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OSHA Healthcare Connection

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OSHA Healthcare Connection

Issue 46, November 17, 2009

• OSHA posts H1N1 protection advice

  Following the lead of the recent CDC flu guidance on infection control and healthcare worker...

• IC experts urge H1N1 respiratory protection change

  Three leading IC organizations issued a letter to President Obama urging a change in respiratory...

• Editor's Choice: Flu absenteeism

  NIOSH is studying healthcare worker absenteeism from influenza and is interested in hearing about...

• Q&A: Qualifications for a bloodborne pathogens trainer

  Q: Who is qualified to train employees in bloodborne pathogens? A: Section 1910.1030(g)(2)(viii)of...

• OSHA Healthcare Advisor Poll

  Last April, OSHA Healthcare Advisor asked whether H1N1 was a lot of hype or a legitimate concern...

Issue 45, November 10, 2009

• More confusion, doubt on N95 protection from H1N1

  The authors of a key study on N95 respirator use for H1N1 influenza protection have retracted their...

• NIOSH reports on endoscope sterilizer hazards

  NIOSH’s health hazard evaluation program just posted a report on exposure to an enzymatic...

• Editor's Choice: OSHA violations by healthcare facility type

  Even though OSHA fines in healthcare were down in FY 2009, some sectors were hit harder than...

• Q&A: An N95 fit-testing dilemma

  Q: I work at a facility that has fit-tested most of the staff with N95 respirators. We have...

• OSHA Healthcare Advisor Poll

  With the retraction of a study’s findings about the use of N95 respirators for H1N1...

Issue 44, November 3, 2009

• Yes and no: ANA on flu respirator protection and mandatory shots

  The American Nurses Association (ANA) recently offered strong opinions on the two pressing H1N1...

• Workers attacked in healthcare facilities

  It’s been a difficult two weeks for healthcare workers in the Boston area, and not just...

• Editor's Choice: OSHA may ease up on H1N1 hazard enforcement

  While those responsible for worker safety during the H1N1 pandemic await the OSHA enforcement...

• Q&A: Who can perform needlestick evaluations?

  Q: After a needlestick, must we refer the exposed employee to a physician for postexposure...

• OSHA Healthcare Advisor Poll

  Some healthcare facilities report using games and contests to get better results on hand hygiene...

Issue 43, October 27, 2009

• New York changes tune on mandatory flu shots

  Remember all that fuss about requiring New York State healthcare workers to receive flu shots...

• NIOSH following worker hazards to H1N1

  The deaths of five nurses have been attributed to 2009 H1N1 influenza, and NIOSH is intently...

• Editor's Choice: Know your annual OSHA training requirements

  Under federal OSHA, annual hazard communication training is not required. Find out what you need...

• Q&A: Voluntary N95 respirator use

  Q: A worker who is not exposed to H1N1 influenza patients wants to wear an N95 respirator. What...

• OSHA Healthcare Advisor Poll

  With H1N1 vaccine in short supply, New York State has suspended the mandatory flu shot requirement...

Issue 42, October 20, 2009

• Feds say protect workers with respirators, not masks, for H1N1

  The CDC updated the interim guidance on H1N1 protection for healthcare workers recommending...

• Forced flu shots foiled

  Lawsuits are delaying the implementation of an emergency law requiring New York state healthcare...

• Editor's Choice: Know your N95 respirator training requirements

  Now that the CDC and OSHA require you to protect your employers with N95 respirators from H1N1...

• Q&A: Topping off soap dispensers

  Q: To save money, is it OK to buy hand sanitizer supplies in bulk volume to re-fill dispensers?

• OSHA Healthcare Advisor Poll

  If you've been following the posts on OSHA Healthcare Advisor, you knew a decision on N95...

Issue 41, October 13, 2009

• Public supports mandatory flu shots for healthcare workers

  Patients who come to you for treatment or bring their children to you for care expect you to be...

