New Jersey shore by a Pennsylvania dentist has prompted...

• Risky business; healthcare that is

  A study from the CDC has just confirmed what many healthcare workers probably could have guessed...

Issue 46, November 18, 2008

• Workplace violence is a growing concern

  Doctors and nurses, particularly in the ER, face violent confrontation, sometimes on a weekly...

• Finally, CDC releases new disinfection and sterilization guideline

  The CDC, on November 13, published Guideline for Disinfection and Sterilization in Healthcare...

Issue 45, November 11, 2008

• Something doesn’t sound right . . .

  iPods are making their way into laboratories, leaving some employers wondering where to draw the...

• NIOSH guidelines offer protection from hazardous drugs

  The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), as part of its Workplace...

Issue 44, November 4, 2008

• Warning: Flu vaccine lacks safety device

  Have you noticed any safety issues with your flu vaccinations? If you are using Novartis Flu...

• Democratic control could mean revived ergonomics plan

  As chatter of a Democratic filibuster-proof majority in the Senate continues among political...

Issue 43, October 28, 2008

• Size doesn’t matter; not when it comes to OSHA inspections

  Think again if you consider your medical practice too small for OSHA to care about.

• Employee sues under OSHA whistleblower law

  A former employee of H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute in Tampa Bay...

Issue 42, October 21, 2008

• HCPro introduces new Web site for OSHA healthcare safety officers

  Beginning this week, HCPro, Inc., introduces another resource for occupational safety, health, and...

• Court ruling: Pay employees during exposure treatments

  Employers must reimburse employees for time spent receiving treatment and management for...

Issue 41, October 14, 2008

• APIC pressures healthcare workers on flu shots

  In an effort to increase influenza immunization among healthcare workers, the Association for...

• Drug-Free Work Week focuses on workers and substance abuse

  Small businesses are less likely than large companies to have programs to address the problems of...

Issue 40, October 7, 2008

• OSHA etools focus on sonography and surgery

  OSHA has created a new safety and injury prevention module and revised the surgery section to of...

• An alliance renewed

  OSHA and the American Dental Association (ADA) recently renewed their alliance in an effort to...

Issue 39, September 30, 2008

• OSHA chomps down on dental office

  A New Hampshire dental office is facing hefty fines after receiving one willful citation and six...

• New York State shuts down dialysis center

  The New York State Department of Health (DOH) has officially forced a New York City dialysis center...

Issue 38, September 23, 2008

• It’s time to check your immunization status

  National Adult Immunization Awareness Week (NAIAW), September 21-27, is a good opportunity for...

• Dentist’s waste dumping draws felony charges

  A Pennsylvania dentist has been charged with two third-degree felonies after illegally dumping...

Issue 37, September 16, 2008

• ANSI issues healthcare-specific ventilation standard

  ANSI has just published a new standard that defines healthcare ventilation system requirements to...

• This week, celebrate facility safety with housekeeping staff

  You can acknowledge the contributions of your environmental services and housekeeping staff by...

Issue 36, September 9, 2008

• It’s germ season in doctors’ offices

  Back-to-school means more kids with germs in classrooms and, eventually, more germs entering...

• Getting personal with pandemic flu

  A new online "storybook" from the CDC may help healthcare workers get a better sense of...

Issue 35, September 2, 2008

• "Uncle Sam" asks: Are you ready for an emergency?

  September is National Preparedness Month and the Department of Homeland Security reminds citizens...

• Pandemic flu tops terrorism as a threat in U.K.

  The most serious risk to the public in the United Kingdom is pandemic flu, not terrorism, according...

Issue 34, August 26, 2008

• A shot in the arm for politics and immunization

  When you vote this year, you can help rid society of illness. Not in the political way by voting...

• Double gloving protects when removing PPE

  A CDC recommendation for personal protective equipment to protect healthcare workers may not be as...

Issue 33, August 19, 2008

• OSHA renews Red Cross alliance

  OSHA and the American Red Cross renewed an alliance to improve employee awareness of safety and...

• Evaluating rapid flu tests in outpatient settings

  The Joint Commission and the CDC are sponsoring a study to assess how rapid tests for influenza are...

Issue 32, August 12, 2008

• OSHA hits physician practices with bloodborne pathogens fines

  From January 1 to June 30, OSHA issued 307 citations to offices and clinics of doctors of medicine...

• Stress hazards are high in healthcare

  Even though a new publication by NIOSH looks at occupational stress in hospitals, it also provides...

