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OSHA Healthcare Connection

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OSHA Healthcare Connection

Issue 26, June 28, 2011

• Weekly poll: Workplace flu shots

  Given the special need for influenza vaccination among healthcare workers, does your workplace...

Issue 25, June 21, 2011

• Q&A: Food, specimens, and refrigerators

  Q: What would be the OSHA fine for storing workers' food in the same refrigerator as medications...

Issue 46, October 25, 2011

• OSHA web page advises on workplace flu prevention

  OSHA’s updated Seasonal Flu Web page provides basic flu prevention advice for all workplaces...

• Editor’s Choice: It’s the season to remind staff about holiday decoration policy rules

  With Halloween fast approaching, it's time to remind staff about safety compliance with regard to...

• Ask the expert: Timing for new employee bloodborne pathogens training

  Q: What is the timing on training new employees on bloodborne pathogens hazards?

• Weekly poll: Injury and illness rates in healthcare

  Do you think the workplace injury and illness rate in healthcare will ever approach the national...

Issue 45, October 18, 2011

• OSHA posts guidance document for laboratory safety

  OSHA has added Laboratory Safety Guidance to its laboratory safety web page.

• Nurse group praises California lifting law

  Last week Gov. Jerry Brown signed the “Hospital Patient and Health Care Worker Injury...

• Editor’s Choice: Hospitals seeing red, as in more bloodborne pathogens violations

  OSHA has hit hospitals with more and higher fines for bloodborne pathogens violations compared to...

• Ask the expert: Bloodborne pathogens training records

  Q: What is the timing on training new employees on bloodborne pathogens hazards?

• Weekly poll: Safe patient handling and lifting

  Do you have a safe patient handling and lifting policy in your healthcare facility?

Issue 44, October 11, 2011

• Study cautions on home scrub laundering

  A study shows that the newer energy-saver washing machines may not be able to stand up to take-home...

• CDC hepatitis report gives needlestick exposure stats

  According to the CDC, of the 1,287 hepatitis B 2009 case reports analyzed, 4.8% involved accidental...

• Editor’s Choice: Needlestick hazards in nonhospital settings? Better believe it

  Despite the volume and complexity of procedures, hospitals don't have a monopoly on needlestick and...

• Ask the expert: Laundry and water temperature

  Q: Are there water temperature requirements for washing linen soiled with blood in healthcare...

• Weekly poll: How safe are your home-laundered scrubs?

  How confident are you that laundering your scrubs at home would kill MRSA and other infectious...

Issue 43, October 4, 2011

• NIOSH posts safe patient handling web page

  Manually moving and repositioning patients, residents, or clients is the single greatest risk...

• Physician to stand trial for hepatitis outbreak

  Nevada state medical experts have found the physician allegedly associated with a hepatitis C...

• Editor’s Choice: Checklist crazy

  If you are like most safety professionals, you probably never came across a safety checklist that...

• Ask the expert: Declining and then accepting the hepatitis B vaccination

  Q: If an employee initially declined the hepatitis B vaccination, must the employer make the...

• Weekly poll: PPE and one size does not fit all

  Given the PPE that you wear on the job, how well does it fit?

Issue 42, September 27, 2011

• OSHA sues dental practice for firing workers voicing safety concerns

  Capped needles, not capped teeth, has a Beverly, MA, dental practice in whistleblower trouble with...

• Mass. reports on healthcare worker flu shot rates

  The Massachusetts Office of Health and Human Services has posted its annual list of healthcare...

• OSHA updates whistleblower guidance

  OSHA has updated the guidance document that it uses to investigate cases through the Whistleblower...

• Editor’s Choice: Free bedbug advice for healthcare facilities

  Check out the Briefings on Infection Control article: “Bedbugs: What to do when bedbugs...

• Ask the expert: Emergency action plans for small practices

  Q: Does a small clinic need a written emergency action plan?

• Weekly poll: New hires and hepatitis B protection

  When hiring new employees, whether students or long-time healthcare workers, is determining their...

Issue 41, September 20, 2011

• The OSHA man cometh, for nursing homes

  Hazardous work conditions have OSHA targeting nursing homes for inspections this year.

• Healthcare workers, here's a contest you don't want to win

  Healthcare workers, enter this contest for two months paid time off. All you have to do is suffer a...

• Welsh workers wailing at Crocs ban

  It appears that the controversy over Crocs as safe footwear for healthcare workers isn’t just...

• Editor’s Choic: Free webcast offered on ending bullying and toxic behavior in nursing

  Join HCPro for a live, free, 60-minute webcast, A Conversation with Kathleen Bartholomew: End...

• Ask the expert: Roaming with contaminated sharps

  Q: For a typical doctor’s office with treatment rooms, we have to leave the treatment room...

• Weekly poll: Healthcare workers and the "Contagion" buzz

  Does the "Contagion" movie Hollywood buzz help or hinder the role of healthcare workers...

Issue 40, September 13, 2011

• OSHA issues compliance directive for workplace violence prevention

  OSHA issued an enforcement directive that guides OSHA inspectors when investigating incidents or...

