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OSHA Healthcare Connection

Manage standards and guidelines from OSHA, NIOSH, CDC, and other government agencies with this FREE weekly E-mail newsletter!

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OSHA Healthcare Connection

Issue 49, December 4, 2012

• OSHA Healthcare Connection merging into Hospital Safety Insider

  OSHA Healthcare Connection merging into Hospital Safety Insider Notice: Your subscription will be...

• Portable fire extinguishers

  Q: How should I mount and mark portable fire extinguishers? Is it mandatory for fire extinguishers...

• Superbugs invade health care facilities

  Deadly, drug-resistant bacteria are showing up in hospitals and other health care facilities...

• Equipment disinfection compliance continues to plague many hospitals

  IC.02.02.01 remains in the top ten Joint Commission citations, indicating that hospitals need to...

Issue 48, November 27, 2012

• OSHA Healthcare Connection merging into Hospital Safety Insider

  Notice: Your subscription will be changing in the coming weeks! Very shortly, OSHA Healthcare...

• Pamphlet racks in exit routes?

  Q: In exit hallways, if there are items that are attached to the walls, such as computers or...

• Excela Health worker safety efforts paying off but unfinished

  Hospital workers care for accident victims every day. It is David H. Byers' job as manager of...

• NIOSH program focuses on a proactive approach to employee safety

  Editor's note: The following questions were answered by Casey Chosewood, MD, manager of the Total...

Issue 47, November 20, 2012

• How do you store, manage, and access your MSDS?

  Many workplaces are going paperless with their MSDS, storing them as PDFs or relying on...

• Workplace violence prompts rising concern

  The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) is cracking down on employers that are...

• Means of egress widths in suites

  Q: During a recent survey, we were cited for not maintaining at least 36 inches of clear width in...

Issue 46, November 13, 2012

• Ask the expert: Who should attend safety meetings?

  Q: I'm planning safety meetings for our staff (not yearly retraining). Are clerical employees...

• Foremost needlestick experts join Safe in Common to present online conference to address "The Unfinished Agenda"

  Safe in Common (SIC), the non-profit organization of healthcare safety advocates dedicated to...

• Document shredding containers

  Q: During a recent survey, the surveyor noted that we had two 64-gallon capacity containers, which...

Issue 45, November 6, 2012

• Ask the expert: How on-time does yearly training need to be?

  Q: Does our annual bloodborne pathogen training have to happen exactly one year to the day later...

• Better research skills can improve safety and care

  The United States has the world’s most prolific biomedical research enterprise and is home...

• Smoke detectors in on-call physician sleeping rooms

  Q: We recently had an inspection where we were cited for not having a smoke detector in the...

Issue 44, October 30, 2012

• Hello from the new Managing Editor

  Greetings, OSHA Healthcare Advisor readers!

• Bad CDC data may have skewed research

  They might be zombies.

• Elevator firefighter service testing

  One of the hot issues that accreditation organization surveyors are focusing on lately is elevator...

Issue 43, October 23, 2012

• Ask the expert: Training for an electronic MSDS system

  Q: We use an electronic MSDS access system. Are there any special training requirements we need to...

• Why some physicians, nurses don’t get vaccinated

  Despite efforts by the government and the health systems and hospitals that employ them, one in...

• Study: Updated hazardous drug list prompts an internal evaluation

  NIOSH adds 26 new drugs to its hazardous drugs list, leaving facilities to implement processes and...

Issue 42, October 16, 2012

• Ask the expert: Safety training in a medical office

  Q: How often does safety training (bloodborne pathogen, hazardous materials, respiratory, etc...

• News brief: Meningitis outbreak linked to steroid injection

  A spinal steroid injection has been linked to an outbreak of a rare form of meningitis, which has...

• Study: Building a compliant sharps exception process

  Properly documenting instances where safety devices are unavailable or inhibit patient care...

Issue 41, October 9, 2012

• Organizations celebrate National Fire Prevention Week: October 7-13

  The Joint Commission, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and 22 other organizations are...