Issue 31, August 5, 2008

• A good exposure: Making employees aware of your exposure control plan

  A new fact sheet by NIOSH contains good advice for healthcare OSHA managers on making your exposure...

• Study points out the demographics of needlesticks

  Among healthcare workers, if you are a woman; white, non-Hispanic; between the ages 35 to 44 years...

Issue 30, July 29, 2008

• Nurses fear needlesticks as top safety concern

  When it comes to safety concerns for their profession, nurses rate the risk of contracting...

• CDC revises workbook on sharps injury prevention

  CDC has updated Workbook for Designing, Implementing and Evaluating a Sharps Injury Prevention...

Issue 29, July 22, 2008

• CDC updates influenza recommendations

  The CDC Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) posted updated recommendations for...

• Spanish-language resource for sonographer safety posted

  The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) has added Preventing Work-Related...

Issue 28, July 15, 2008

• Attacks on nurses drawing attention

  Half of all non-fatal workplace assaults occur in healthcare and social service settings with...

• Getting straight on P-List waste regulations

  To help healthcare facilities determine state pharmaceutical waste regulations, PharmWaste...

Issue 27, July 8, 2008

• HCPro strengthens its OSHA compliance training with Quality America acquisition

  HCPro, Inc. Marblehead, MA, a leading provider of regulatory compliance and management information...

• Flu expert says vaccinations are part of the job

  Criticizing the low percentage of influenza vaccination among healthcare workers, immunization...

Issue 26, July 1, 2008

• Study: Nurses better than docs on hand hygiene

  Chances are that the nursing staff in your facility is doing a better job with hand-hygiene than...

• Joint Commission sets patient safety goals

  The new goals focus on the prevention of central line-associated bloodstream infections and...

Issue 25, June 24, 2008

• CDC video prompts patients to demand hand hygiene

  The CDC introduced last week a video for patients that encourages them to pay close attention to...

• Medical office closes for mercury spill

  A mercury spill at a Savannah, GA, medical office has forced its closure for nearly a week...

Issue 24, June 17, 2008

• West Virginia protects healthcare workers from violence

  West Virginia now has a law that imposes severe penalties to anyone who attacks a healthcare worker.

• Businesses lose time on hyperactive employees, study shows

  The World Health Organization (WHO) recently completed a survey detailing the less productive...

Issue 23, June 10, 2008

• NIOSH seeks input on healthcare worker safety surveys

  The National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) is requesting public comment on...

• FDA approves new type of latex glove

  The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved a new patient examination glove made from latex...

Issue 22, June 3, 2008

• Healthcare worker safety group renews OSHA alliance

  The Association of Occupational Health Professionals in Healthcare (AOHP) and OSHA have renewed the...

• IC experts could take a lesson from TV crime shows

  The chemical that crime-scene investigators use to detect trace amounts of blood may be useful to...

Issue 21, May 27, 2008

• Nursing homes make OSHA inspection list

  OSHA is including nursing and personal care facilities in its 2008 Site-Specific Targeting (SST...

• OSHA cautions businesses about teen safety concerns

  With teens taking jobs for the summer, OSHA reminds employers that workplace hazards standards...

Issue 20, May 20, 2008

• CDC pins hepatitis cases on unsafe injections

  In a published report last week, the CDC blamed unsafe injection practices in a Nevada endoscopy...

• DOL posts e-tool for work law compliance

  The Department of Labor has created an online tool that advises employers what federal laws apply...

Issue 19, May 13, 2008

• OSHA seeks comments on stockpiling respirators for pandemic

  OSHA is inviting the public to comment before publishing Guidance on Workplace Stockpiling of...

• U.S. measles cases at highest level since 2001

  Since January, 64 cases of measles have been reported in the United States, the highest number...

Issue 18, May 6, 2008

• Safety officers recognized nationwide

  May 7 is Occupational Safety and Health Professional Day, an opportunity to acknowledge the efforts...

• CDC updates online vaccine storage guide

  The CDC’s National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases has updated the online...

Issue 17, April 29, 2008

• Workplace safety programs pay off

  OSHA and a number of safety-minded organizations are teaming up to get the word out that...

• NY moves to protect nurses from workplace violence

  A bill recently passed by the New York Senate makes it a Class C felony to assault or cause...

Issue 16, April 22, 2008

• OSHA posts TB enforcement letter

  OSHA finally got around to posting the notice on its Web site that it will start enforcing annual...