• Washington State claims highest hospital worker flu shot coverage

  Hospital workers in Washington state lead the nation in flu immunizations, according to the...

• Surveyors eyeing eyewash station compliance

  An item on eyewash stations in Mac's Safety Space spills over into the OSHA Healthcare Advisor...

• Editor’s Choice: Come and get it; fresh data on OSHA violations

  The September issue of Medical Environment Update reports on frequent and expensive OSHA fines for...

• Ask the expert: Medical waste manifests

  Q: How long must our practice keep EPA manifests for medical waste?

• Weekly poll: Workplace violence prevention in your healthcare facility

  Will OSHA's issuing of the enforcement directive prompt you to reassess your facility's policy on...

Issue 39, September 6, 2011

• New Jersey, no garden state for bedbugs

  New Jersey isn’t sleeping tight with bedbugs as the state’s Senate passed a bill...

• Study: Patient safety trumps personal safety for motivating hand washing

  The best way to get healthcare workers to wash their hands is not to scare them about their own...

• Clinic warns patients of possible hepatitis and HIV transmissions

  Dean Clinic, Madison, WI, is notifying 2,345 patients that they may have been exposed to bloodborne...

• Ask the expert: Limiting glove use in home healthcare

  Q: In home healthcare who is responsible for purchasing gloves–employer, employee, or...

• Weekly poll: Can you pass the "Joisey" bedbug test?

  Could you show proof of a bedbug extermination plan being in place in your healthcare facility...

Issue 38, August 30, 2011

• Study examines chemotherapy exposures to nurses

  A study warns that a lack of safety measures with the highly toxic drugs used in chemotherapy is...

• Mercury spills still a healthcare hazard

  A Houston-area family medical practice was evacuated when a blood pressure device fell and leaked...

• Body scanners bringing fashion and fit to PPE

  The practicality of custom-tailored isolation gowns may not be right around the corner, but...

• Editor’s Choice: When the earth moves under your feet, or earthquake!

  Now that you felt or heard about the 5.8-magnitude earthquake centered near Mineral, VA, on August...

• Ask the expert: Employer says no to providing free hepatitis B vaccinations

  Q: Are the owners of an assisted living facility required to offer hepatitis B vaccinations free of...

• Weekly poll: Will you have more resources for emergency preparedness next year?

  This year, healthcare facilities have already dealt with floods, tornadoes, earthquakes, and...

Issue 34, August 23, 2011

• AHA endorses mandatory flu shots for healthcare workers

  The American Hospital Association (AHA) has endorsed mandatory patient safety policies that require...

• Study: Hand dermatitis in hospital workers related to job stress

  Hand dermatitis is related to job stress such as high job demands and low social support in...

• CDC reports on flu vaccination among healthcare workers

  Despite recommendations from government agencies, influenza advisory committees, healthcare...

• Editor’s Choice: Free webcast offered on ending bullying and toxic behavior in nursing

  Join HCPro for a live, free, 60-minute webcast, A Conversation with Kathleen Bartholomew: End...

• Ask the expert: Daily testing for eyewash stations

  Q: Does OSHA require daily testing for eyewash stations?

• Weekly poll: Speaking up for safety as a patient

  As a patient, if you observed your caregiver not following hand hygiene or glove use protocols...

Issue 33, August 16, 2011

• NIOSH posts impact sheet on hazardous drugs in healthcare

  NIOSH has added hazardous drugs in healthcare to its Impact Sheet web page this month.

• Study: Regulations result in decrease in sharps disposal injuries

  A study conducted by the International Healthcare Worker Safety Center at the University of...

• Just the facts...just doesn’t work on vaccinations

  The facts aren't enough to overcome the public's increasing distrust of vaccination programs...

• Editor’s Choice: Infection control gaps in ASCs

  Ambulatory surgery centers (ASC) continue to squirm under the regulatory microscope on infection...

• Ask the expert: Locker room showers for emergency exposures

  Q: Is it okay to use locker room showers in our ambulatory surgery center for eye exposures to...

• Weekly poll: Safety and progressive disciplinary policy

  Does your facility have a written progressive disciplinary policy that applies to workplace safety...

Issue 32, August 9, 2011

• PPE pegged as top safety problem

  A survey of safety professionals found that 89% of respondents have observed workers not wearing...

• Notes from the Field: Who gave you that bad advice?

  Safety needles only for HIV and hepatitis patients; wiping and rinsing semi-critical instruments...

• AAAHC seeks comment on standards change

  The Accreditation Association for Ambulatory Health Care is in the process of changing some of its...

• Editor’s Choice: United we stand, divided we fall

  The August issue of Medical Environment Update looks at the importance of establishing a slip...

• Ask the expert: Needlesticks and contract employees

  Q: Who is responsible for the management of a needlestick exposure to a contract employee? A nurse...

• Weekly poll: Reacting to flu shot resisters

  How do you react to healthcare workers who resist mandatory seasonal influenza policies when...

Issue 31, August 2, 2011

• Study: Healthcare students fall short of passing Hep B grade

  Healthcare students may be entering their profession not fully protected from one of its deadly...

• World Hepatitis Day: Take note of occupational prevention resources

  Last week’s World Hepatitis Day, July 28, served as reminder that occupational exposure to...