• Nursing home records now an OSHA inspection priority

  OSHA is putting nursing homes under its enforcement microscope. The agency has announced a new...

• Editor's Choice: Time to recheck your vaccine storage and handling procedures

  An estimated 17%-37% of medical offices expose vaccine to improper storage, according to the CDC...

• Q&A: Clean needlesticks

  Q: If an employee gets stuck with a non-contaminated needle, does OSHA view it as an exposure...

• OSHA Healthcare Advisor Poll

  Should states have the power to quarantine individuals who refuse flu vaccinations during health...

Issue 40, October 6, 2009

• Healthcare workers say: No swine flu pricks for me, please!

  There is a dust-up happening with healthcare workers and mandatory vaccination, especially in the...

• OSHA Healthcare Advisor Poll

  Have you heard about the Globally Harmonized System of Classification and Labeling of Chemicals...

• OSHA wants harmony on protection from chemical hazards

  OSHA has proposed aligning the hazard communication standard with the United Nations Globally...

• Editor's Choice: Plug-in to safe vaccine storage; keep your refrigerator running

  Placing a “do not unplug” sign next to the refrigerator's electrical outlet is a basic...

• Q&A: Hepatitis B vaccination and non-responders

  Q: What does OSHA require from an employer when a new employee fails to respond to the hepatitis B...

Issue 39, September 29, 2009

• Mandatory flu shots have healthcare employers and workers on the hot seat

  Policies for mandatory vaccinations for seasonal and H1N1 flu are drawing praise from public health...

• No bad rap about this swine flu advice

  Not all the news about H1N1 is grim as evidenced by the winning entries to the HHS 2009 H1N1 Public...

• Editor's Choice: Can hospitals and physician practices achieve a win-win on N95 respirators?

  So much of swine flu preparation news has focused on how hospitals will cope with the pandemic that...

• OSHA Healthcare Advisor Poll

  Healthcare facilities throughout the country have begun requiring flu vaccines in a very subtle...

• Q&A: Exam room cleaning log

  Q: Must my medical practice keep a log of when exam rooms are cleaned?

Issue 38, September 22, 2009

• AHA to CDC: Let's use surgical masks for some; N95s for others for swine flu

  The American Hospital Association is lobbying the CDC to change the current guidance on the use of...

• Hepatitis outbreak points to NJ doctor’s office

  New Jersey state health officials have linked 29 positive cases of hepatitis B to a doctor’s...

• Editor's Choice: Nominations for needlestick prevention award

  If you know of a needlestick prevention hero, click here for information on how to recognize this...

• Q&A: Sterilizer records and logs

  Q: What is the OSHA regulation on retaining sterilization records and logs?

• OSHA Healthcare Advisor Poll

  The importance of workplace violence education is fresh in everyone's mind after the death of a...

Issue 37, September 15, 2009

• One, not two, H1N1 flu shots needed

  Despite what infectious disease experts expected, you won’t need two separate flu shots for...

• Celebrate facility safety with housekeeping staff

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

• Note to OSHA Healthcare Connection readers

  If you consult on OSHA compliance; or if you do mock OSHA inspections for healthcare facilities...

• Q&A: Fit testing N95s

  Q: Is fit testing N95s just showing workers how to put on and take off the respirator safely? A...

• OSHA Healthcare Advisor Poll

  Instead of two shots, it now looks like you will only need one flu shot for protection from H1N1...

Issue 36, September 8, 2009

• Ergo advocate appointed to key OSHA post

  The betting line on an ergonomics standard may have improved as OSHA watchers noted that a champion...

• Lab research says H1N1 will not to mutate into super virus

  For now H1N1 is the king of the hill of influenza viruses, and that is good. Researchers from the...

• Q&A: Soap selection

  Q: Are we required to have antimicrobial soap in our patient and exam rooms, or can we have...