• Study: Preventing slips, trips, and falls with a proactive program

  Editor's note: The following article was written by guest columnist Dominic Shaw, owner of...

Issue 40, October 2, 2012

• Study: The aftermath of a shooting: What hospitals can learn from Colorado's emergency response

  Past drills and training helped one hospital prepare for a potential surge of patients on the...

Issue 39, September 25, 2012

• Ask the expert: Communicating medication management to nursing staff

  Q: What should my nursing staff know when it comes to medication management?

• Study: Preventing slips, trips, and falls with a proactive program

  Facility design, workplace interventions, and employee training help prevent injuries to healthcare...

Issue 38, September 18, 2012

• Ask the expert: Recapping fill needles

  Q: What guidance does OSHA give on recapping fill needles?

• Study: Are kitchens really hazardous areas

  This answer was disputed by some fire safety professionals who have close ties with the NFPA...

• Are you going to NAHQ on September 20 - 23?

  If so, join HCPro for an exclusive focus group meeting while at NAHQ.

Issue 37, September 11, 2012

• News Brief: OSHA's measures to reduce construction falls extended

  OSHA has extended its temporary enforcement measures in residential construction for another 3...

• Are you going to NAHQ on September 20 - 23?

  Be the first to preview an exciting new web-based resource, HCPro Comply Accreditation &...

Issue 36, September 4, 2012

• Ask the expert: Storing food and medications in the same fridge

  Q: Is it OK to store food and medications, such as vaccines, in the same fridge?

• News brief: Engineers and patient families team up for new patient safety program

  According to U.S. News & World Report, a $9 million project at Johns Hopkins University...

• Study: Dental students assessed on bloodborne exposures

  The revision of the Hazard Communication Standard to include the Globally Harmonized System (GHS...

• Are you going to NAHQ on September 20 - 23?

  If so, join HCPro for an exclusive focus group meeting while at NAHQ.

Issue 35, August 28, 2012

• Ask the expert: Should biohazard bins be kept behind closed doors?

  Q: Do our red bins for biohazard waste need to be locked in a closet or if it is OK to keep them...

• Hospital-acquired infections undercounted in California

  California officials have uncovered problems in reporting infection control data that highlights...

• Study: Influenza vaccination rates differ between hospital and nonhospital settings

  A study appearing in Infection Control and Hospital Epidemiology looks at how and why healthcare...

• Are you going to NAHQ on September 20 - 23?

  If so, join HCPro for an exclusive focus group meeting while at NAHQ. Be the first to preview an...

Issue 34, August 21, 2012

• Three states seeing new cases of H3N2 flu

  Michigan and West Virginia have reported their first cases of the new variant of swine flu, H3N2...

• AIHA advice for OSHA includes stiffening fines

  The American Industrial Hygiene Association (AIHA) has released a white paper that highlights the...

• Are you going to NAHQ on September 20 - 23?

  If so, join HCPro for an exclusive focus group meeting while at NAHQ. Be the first to preview an...

• Ask the expert archive: Emergency action plans for small practices

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

Issue 33, August 14, 2012

• OSHA cites health center for not protecting employees from TB

  Charter Oak Health Center Inc. in Hartford, CT, has been cited by the U.S. Department of Labor's...

• NIOSH updates healthcare hazardous drug list

  NIOSH has updated for 2012 the list of drugs commonly found in healthcare considered hazardous and...

• Ask the expert: Do we have to use safety scalpels?

  Q: I'm a safety office at a urologic institute and I am conducting my sharps review for this year...

• Weekly poll: Staff and TB testing

  For the settings in your healthcare organization that are at low risk for TB exposure, do you...

Issue 32, August 7, 2012

• CDC reports new H3N2 outbreak

  The Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC) is reporting a new strain of swine flu...

• Getting a jump on GHS HazCom changes

  The revision of the Hazard Communication Standard to include the Globally Harmonized System (GHS...

• Ask the expert archive: Cleaning logs for medical equipment

  Q: How long does OSHA require us to keep a cleaning log for a biosafety cabinet in our oncology...