• Six hepatitis deaths brings $16K fine for assisted living center

  An assisted living center where six residents died from hepatitis B as a result of unsafe blood...

• Editor’s Choice: Lab accreditor changes CJD-related guidelines

  Terry Jo Gile, MT(ASCP), MA Ed., The Safety Lady®, reports on a change from the Laboratory...

• Ask the expert: Flu shot resources for skittish healthcare workers

  Q: Many of my staff members are afraid of the influenza vaccination. Can you suggest resources to...

• Weekly poll: What’s riskier, a hospital stay or air travel?

  Do you agree with the statement by a World Health Organization official that a hospital stay places...

Issue 30, July 26, 2011

• Free webinar to focus on sharps safety in nonhospital settings

  The International Healthcare Worker Safety Center is sponsoring a free webinar on an overlooked...

• Study: Clinical and nonclinical workers susceptible to H1N1

  Nonclinical healthcare workers were just as likely to come down with the flu as were clinical...

• Video instructs on safe injection practices

  The Immunization Action Coalition is promoting a free video focusing on eliminating unsafe...

• Editor's choice: 2011 HCPro Nursing Image Awards

  The HCPro 2011 Nursing Image Awards honor nurses whose leadership, teamwork, or clinical expertise...

• Ask the expert: Who pays when a TB skin test isn't possible

  Q: What is the responsibility for a company to pay for a chest x-ray in place of a PPD for TB...

• Weekly poll: Is your boss a champion or nemesis of workplace safety?

  Taking a cue from the film "Horrible Bosses," what role does your boss play in supporting...

Issue 29, July 19, 2011

• CDC posts infection control checklist for outpatient settings

  The CDC has posted a new checklist: Prevention Checklist for Outpatient Settings: Minimum...

• NIOSH is all go on STOP STICKS campaign

  NIOSH aims to raise awareness among healthcare workers about the dangers of needelsticks and other...

• Healthcare tops list of most violent workplaces in Washington state

  Nurse's aides are the most violent-prone jobs in Washington state, according to an investigative...

• Editor’s Choice: Dental career pains

  A recent study showed that dentists suffered a slew of injuries as a result of musculoskeletal...

• Ask the expert: Lab coats in labs

  Q: Where is the OSHA regulation requiring lab coats to be worn in a healthcare laboratory?

• Weekly poll: Infection control for outpatient settings

  Do you think that the CDC guide and checklist for Infection Prevention in Outpatient Settings...

Issue 28, July 12, 2011

• OSHA drills dentist in whistleblower check-up

  An OSHA whistleblower investigation has a dentist squirming in the regulatory exam chair, so to...

• Brooklyn medical center tagged for asbestos hazards

  OSHA inspected a medical center in Brooklyn, NY, and issued $48,000 in proposed fines.

• Stakeholders to convene on infectious disease standard

  In the Federal Register, OSHA published notice of two stakeholder meetings on July 29 to gather...

• Editor’s Choice: Aye-aye on eyewash station compliance

  The July issue of Medical Environment Update takes a look at the basics for emergency eyewash...

• Ask the expert: Frequency of TB skin tests

  Q: How often should employees in healthcare settings have a PPD after the baseline test when they...

• Weekly poll: OSHA and whistleblower protection awareness

  How would you rate management's knowledge/awareness of the Whistleblower Protection Act in your...

Issue 27, July 5, 2011

• Resident docs and nurses need adequate sleep to work safely

  Although rules to limit work hours for first-year residents will soon go into effect, a group of...

• OSHA goes interactive with recordkeeping rule tool

  Ever have those what-if questions concerning whether an injury is recordable for OSHA purposes?

• Vital stats: Weather-related emergency action plans and evacuations

  A recent OSHA Healthcare Advisor weekly poll asked: Drills not included, has your healthcare...

• Editor’s Choice: Top OSHA compliance and infection control training tools

  One of the most popular features of HCPro’s OSHA Healthcare Advisor is the Tools page, which...

• Ask the expert: When in doubt--or ignorant--blame it on OSHA

  Q: Is it an OSHA regulation that a carry-out coffee with a lid on the container cannot be brought...

• Weekly poll: To sleep, perchance to dream

  Regardless of whether you have ever worked extended shifts, have you ever felt your personal safety...

Issue 26, June 28, 2011

• OSHA proposes recordkeeping changes

  OSHA is proposing a change that will require employers to report within eight hours all...

• Tornado safety advice from OSHA

  A new OSHA web page emphasizes both preparedness and response in protecting workers from tornado...

• OSHA advises on protecting teen workers

  OSHA reminds employers that its standards afford protection to temporary summer employees, many of...

• Editor's Choice: Sterilant safety

  Help your workers to use sterilants safely by downloading the sterilant safety poster from the OSHA...

• Q&A: OSHA and baby-proof electrical outlets

  Q: Does OSHA mandate electrical covers (baby proofing) in all patient areas? Ours is a pediatric...

• Nominate a star for the HCPro 2011 Nursing Image Awards

  Nominations are open for the HCPro 2011 Nursing Image Awards, which honor nurses whose leadership...