• OSHA Healthcare Advisor Poll

  The infection prevention and safety device market will grow at 4.8% annually to $23.5 billion in...

Issue 35, September 1, 2009

• Peek at and speak up on NIOSH healthcare worker issues

  In 2005 there was a nonfatal injury or illness episode every 47 seconds in healthcare and social...

• Kennedy, a healthcare reform and safety champion

  In a statement mourning the passing of Senator Edward M. Kennedy, the American Nurses Association...

• Hospital to workers: Get a flu shot or else!

  You might be seeing more of this in the near future. The largest hospital in West Virgina has...

• Q&A: Finessing fit-testing

  Q: Can I use the FDA’s Emergency Use Act to eliminate the need to fit test workers for N95...

• OSHA Healthcare Advisor Poll

  Adjusting sick leave policies to allow employees to stay home if they experience flu symptoms is a...

Issue 34, August 25, 2009

• Feds urge businesses to plan now for flu season

  Shot, hand, and home are the keywords of the federal guidelines for employer preparation for the...

• NY State proceeds with healthcare worker flu shot regulation

  The State of New York now has emergency regulations in place for mandatory seasonal flu and H1N1...

• Editor's choice: Share your OSHA horror story

  Do you have an OSHA “horror” story, maybe a cell phone accidentally dumped into a...

• Q&A: Exposure control plan review frequency

  Q: How frequently must I review the bloodborne pathogens exposure control plan? A: The minimum...

• OSHA Healthcare Advisor Poll

  Has a patient ever called into question your work practices during an injection, either because...

Issue 33, August 18, 2009

• IOM weighs evidence on respirators for H1N1 protection

  The debate continues—whether healthcare workers need to wear respirators, most likely N95s...

• Free training on pandemic flu hazards from OSHA grantees

  Small hospitals and healthcare facilities in the Maryland and Delaware areas may attend a free...

• Q&A: Respiratory protection plan

  Q: If we must initiate a respiratory protection plan for workers wearing respirators, what must it...

• OSHA Healthcare Advisor Poll

  Last week The OSHA Healthcare Advisor blogged about a developing regulation in New York State that...

Issue 32, August 11, 2009

• APIC: Safe injection practices are at the heart of preventing bloodborne illnesses

  The Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology (APIC) published a position...

• Healthcare illnesses remain higher than national average

  Occupational illness in U.S. private industry decreased from 2003 to 2007, but the rate of illness...

• Q&A: Bloodborne pathogens standard and contract workers

  Q: What is my facility’s responsibility for the safety of contract workers under the...

• OSHA Healthcare Advisor Poll

  Some experts suggest that healthcare workers will have enough protection from influenza H1N1 with...

Issue 31, August 4, 2009

• Scientist nominated for head OSHA position

  President Obama has nominated David Michaels, Ph.D., MPH, to lead OSHA, according to a July 28...

• States receive funds to inspect ambulatory surgery centers

  The federal government is funding efforts to inspect and shore up infection control gaps in...

• Tip of the week: We are twittering

  Yes, OSHA Healthcare Advisor is on twitter. Click here to see what we are covering—and...

• Q&A: MRSA and OSHA coverage

  Q: Are MRSA exposures covered under OSHA?

• OSHA Healthcare Advisor Poll

  The CDC announced the pecking order for those receiving the H1N1 flu vaccine this fall, and...

Issue 30, July 28, 2009

• Congress points to airborne transmissible disease standard

  If the House Appropriations Committee has its way, OSHA will develop an airborne transmissible...

• CDC committee posts seasonal flu recommendations

  The Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices for the CDC published recommendations for...

• Q&A: First-aid kits

  Q: What’s the OSHA standard on how many first-aid kits you need based on the number of...

• OSHA Healthcare Advisor Poll

  Although much of the focus of MRSA infections remains on patient safety, the spread of bacteria can...

Issue 29, July 21, 2009

• CDC lists top 10 flu steps for medical practices

  What medical practices experienced this past spring with influenza pandemic may be nothing compared...