• Weekly Poll: Summer dress codes and safety

  Does how staff members dress in summertime create worker safety or patient safety problems?

Issue 31, July 31, 2012

• In memoriam - David LaHoda

  It is with great sadness that I share the news that David LaHoda, our good friend and colleague...

• Publishing break for Medical Environment Update

  In light of the current events, HCPro will not publish a September or October issue of the...

Issue 30, July 24, 2012

• Weighty issues: Obese patients and healthcare worker safety

  The nation’s obesity epidemic has healthcare workers, especially nurses and nursing aides...

• Mercy! Time to consider risk of MRSA from unsafe injections

  Move over hepatitis B, C, and HIV, and make room for MRSA infections as a consequence of unsafe...

• Ask the expert: When safety needles and scalpels are the exception

  Q: What reasons will an OSHA inspector accept for not adopting safety devices, such as safety...

• Weekly Poll: Summer dress codes and safety

  Do how staff members dress in summertime create worker safety or patient safety problems?

Issue 29, July 16, 2012

• NIOSH reports chemotherapy drug exposures to oncology clinic staff

  Concerns voiced by staff at an oncology clinic can help protect your workers, who may also handle...

• Aerosol transmissible disease violation cited in hospital fine

  Cal/OSHA has imposed an $84,450 fine on Alta Bates Summit Medical Center for failure to warn and...

• Study examines infection prevention practices in home healthcare

  “A healthy boy was infected with antibiotic-resistant bacterium that was traced to his...

• Ask the expert: Healthcare worker TB exposure

  Q: A patient seen by our practice has recently tested positive for tuberculosis and is undergoing...

• Weekly poll: Healthcare workers and latex hazards

  In your facility, do you educate healthcare workers and provide them with training materials about...

Issue 28, July 10, 2012

• CDC updates healthcare workers with hepatitis guidelines

  The CDC updated the guidelines for how facilities should manage healthcare providers with hepatitis...

• Editor's choice: Hepatitis B protection for healthcare workers

  OSHA Healthcare Advisor asked its readers what percentage of their workers met ACIP recommendations?

• Ask the expert: TB screening for medical office staff

  Q: What are the OSHA TB screening requirements for medical office staff?

• Weekly poll: Staff and TB testing

  For the settings in your healthcare organization that are at low risk for TB exposure, do you...

Issue 27, July 3, 2012

• NIOSH updates healthcare hazardous drug list

  NIOSH has updated for 2012 the list of drugs commonly found in healthcare considered hazardous and...

• Influenza vaccination rates differ between hospital and non-hospital settings

  A study appearing in Infection Control and Hospital Epidemiology looked at how and why healthcare...

• Editor’s choice: Working while sick. Is it really worth it?

  It happens to everyone at some point: you wake up with a cough, a headache, or a stuffy nose, and...

• Ask the expert: Emergency eyewash stations and blood exposures

  Q: Are emergency eyewash stations required for blood exposures to the eyes?

• Weekly poll: The Court’s decision on Obamacare

  Checking the political pulse of OSHA Healthcare Advisor Readers, are you pleased with the decision...

Issue 26, June 26, 2012

• AIHA advice for OSHA includes stiffening fines

  The American Industrial Hygiene Association has released a white paper that highlights the emerging...

• Nurses at higher risk for depression

  At a rate of 18%, nurses are twice as likely to experience depression as the general public.

• Ask the expert: Refusing the hepatitis B post-vaccination titer

  Q: If an employee agrees to the hepatitis B the vaccination but fails to follow through on the...

• Weekly poll: OSHA fines vs. environmental fines

  Do you believe that OSHA fines are too lenient, especially when compared to fines imposed by...

Issue 25, June 19, 2012

• Domestic violence at root of hospital fatality

  The shooting at the Erie County Medical Center shows that violence in healthcare is not only...

• Tips for slip, trip, and fall prevention week

  The National Safety Council (NSC) reminds that week 3 of June National Safety Month is Preventing...

• Up close and personal on unsafe injections

  The CDC has recently posted two items on unsafe injection practices.