Issue 25, June 21, 2011

• Napa hospital continues to collect workplace violence fines

  Napa State Hospital seems to be a magnet for fines from regulators for workplace...

• Safety audits now fair game for OSHA inspectors

  According to a recent district court ruling, OSHA investigators can subpoena a company’s...

• Who was that masked man? Somebody without a flu shot

  Requiring workers who decline flu shots to wear masks from November through March is credited with...

• Editor's Choice: ADA and safety in healthcare facilities

  The Americans with Disabilities Act sometimes comes up as an issue in the healthcare safety world.

• Weekly poll: Worker safety vs. green issues

  NIOSH says that environmental stewardship gets asked to the prom while occupational safety gets...

• Nominate a star for the HCPro 2011 Nursing Image Awards

  Nominations are open for the HCPro 2011 Nursing Image Awards, which honor nurses whose leadership...

Issue 24, June 14, 2011

• OSHA slaps VA center with 33 violations, zero dollars in fines

  OSHA has issued 33 safety and health violations to a veterans health care center in North Chicago...

• Comparing states on flu shot coverage

  A CDC report shows how states compared on vaccination coverage for last year’s flu season and...

• Editor's Choice: OSHA and PPE compliance

  The June issue of Medical Environment Update takes a close look at OSHA’s new directive that...

• Q&A: OSHA, Yes or no on mandatory flu shots?

  Q: What is OSHA’s position on mandatory flu shots for healthcare workers?

• Weekly poll: Reaching the flu shot goal

  By 2020, will the U.S. meet the CDC’s Healthy People influenza vaccination rate target of 80...

Issue 23, June 7, 2011

• Pharmacists adopt mandatory flu shot policy

  The American Pharmacists Association supports the policy of making influenza vaccination a...

• Survey shows worldwide noncompliance for hand hygiene

  A survey distributed globally by the World Health Organization found that nearly 50% of healthcare...

• Editor's Choice: Safety considerations or cosmetics, etc.

  Read what Terry Jo Gile, the Safety Lady, says about safe lab work practices that can get...

• Q&A: Sharps disposal containers on carts

  Q: Are there compliance issues with placing a sharps disposal container on top of a mobile blood...

• Weekly poll: Germ-ridden cell phones and safety

  Is cell phone usage a detriment to patient and worker safety in your healthcare facility?

Issue 22, May 31, 2011

• Preventing violence against ED nurses

  "Imagine if every time you came to work, there was a pretty good chance you would face a...

• Drinking on the job? No, just practicing hand hygiene compliance

  Using alcohol-based hand sanitizer can increase alcohol levels in the bloodstream if it’s...

• Editor’s Choice: You don’t have an emergency action plan?

  Emergency action plans aren’t just for hospitals. OSHA requires them for many businesses.

• Q&A: MSDS replacement frequency

  Q: How often must we replace MSDSs in our MSDS file?

• Weekly poll: Weather-related emergency action plans and evacuations

  Drills not included, has your healthcare facility ever had to actually initiate an emergency action...

Issue 21, May 24, 2011

• Infectious waste in landfill leads to hospital fine

  A New Mexico hospital is having trouble mending its ways with regard to regulated medical waste...

• Study finds sharps protection program reduces injuries

  A five-year study has found that sharps with engineered sharps injury protections reduced the risk...

• OSHA photo contest to develop workplace safety awareness

  As part of celebrating its 40th year in existence, OSHA is sponsoring Picture It!: Safe Workplaces...

• Editor’s Choice: What you need to know about pertussis protection

  The May Briefings on Infection Control focuses on pertussis, also known as whooping cough, and how...

• Q&A: Squeezing out blood after a needlestick

  Q: What is the recommendation for staff following a needlestick?

• Weekly poll: Workplace safety and health achievements

  What has been the most important occupational health and safety improvement in your workplace in...

Issue 20, May 17, 2011

• OSHA adds injury and illness prevention programs web page

  In keeping with the high priority that OSHA places on establishing an injury and illness prevention...

• New Jersey does its thing for illegal medical waste dumping

  Here’s a “Jersey thing” that shouldn’t be limited to just the Garden State.

• Editor’s Choice: HazCom training not once and done

  A safety officer tip in the May Medical Environment Update explains the training frequency...

• Q&A: What, no gloves needed in blood donation centers?

  Q: A sign on the wall of a blood bank says, “Gloves are not required when drawing blood. If...

• Weekly poll: Reaction to healthcare facilities with OSHA violations

  Does a report of serious OSHA violations at a healthcare facility affect whether you would seek...

Issue 19, May 10, 2011

• $72,000 in needlestick violations sting assisted living facility

  An OSHA inspection hit an Illinois assisted living facility with citations totaling $72,000. The...

• Editor’s Choice: First aid training for workers in medical practices

  This month’s issue of Medical Environment Update takes a close look at first aid programs for...

• Refillable soap dispensers may contribute to contamination

  Washing hands with soap from bulk-soap-refillable dispensers, like those seen in public restrooms...

• Q&A: Safety officer qualifications

  Q: What qualification does OSHA require to be the safety officer in a healthcare facility?