• NIOSH: Healthcare not as safe a place to work as you may think

  Looking for a job providing a clean, sterile, and a safe place to work? Healthcare isn’t it...

• Q&A: Refusing the hepatitis B vaccination

  Q: May an employee refuse the hepatitis B (HBV) vaccine?

• OSHA Healthcare Advisor Poll

  Not communicating with your employees on pandemic influenza plans and resources can lead to...

Issue 28, July 14, 2009

• It's official; CA has infectious airborne disease standard

  The first standard to protect healthcare workers from the spread of airborne pathogens will go into...

• Lending a hand on hand hygiene

  The Joint Commission is offering Measuring Hand Hygiene Adherence: Overcoming the Challenges, a...

• Q&A: OSHA and fire drills

  Q: Does OSHA require an annual fire drill?

• OSHA Healthcare Advisor Poll

  Pointing out egregious infection control or safety deficiencies to the proper authority isn't...

Issue 27, July 7, 2009

• OSHA leaders to safety pros: "We're back."

  “The Department of Labor is back in the enforcement business,” said Secretary of Labor...

• Tip of the week: Getting up to speed on ambulatory surgery center CMS guidelines

  If, as safety officer of an ambulatory surgery center, you’ve been assigned the duties of...

• Q&A: Break room sink and instrument decontamination

  Q: Is it OK to use the break room sink for soaking and decontaminating instruments?

• OSHA Healthcare Advisor Poll

  Should OSHA develop a standard to protect healthcare workers and first responders from MRSA...

Issue 26, June 30, 2009

• CDC offers flu guidance for general workplaces

  Recognizing that employers play a significant role in helping to prevent flu transmission in the...

• Correctional healthcare workers face added risks

  The increased risks of bloodborne pathogens exposure to healthcare workers in correctional...

• Q&A: Fashionable scrubs and safety

  Q: A number of uniform suppliers offer capri style scrub pants. Are laboratory techs and...

• OSHA Healthcare Advisor Poll

  The summer weather sometimes brings with it a relaxed dress code from healthcare workers. Although...

Issue 25, June 23, 2009

• CDC: PPE gaps associated with flu infections among healthcare workers

  Healthcare workers not taking proper precautions are leaving themselves open to infections from...

• Don't overlook teen-worker safety training

  Summer is officially upon us, and more teen-agers are now in the workplace. OSHA reminds employers...

• Last chance to take the OSHA Healthcare Advisor survey; win a training video

  We are so pleased with the number of visitors to the OSHA Healthcare Advisor that we want to know...

• Q&A: Using insurance for hepatitis B vaccinations

  Q: Is it OK to bill workers? hepatitis B vaccinations through their insurance? A: Billing through...

• OSHA Healthcare Advisor Poll

  The Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America recommends the use of surgical masks as opposed...

Issue 24, June 16, 2009

• SHEA nixes respirator use for protection from novel and seasonal flu

  Epidemiologists who first advised respirator use for the current flu pandemic now say it is not...

• Goof-prone cartoon entertains and instructs

  When you see a scrub team member wearing Crocs with ventilation holes standing in a puddle of...

• Take the OSHA Healthcare Advisor survey; win a training video

  We are so pleased with the number of visitors to the OSHA Healthcare Advisor that we want to know...

• Q&A: Terrorist attacks and OSHA violations

  Q: This may appear to be a weird question, but would OSHA fine a business for worker injuries from...

• OSHA Healthcare Advisor Poll

  In a statement raising the influenza pandemic alert to phase six last week, the World Health...

Issue 23, June 9, 2009

• When caring for patients brings fear for safety

  Caring for patients and healthcare professionals’ need to attend to their own safety was the...

• Survey detects MRI infection control shortcomings

  Last year a white paper by Peter Rothschild, MD, drew attention to the lack of adequate infection...