• Healthcare workers get the point, literally, in operating room injury report

  A report by the Occupational Health Surveillance Program of the Massachusetts Department of Public...

Issue 15, April 15, 2008

• TB remains a risk for healthcare workers

  Healthcare workers, who constituted 3% of all reported TB cases in the United States, still remain...

• Arizona hit with measles outbreak

  The CDC issued a health advisory detailing the efforts to control a measles outbreak in Arizona.

Issue 14, April 8, 2008

• NIOSH warns about influenza pandemic protection

  Providing personal protective equipment to healthcare workers will be a critical component in...

• Heart association gives nod to hands-only CPR

  A change in recommended CPR procedures should make it more likely that bystanders will jump in to...

Issue 13, April 1, 2008

• CDC post educates on safe injection practices

  Concerns about recent reports of unsafe injection procedures, especially in ambulatory and...

• Needlestick saga recounts six months of anxiety

  Injured healthcare workers pay a steep psychological toll, especially if they choose not to report...

Issue 12, March 25, 2008

• NIOSH blog warns about suture-stick hazards

  Sharp-tipped suture needles cause 51%-77% of percutaneous injuries among surgical personnel.

• Discarded devices leak mercury, shut down clinic

  Even seemingly harmless, deactivated mercury-containing devices can cause damage resulting in the...

Issue 11, March 18, 2008

• HCPro, Inc. launches new logo and tagline as part of its new corporate branding initiative

  HHCPro, Inc. is launching a new corporate branding campaign designed to reflect the company's focus...

• World TB Day, a time to assess your risk

  World TB Day is March 24, and it serves as a reminder to check that the TB risk assessment for your...

Issue 10, March 11, 2008

• Hepatitis infections prompt state-wide inspections

  The Nevada Department of Health and Human Services has ordered inspections of all ambulatory...

• SBA tags bloodborne pathogens standard for rule change

  Small healthcare offices and laboratories with only limited worker exposure to blood should have...

Issue 9, March 4, 2008

• NIOSH to release new list of hazardous drugs

  It looks like fewer drugs than expected will make the hazardous drug list.

• March starts with patient safety week; government proposes creation of patient safety organizations

  This week is National Patient Safety Awareness Week, a time for healthcare facilities across the...

Issue 8, February 26, 2008

• CDC offers tips for keeping medical devices clean and safe

  The CDC published information alerting healthcare providers about medical device malfunctions...

• Big chill causes mercury spill

  A Canadian clinic had to turn a cold shoulder to some patients when it closed because of a mercury...

Issue 7, February 19, 2008

• CDC offers free hand-hygiene training for frontline staff

  A new program posted by the CDC last week provides training on hand hygiene and standard...

• California adds MRSA to public reporting requirements

  California has increased the number of healthcare providers who must inform local health...

Issue 6, February 12, 2008

• Part-time healthcare workers face full-time needlestick hazards

  Researchers from NIOSH report that part-time, temporary, or contract workers, including those who...

• States are calling in sick with flu

  Even now, with flu season in full swing and widespread outbreaks reported in 11 states, it’s...

Issue 5, February 5, 2008

• OSHA issues warning on poster scam

  If you are being pressured to buy the OSHA poster to be in compliance, you may be the victim of...

• Take sudden cardiac arrest to heart this month

  OSHA estimates that 10,000 sudden cardiac arrests occur at work every year. A number of these...

Issue 4, January 29, 2008

• Study: Needlesticks sting non-hospital nurses, too

  Nurses working in non-hospital settings are not safer from needlestick injuries than colleagues...

• FDA recalls contaminated syringes

  Contaminated syringes prompted the Food and Drug Administration on January 25 to recall all lots of...

Issue 3, January 22, 2008

• Latex gloves given the boot at Johns Hopkins

  Johns Hopkins Medicine in Baltimore has closed the circle on latex gloves. As the first to...

• Contaminated flu-shot syringes draw quick response

  The New York Sate Health Department has investigated a doctor who reused syringes when giving...

Issue 2, January 15, 2008

• It’s back: Annual TB fit-testing

  President Bush has signed into law an OSHA budget that no longer includes a prohibition on annual...

• FDA clears 12-in-1 respiratory virus test

  The Food and Drug Administration has approved a respiratory test that detects and identifies 12...

Issue 1, January 9, 2008

• OSHA shortens fit-testing procedure

  OSHA announced the addition of a new protocol for fit-testing respirators that will shorten the...

• Study to examine aerosol flu risk for healthcare workers

  A National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health research project is trying to gain a...