• Weekly poll: Yes or no on powdered and latex gloves?

  What is your reaction to Public Citizen's recent petitioning of the FDA to ban the use of powdered...

Issue 18, May 3, 2011

• OSHA ramping up inspections for southeast outpatient facilities

  OSHA announced a regional emphasis program that will bring more OSHA inspections to outpatient...

• Citizens’ group to FDA: Ban latex glove use

  In an April 25 letter to the FDA, the Public Citizen Health Research Group urges the federal agency...

• Editor’s Choice: How to meet OSHA's employee training requirements

  Are you drawing a blank on OSHA training requirements, such as who needs training and how often?

• Q&A: Checking portable fire extinguishers

  Q: Does OSHA require a monthly check of portable fire extinguishers?

• Weekly Poll: "Apping" away at work

  How common is the use of smartphone or mobile application technology in the healthcare workplace...

Issue 17, April 26, 2011

• Hazardous drug exposures: It’s not just an oncology-nursing issue

  The occupational dangers from hazardous drugs in oncology have received lots of media attention...

• Products aren't preventing MRSA, FDA warns

  The Food and Drug Administration is warning consumers not to believe the claims of hand sanitizer...

• Editor’s Choice: Workers’ Memorial Day

  April 28 is Workers’ Memorial Day, a day to recognize the sacrifice of workers who died or...

• Q&A: Transporting blood and urine samples

  Q: Do blood and urine samples need to be in a biohazard bag when transported either by hand, on a...

• Weekly Poll: Future regulations on hazardous drugs

  With OSHA, NIOSH and the Joint Commission recently warning healthcare facilities about protecting...

Issue 16, April 19, 2011

• Washington first state to pass hazardous drug exposure laws

  Washington Governor Chris Gregoire on April 13 signed into law two bills to protect healthcare...

• CDC sets guidelines for lab competencies

  The CDC and the Association of Public Health Laboratories issued Guidelines for Biosafety...

• Editor's Choice: Demo HCPro's Patient Safety Monitor

  HCPro will be hosting a complimentary live demo of Patient Safety Monitor on April 26!

• Q&A: Hepatitis B vaccination titer and worker insurance

  Q: We don’t have hepatitis B vaccination titer documentation for an employee. May I have the...

• Weekly Poll: Would your facility pass an infection control inspection?

  If a state health department inspector appeared at your facility today, could you pass inspection?

Issue 15, April 12, 2011

• Healthcare employers warned of hazardous drug risks

  OSHA, NIOSH and the Joint Commission have issued a letter to hospitals and healthcare employers...

• NIOSH report examines flu in dental practices

  NIOSH has released a Health Hazard Evaluation report that examined the danger of H1N1 flu...

• Editor’s Choice: Quick guide to fire protection systems

  Read the second part of a series on fire safety from the Complete Guide to Laboratory Safety, Third...

• Q&A: Home care and hepatitis B and TB protection

  Q: In home care, are nurses and other staff providing care to patients in their homes required to...

• Weekly Poll: Reviewing safety sharps technology

  How well does your organization comply with the section of the Bloodborne Pathogens standard to...

Issue 14, April 5, 2011

• Outpatient oncology clinic draws OSHA's ire

  An outpatient radiation therapy healthcare facility in Columbus, OH, received 14 serious safety...

• California hospitals would be required to tighten security if new bill passes

  A California bill was given preliminary approval that would require workers to report violence in...

• Editor’s Choice: Annual sharps evaluation

  This month’s issue of Medical Environment Update takes a close look at the OSHA compliance...

• Q&A: Used sharps under lock and key

  Q: In our medical practice, when sharps containers are full, they are taken to a storeroom to be...

• Weekly Poll: Anesthesia and drug security

  How confident are you about preventing unauthorized access to anesthesia or controlled substances...

Issue 13, March 29, 2011

• Hospital worker dies of anesthetic overdose

  A Pittsburgh area hospital worker was found dead in a storage closet next to a bottle of inhalant...

• CDC updates about infected prep pads

  The CDC has added information with “Notes from the Field: Contamination of Alcohol Prep Pads...

• Editor’s Choice: Before you extinguish, classify

  Read the first part of a series on fire safety from the Complete Guide to Laboratory Safety, Third...

• Q&A: Eyewash stations and expectorating the unexpected

  Q: Are hospitals required to have eyewash stations in areas where patients are cared for? I work at...

• Weekly Poll: Exposure risks as healthcare worker or patient

  You know that as a healthcare worker, your risk of exposure to bloodborne pathogens, such as...

Issue 12, March 22, 2011

• PA healthcare workers may get more protection from workplace violence

  Pennsylvania is following the lead of other states by considering legislation aimed at preventing...

• Docs dinged for dirty practices

  Patient exposures from contaminated devices and substandard work practices, especially in...

• Editor’s Choice: Designing an all-new laboratory for safety

  Read what Terry Jo Gile, the Safety Lady, says about safety considerations and requirements for new...

• Q&A: Anti-fatigue floor mats

  Q: I cannot find any OSHA standards regarding the use of anti-fatigue floor mats. Are there any...