• Take the OSHA Healthcare Advisor survey; win a training video

  We are so pleased with the number of visitors to the OSHA Healthcare Advisor that we want to know...

• Q&A: Training for bloodborne pathogens

  Q: When does OSHA require bloodborne pathogens training?

Issue 22, June 2, 2009

• Protection from aerosol transmissible diseases now the standard in California

  With the adoption of a new occupational health and safety standard on May 21, California workers...

• Ruling on guns in workplace parking lots upheld

  Oklahoma employers may not prohibit workers from having firearms in locked cars on company parking...

• Q&A: HBV vacation and summer employment

  Q: Must an employer offer the hepatitis B vaccination to a summer employee who will not be employed...

• OSHA Healthcare Advisor Poll

  Since California adopted an aerosol transmissible disease standard, would this be a good idea for a...

• OSHA Healthcare Advisor Poll

  Has concern for your own safety affected the way you treat patients with potentially infectious...

Issue 20, May 19, 2009

• OSHA will enforce pandemic-related regulations

  Strained resources and lack of supplies won’t get you a pass from OSHA regulations during an...

• OSHA updates pandemic influenza resources

  In response to the influenza A (H1N1) outbreak OSHA has added or updated documents appearing on its...

• Q&A: Post-exposure costs and employment termination

  Q: An employee left our practice before needlestick post-exposure follow up was completed. When we...

• OSHA Healthcare Advisor Poll

  Should OSHA continue stringent enforcement during a pandemic? This week's OSHA Healthcare Advisor...

Issue 19, May 12, 2009

• FDA posts respirator use FAQ

  The FDA posted a fact sheet addressing frequently asked questions (FAQ) on the use of masks and...

• Hazardous drugs added to NIOSH list

  NIOSH has proposed adding 24 pharmaceuticals to its list of hazardous drugs found in healthcare...

• Q&A: MSDS information by telephone

  Q: Is receiving material safety data sheet (MSDS) information by telephone an adequate backup...

• OSHA Healthcare Advisor Poll

  When cases of influenza A H1N1 began to spread a little over two weeks ago, did you have a plan to...

Issue 18, May 5, 2009

• Free Web expo highlights Occupational Safety and Health Professional Day

  This Wednesday, May 6, is Occupational Safety and Health Professional Day, an opportunity to...

• California relaxes swine flu respirator rules

  Perhaps lost in the avalanche of swine flu, or influenza A (H1N1), information posted by federal...

• Q&A: In-person training requirements

  Q: Must the trainer be physically present when conducting OSHA employee training?

• OSHA Healthcare Advisor Poll

  Do you think the recent swine flu outbreaks should invoke legitimate fear, or are they much ado...

Issue 17, April 28, 2009

• Workers' Memorial Day April 28: For those who did not come home alive, healthy, or safe

  Today is Workers' Memorial Day, which recognizes U.S. workers who died or sustained injuries or...

• Safety officer tip: Lettering in OSHA letters

  Wouldn’t it be nice to have a handy list of OSHA interpretation letters to answer those...

• CDC offers interim guidance on swine flu and respirator use

  With early reports of swine-flu-related deaths in Mexico and 20 confirmed U.S. cases in five states...

• Q&A: Respirators and beards

  Q: A male worker needs to be fit tested for an N95 respirator, but has a beard and will not shave...

• OSHA Healthcare Advisor Poll

  A report by the American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations claims that...

Issue 16, April 21, 2009

• Outspoken safety advocate leads OSHA

  OSHA now has a decidedly vocal safety advocate at the helm. Last week Jordan Barab, President...

• AFL-CIO: Healthcare workers not protected from pandemic flu danger

  Many healthcare facilities exhibit a “lack of readiness” to protect workers in the...

• Q&A: Physician, do thy laundry

  Q: A doctor in our practice so strongly objects to paper gowns that she is willing to do the...

• OSHA Healthcare Advisor Poll

  Are things about to change with President Obama’s appointment of Jordan Barab to lead OSHA...

• Medical Environment Update and OSHA Watch subscribers: We need your input

  If you subscribe to either Medical Environment Update or OSHA Watch, we’d like to know how...

Issue 15, April 14, 2009

• Saving your blood, backs and lungs

  Responding to a membership survey identifying the top three workplace hazards in healthcare, the...

• State acts on doctor associated with hepatitis outbreak

  New Jersey state regulators have suspended the medical license of an oncologist who could have...

• OSHA Healthcare Advisor Poll

  Since the presidential election there has been talk about an ergonomics standard or even specific...

• Q&A: Lids on red-bag waste containers

  Q: Where can I find the OSHA regulation for lids on red-bag containers? We are having a dispute on...

Issue 14, April 7, 2009

• Lab worker threatened from Ebola exposures

  A life-threatening needlestick to a researcher in Germany and new fact sheets sponsored by OSHA...

• Mercury spill suspends OR operations

  The operating room at Sun Health Boswell Hospital in Sun City, AZ, became non-operational when 22...

• OSHA Healthcare Advisor Poll

  Annual safety retraining is often viewed by staff members as a repetitive burden rather than an...

• Q&A: Patients and sharps disposal

  Q: I know this is outside the workplace safety realm, but a patient asked how he should properly...

Issue 13, March 31, 2009

• Two years later, patient handling bill is reintroduced

  After submitting a patient handling bill in 2006 intended to protect workers, U.S. Representative...

• Misuse of insulin pens grabs FDA attention

  The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued a press release warning healthcare professionals...

• OSHA Healthcare Advisor Poll

  Questions regarding OSHA standards come into OSHA Healthcare Advisor all the time. This week's poll...

• Q&A: Tap or bottled water

  Q: The tap water in the office is terrible. Doesn’t OSHA require an employer to provide safe...

Issue 12, March 24, 2009

• Asking the Bard for bloodborne pathogen advice

  For an offbeat take on OSHA requirements, check out "Using Shakespeare for bloodborne...

• Nevada officials claim most clinics have IC deficiencies

  Health officials say 25 of 49 outpatient clinics in Nevada have infection control deficiencies.

• New Canadian standard published for smoky ORs

  The Canadian Standards Association (CSA) introduced a new standard to help eliminate toxic airborne...

Issue 11, March 17, 2009

• Are you in a high-risk state for OSHA inspections?

  For OSHA inspections of physician practices, 10 states accounted for 72% of all inspections. Some...

• APIC urges patients to inquire about IC practices

  With CDC reports pointing out infection control gaps in ambulatory settings, the Association for...

• Q&A: How can OSHA cite a facility on TB when it doesn’t have a TB standard?

  It is true that OSHA withdrew its proposed TB standard on December 31, 2003, but the agency...

Issue 10, March 10, 2009

• OSHA posts pandemic influenza resources

  OSHA added pandemic influenza to its list of safety and health topic Web pages, citing the...

• Hepatitis scare prompts new laws for Nevada healthcare facilities

  Nevada legislators are considering at least eight bills aimed at preventing infection control...

• Q&A: Disinfecting medical devices with the dishwasher

  You will not be able to disinfect medical devices in a household or office dishwasher; only...

Issue 9, March 3, 2009

• Obama’s budget to increase OSHA’s enforcement arsenal

  President Obama's budget blueprint for 2010 calls for reversing an eight-year trend of dwindling...

• OSHA: Needle removal device may be OK, but placement is the key

  OSHA posted a letter of interpretation last week stating that the Q104 needle removal device could...

• Q&A: Safety needle device as sharps container

  No. OSHA does not consider an activated safety device as a waste container because it is a...

Issue 8, February 24, 2009

• Nurses needlestick woes, not only in America

  Looks like serious occupational hazards are the same for nurses on both sides of the Atlantic Ocean.