• Weekly Poll: Healthcare workers and penalties for exposures

  A bill proposed in the New York state legislature would make it a felony for healthcare workers if...

Issue 11, March 15, 2011

• Dentists due for bloodborne pathogens compliance check up

  In the future, OSHA might be poking around more dental practices as a result of the NIOSH...

• Singing (literally) about hazard communication

  Thanks to a Canadian safety officer you can now spice up your hazard communication training by...

• Editor’s choice: OSHA and hazard communication changes

  The feature article for the March issue of Medical Environment Update looks at how the upcoming...

• Q&A: Confined space hazards

  Q: Does our medical practice need a policy on confined space safety? I read about OSHA penalizing...

• Weekly Poll: Protection from chemical hazards

  With NIOSH conducting an extensive survey of healthcare workers on exposure to chemical agents, how...

Issue 10, March 8, 2011

• NIOSH survey focuses on chemical hazards in healthcare

  Concerned about exposure to chemical hazards in your healthcare facility?NIOSH is, too.

• Children's hospital gets timeout for OSHA violations

  California’s Division of Occupational Safety and Health (Cal/OSHA) fined Children’s...

• Q&A: Soiled utility sinks and sprayers

  Q: Do you know whether it is against OSHA regulations to have a sprayer on a soiled utility sink...

• Weekly Poll: Wearing scrubs outside of the hospital

  The Committee to Reduce Infection Deaths in New York City suggests hospitals start banning workers...

Issue 9, March 1, 2011

• Emergency nurses offer workplace violence prevention tool

  The Emergency Nurses Association released a toolkit to help facilities develop a comprehensive plan...

• CDC: Hepatitis outbreak kills six due to unsafe blood glucose monitoring

  An investigation by the CDC confirmed that fingerstick devices at an assisted-living facility was...

• Q&A: Close encounters with sharps containers

  Q: Are there guidelines for the distance a sharps container should be from where the sharp is used...

• Q&A: Close encounters with sharps containers

  Q: Are there guidelines for the distance a sharps container should be from where the sharp is used...

• Q&A: Close encounters with sharps containers

  Q: Are there guidelines for the distance a sharps container should be from where the sharp is used...

• Q&A: Close encounters with sharps containers

  Q: Are there guidelines for the distance a sharps container should be from where the sharp is used...

• Weekly Poll: PABR use for respiratory protection

  In addition to N95 respirators, OSHA’s “Respiratory Protection for Healthcare Workers...

Issue 8, February 22, 2011

• OSHA issues enforcement guidance on PPE

  As of February 10, OSHA inspectors have new guidance on how and when to cite employers for personal...

• Hospital cited for hefty electrical violations

  OSHA hit Northeast Hospital Corp., Beverly, MA, with $63,000 in fines.

• Editor’s Choice: Brushing up on emergency showers

  Read what Terry Jo Gile, the Safety Lady, says about safety showers in laboratories and tips for...

• Q&A: Candles in a medical office

  Q: What does OSHA say about prohibiting candles in a doctor’s office?

• Weekly Poll: OSHA as job killer

  The proposed OSHA budget has generated a spirited give and take between the agency’s director...

Issue 7, February 15, 2011

• OSHA posts online video for respirators in healthcare

  OSHA has made available a new video for respirator use by healthcare workers.

• Patients need testing due to dentist’s shoddy infection control practices

  The Dayton Veterans Administration Hospital will provide hepatitis and HIV testing to 553...

• Editor’s Choice: More on sterile processing training

  In her “Sterile Matters” feature, OSHA Healthcare Advisor blogger Michele DeMeo writes...

• Q&A: Sharps containers in exam rooms

  Q: Do sharps disposal containers have to be in each individual exam room or can we have one at the...

• Weekly Poll:What’s your confidence level in protecting from pertussis?

  The Joint Commission released a monograph that explained how healthcare professionals are more...

Issue 6, February 8, 2011

• APIC: Make flu shots a condition of employment

  The Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology is now recommending that...

• Marriage status, education, age predict vaccination rates among healthcare workers

  As healthcare workers go: if you’re married, you probably received a flu shot; if highly...

• Editor’s Choice: What might OSHA have planned for you in 2011?

  The feature article for the February issue of Medical Environment Update reports on what OSHA has...

• Q&A: Face protection for IV starts

  Q: Is eye and face protection the standard for starting IVs in a surgery center?

• Weekly Poll: Uniforms and safety

  The report of a German dental practice’s resorting to sexy uniforms to allay patient...

Issue 5, February 1, 2011

• OSHA cites Maine hospital for workplace violence problems

  Acadia Hospital in Bangor, ME, received a citation from OSHA for allegedly not providing adequate...

• How to catch a doctor ... dirty handed

  Doctors, nurses, and other caregivers will soon face the prospect being caught for not washing...

• Editor’s Choice: Have you done your annual sharps evaluation?

  Read OSHA consultant Kathy Rooker’s “Notes from the field” post on sharps...

• Q&A: Gloves and blood draws

  Q: Does OSHA mandate that disposable gloves are required for blood draws? If so, where is the...