• No time like the present for flu shots

  Think again, if you assume you successfully dodged the flu bug this year without the help of...

• Q&A: Frequent OSHA violations during physician practice inspections

  By far the most frequent violations in 2008 for offices and clinics of doctors of medicine were...

Issue 7, February 17, 2009

• CDC offers emergency planning for physician offices

  The CDC on February 11 posted a new Web page for physician office staff members charged with...

• River-dumped medical waste costs facility big bucks

  A Michigan nursing care facility agreed to pay $13,000 in civil penalties for its part in polluting...

• Q&A: Determining exemption from OSHA’s injury posting requirement

  How do I determine if my business is exempt from OSHA's annual injury posting requirement?

Issue 6, February 10, 2009

• Effectiveness of N95s not a problem after prolonged storage

  Unlike fine wine, disposable N95 filtering face piece respirators don’t get better with age...

• Drilling in on dental bioaerosol hazards

  Particles which originate from the patients’ mouth and from the biofilms found in dental...

• Q&A: Annual electrical inspection

  Q: Does OSHA require an electrical inspection each year?

Issue 5, February 3, 2009

• Stay posted with free posters from OSHA

  OSHA  reminds all healthcare facilities, medical and dental practices included, about the...

• Latex allergies afflict healthcare workers

  Despite the move to latex-free devices and personal protective equipment, latex allergies remain a...

Issue 4, January 27, 2009

• TB patients sentenced to 30 days of isolation

  There are plenty of airborne precautions for staff to follow when a tuberculosis (TB) patient...

• Catch a break on OSHA’s recordkeeping requirements

  While many businesses are busy tabulating workplace injuries to meet the OSHA posting requirement...

• Q&A: Eliminating material safety data sheets without incurring an OSHA violation

  May I eliminate material safety data sheets for household products without incurring an OSHA...

Issue 3, January 20, 2009

• Better infection control measures needed in ambulatory care settings

  A study by the CDC has pinned unsafe injection practices on 33 outbreaks of hepatitis in U.S...

• Ergonomics standard not a sure bet

  Don’t be too sure that OSHA under the Obama administration will promulgate an ergonomics...

• Q&A: End-of-the-day exam room cleaning

  Q: I’m concerned that housekeeping staff are not cleaning and replacing the paper on exam...

Issue 2, January 13, 2009

• It’s not too late for workplace safety resolutions

  Need a New Year’s resolution for your workplace? How about resolving to keep your workplace...

• A fork in the road: Bush OSHA vs. Obama OSHA

  With the Obama administration about to start next week, the Bush-era OSHA legacy has taken some...

• Q&A: Paying for HBV testing

  Q: Are we required to encourage staff to have titers done after their third hepatitis B vaccination...

Issue 1, January 6, 2009

• Waste not, want not: Filling up with liposuction

  When the going gets tough, the tough get creative. At least that’s what Beverly Hills, CA...

• Needlesticks rank second among 2008 healthcare hazards

  When it comes to dangerous technology in healthcare settings, needlesticks are bested only by alarm...

• Q&A: OSHA and fragrances in the workplace

  Q: Is it an OSHA matter if employees complain that fragrances in the workplace are making them sick?

Issue 21, May 26, 2009

• OSHA posts ethylene oxide guide

  Small healthcare facilities using ethylene oxide (EtO) as a sterilant now have a user-friendly...

• Swine flu vaccine developments look promising

  Experts at the CDC say that progress has been made toward developing vaccine for influenza A H1N1...

• Q&A: Waiting room aquarium

  Q: Is an aquarium allowed in the waiting room of a medical office?

• OSHA Healthcare Advisor Poll

  Do you think there should be a safe patient lifting and handling law? This week's OSHA Healthcare...

• Congress to consider safe patient lifting law

  Third time might be a charm for supporters of a national safe patient handling and lifting law.