• Weekly Poll: The Big Brother approach to hand hygiene

  Given the example of the sensor-activated, badge-indicating, hand hygiene monitoring system in the...

Issue 4, January 25, 2011

• State considers law to protect workers from chemotherapy hazards

  Washington state legislators will introduce a bill affording healthcare workers greater protection...

• Gas cylinder suspected in dental lab explosion

  An explosion in a dental laboratory that injured 12 British workers is a reminder to be vigilant in...

• Editor's Choice: Save time with this tip on OSHA injury log posting exemptions

  If your healthcare workplace is not a hospital or nursing care facility, there is a good chance you...

• Q&A: Needlesticks and employee health insurance

  Q: In the event of a needlestick, can our practice send an employee to his or her personal doctor...

• Weekly Poll:Healthcare workers and antibacterial soap

  With healthcare workers performing hand hygiene more than the average U.S. consumer, is there a...

Issue 3, January 18, 2011

• Toolkit prepares nursing homes for influenza pandemic

  A new tool created by the New Jersey Hospital Association will help nursing homes deal with an...

• The ultimate safety policy is as simple as: "That’s disgusting!"

  Fancy-schmantzy evidence-based protocols and detailed-minded risk assessments/evaluations may not...

• Editor’s Choice: Safety and infection control audio conference survey

  To ensure that HCPro meets your expectations in 2011 for safety and infection control audio...

• Q&A: Using a generic MSDS

  Q: We changed to a different manufacturer for the purchase of isopropyl rubbing alcohol in our...

• Weekly Poll: Do you provide slip, trip, fall prevention training?

  Slips, trips and falls (STF) are “the second most common cause of lost-workday injuries in...

Issue 2, January 11, 2011

• NIOSH offers slip, trip, and fall prevention advice to healthcare workers

  NIOSH has just released a user guide on slip, trip, and fall (STF) prevention specific to...

• Eight steps to keep the flu bug from joining your workplace

  Concern about employees bringing influenza into the workplace isn’t just a matter for the...

• Editor’s Choice: Expert views on needlestick prevention

  The feature article for the January issue of Medical Environment Update reports on a gathering of...

• Q&A: Squeeze bottles as emergency eyewash stations

  Q: We are establishing a chemotherapy suite for our practice. Are the portable squeeze bottle...

• Weekly Poll: New technology and its effect on your safety

  When new technology is introduced into your work routine, do you ever question the possibility of...

Issue 1, January 4, 2011

• NIOSH study to examine aerosol transmission of flu

  Remember all the concern during last year’s flu pandemic about the possibility of airborne...

• Disinfectant fog is not your friend

  New infection-control technology had unintended consequences for New Jersey emergency medical...

• Editor’s Choice: Most popular posts for 2010

  Curious as to what you and other readers found to be the most informative, entertaining, or...

• Q&A: Sharps training vs. sharps evaluation

  Q: I know that annual training is required per the OSHA Bloodborne Pathogens standard, but what is...

• Weekly Poll: Working when ill

  A survey done by Halls, the cough drop maker, found that economic considerations play a significant...

Issue 55, December 27, 2011

• Feds asking for healthcare worker flu shot advice

  The US Department of Health and Human Services is asking for comments on a draft guidance for...

• Ask the expert: Passing the buck and the needle on disposal practices

  Q: Who is responsible, the dental assistant or dentist, for the disposing of a contaminated needle...

Issue 51, November 29, 2011

• Small practices hardest hit by bloodborne pathogens fines

  Here is something that should hit owners of small medical practices in the pocketbook.

Issue 55, December 27, 2011

• Sharp advice for healthcare leaders

  As a subset of safety culture, sharps safety is critical to protecting healthcare workers.

• Making the case for nurses getting flu shots

  A free, five-minute video makes a compelling case for nurses to receive the influenza...

• Weekly poll: How well did you do this year?

  Just a simple question for the last poll of the year. Given the safety and/or infection prevention...

Issue 54, December 20, 2011

• How the infection prevention Grinch stole Christmas

  At this time of the year it is not just facility safety policies that clash with holiday...

• San Diego hospitals pay for unlawful medical waste disposal

  Civil lawsuits against two San Diego hospitals for medical waste disposal violations have been...

• Mercury spill closes Ohio clinic

  A mercury spill from a leaking blood pressure cuff closed down a medical clinic in Oregon, OH, on...

• Ask the expert: How to dispose of biohazard-labeled specimen bags?

  Q: Is it okay with OSHA to dispose of clear plastic specimen bags with a biohazard label as solid...

• Weekly poll: Safety and holiday decorations

  In your facility this year, did holiday decorations raise any safety or infection control concerns?

Issue 53, December 13, 2011

• Study: Respirator and mask misuse exposed workers to H1N1

  Early in the 2009 H1N1 pandemic, the absence of or improper use of respirators and masks likely...

• More healthcare workers receiving flu shots

  It's so far, so good for flu immunizations and healthcare workers this year.

• OSHA files whistleblower lawsuit against medical clinic

  When healthcare workers blow the whistle, OSHA has been listening.

• Editor’s choice: Puncture brings needlestick safety to the public eye

  The film Puncture offers a mainstream medium for needlestick safety versus manufacturers and...

• Ask the expert: Don't go overboard on bloody waste

  Q: Our facility’s phlebotomy supervisor changed all the regular waste receptacles to...

• Weekly poll: Following flu shot and mask wearing recommendations

  Whether you are looking for a new job or not, given your commitment to occupational safety and...

Issue 52, December 6, 2011

• Recommendations for healthcare personnel immunizations updated

  For those responsible for ensuring compliance with healthcare worker immunizations, the CDC has...

• Shuffling bacteria when shuffling paper

  While many areas in our lives strive to go paperless, it, meaning paper, is still around, and its...

• OSHA picks safe workplace photo winners

  As part of its 40th anniversary, OSHA has announced the winners of" Picture It! Safe...

• Editor’s choice: HCPro announces 2011 Nursing Image Award winners

  This year's search for nurse leaders and staff who have helped elevate the image of nursing is...

• Ask the expert: Ask the expert: Blood on medical records

  Q: What is your recommendation for dealing with medical records contaminated with dried blood?

• Weekly poll: Following flu shot and mask wearing recommendations

  How closely does your facility follow the American Hospital Association's recommendations that...

Issue 51, November 29, 2011

• Nurses bear the brunt of abuse in emergency departments

  A survey by the Emergency Nurses Association shows that over any seven-day period in 2010, 53% of...

• Editor’s choice: Requiring masks for healthcare workers

  The feature article in the November issue of Briefings on Infection Control looks at AHA's...

• Ask the expert: TB skin tests and low risk facilities

  What does OSHA require for testing staff and volunteers for TB? Do they need to be tested yearly or...

• Weekly poll: Hand hygiene and glove use

  In your healthcare facility, how confident are you that staff members adhere to the guidelines of...

Issue 50, November 22, 2011

• Study: Nurse safety linked to patient safety

  The safer your healthcare facility is for nurses, the safer it is for patients.

• Small practices not immune to OSHA citations

  Three quarters of all medical practice OSHA citations were for facilities with fewer than 20...

• Mercury spill closes developmental center

  Click here for details, including a link to how to respond to mercury spills,

• Study: Glove use does not guarantee clean hands

  A study has found that the gloved hands of healthcare providers may be hazardous to patients.

• Ask the expert: Does OSHA allow electronic employee health files?

  Does OSHA allow employee medical records to be maintained electronically?

• Weekly poll: Integrating facility, patient and worker safety

  How integrated are the facility, patient, and worker safety functions in your healthcare facility?

Issue 49, November 15, 2011

• OSHA initiates national program on safety and health in nursing homes

  Non-fatal occupational injuries among healthcare workers are too high, says OSHA. Nursing homes are...

• Survey measures prevalence of mandatory flu shot policies

  Most institutional requirements for flu shots among staff members are not as strict or as...

• Notes from the field: You haven't switched to safety devices, YET!

  In doing mock OSHA inspections, OSHA Healthcare Advisor blogger Kathy Rooker has heard every excuse...

• OSHA Survey: Give us your feedback!

  To ensure that HCPro meets your OSHA compliance and training products and services needs in 2012...

• Ask the expert: Must engaged safety needles go into sharps containers?

  Q: Once the safety device is engaged on a contaminated needle, may I dispose of it as red bag waste...

• Weekly poll: OSHA and healthcare national emphasis programs

  Are you in favor of more OSHA National Emphasis Programs directed toward healthcare?

Issue 48, November 8, 2011

• OMG! OSHA gives GHS to OMB

  OSHA's adoption of the Globally Harmonized System (GHS) for classifying and labeling chemicals...

• More ambulatory surgery centers taking OSHA hits

  Ambulatory surgery centers (ASC) and physician offices are under higher scrutiny from OSHA to...

• Editor’s Choice: OSHA new directives on workplace violence whistleblower investigations apply to healthcare facilities

  New OSHA documents on workplace violence prevention and whistleblower investigations could...

• Ask the expert: Sharps injury log exemption and bloodborne pathogens training

  Q: If my company is exempt from recordkeeping because we are considered a low-hazard industry, are...

• Weekly poll: Getting a jump on GHS

  How would you assess the integrating of the GHS provisions into the hazard communication program at...

Issue 47, November 1, 2011

• OSHA posts resource for respirator use in small businesses

  A new publication will help small businesses, such as medical and dental practices, to better...

• It’s time for hospitals to address workplace bullying

  If you thought bullying was only a problem among teenagers in school settings, think...

• Editor’s Choice: Life Safety Code stories and best practices

  Healthcare Life Safety Compliance, a newsletter for healthcare facility managers, plant operations...

• Ask the expert: What occupations are subject to bloodborne pathogens regulations?

  Q: What healthcare occupations does the OSHA Bloodborne Pathogens standard cover?

• Weekly poll: CDC and minimum expectations for outpatient infection control

  Does your outpatient setting meet the requirement of having at least one individual with training...

Issue 46, October 25, 2011

• Workplace injuries decrease, but healthcare injury rates still too high

  Workplace injuries and illnesses are down from last year, but the rates in some sectors such as...