• Editor’s choice: Studying the aftermath of an employee shooting

  Q: How can hospitals prepare for this type of employee-on-employee violence?  

• Ask the expert: Positive TB test with new hires

  Q: We are a low-risk setting for TB. What is the follow-up when a new worker has a positive skin...

• Weekly poll; Checking for slip, trip, fall hazards

  How thorough are you or staff members with regular STF walk-through inspection?

Issue 24, June 12, 2012

• Feds encourage blunt-tip suture needle use

  To put it bluntly, the FDA, CDC, NIOSH, and OSHA want to see more use of blunt-tip suture needles...

• Tips for ergonomics week

  The National Safety Council (NSC) reminds us that week two of June National Safety Month is...

• CNA staff face many and varied workplace injuries

  A report on work-related injuries among certified nursing assistants (CNA) show that they face not...

• Ask the expert: Bloodborne pathogens exposure incident

  Q: What constitutes a bloodborne pathogens exposure incident?

• Weekly poll: How serious are you about ergonomics?

  Is an ergonomics policy a key part of the safety program in your healthcare facility?

Issue 23, June 5, 2012

• Hospital dinged for waste disposal practices

  An inspection by the New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services found that Concord Hospital...

• Study: Residents short on H1N1 PPE and infection prevention sense

  While training as physicians during the H1N1 pandemic, residents in four healthcare facilities...

• Editor’s choice: Going green can also improve worker safety

  The June issue of Medical Environment Update reports on how environmentally sound practices can...

• Ask the expert:Disposable tourniquets and OSHA regulations

  Q: What does OSHA say about reusing tourniquets for blood draws?

• Weekly poll: How green are you?

  How green is your healthcare facility or department in following environmentally sound practices?

Issue 22, May 29, 2012

• OSHA hits four Veterans Administration clinics with safety notices

  OSHA issued 30 notices of unsafe and unhealthful working conditions to four U.S. Department of...

• CDC posts healthcare setting hepatitis outbreak reports

  As part of Hepatitis Awareness Month and the first National Hepatitis Testing Day in the U.S. on...

• Editor’s choice: Chemotherapy drugs and sterilizing agents put nurses at risk

  It’s no surprise that highly toxic chemicals, found in chemotherapy drugs and sterilizing...

• Ask the expert: Using safety needles in an orthopedic practice

  Q: Our orthopedic practice only gives steroid injections. Are we required to use safety needles?

• Weekly poll: Random safety inspections, improved safety or burdensome expense

  With regard to healthcare do you believe that random safety inspections, such as from OSHA, do...

Issue 21, May 22, 2012

• OSHA to establish Whistleblower Protection Advisory Committee

  OSHA announced its intent to establish a Whistleblower Protection Advisory Committee that will...

• Study: Work experience related to increased use of PPE for flu

  Proper use of PPE for protection against H1N1 comes with healthcare worker experience, but not as...

• Editor's choice: Healthcare workplace violence compared to other occupations

  Healthcare workers were victims of workplace violence at more than twice the rate of the general...

• Ask the expert: When to test after Hepatitis B vaccination

  Q: After employees have the Hepatitis B virus (HBV) vaccination, when should they be tested for...

• Weekly poll: Hepatitis B protection for healthcare workers

  Of the workers in your healthcare facility with reasonably anticipated risk for exposures to blood...

Issue 20, May 15, 2012

• Intimate partner violence in workplace homicides touches healthcare

  Intimate partner violence resulted in nearly a quarter of the homicides among women at work in the...

• OSHA and Laser Institute of America renew alliance

  OSHA and the Laser Institute of America have renewed their alliance aimed at reducing and...

• Policies for preventing domestic violence in federal workplaces

  President Obama issued a memorandum specifically requiring federal workplaces to protect workers...

• Your nursing history IQ can win you a free webcast on preventing CAUTIs!

  There is still time to get in on HCPro's Nurses Week celebration free webcast contest through a fun...

• Ask the expert: Training record retention

  Q: I have been looking on the OSHA website for guidance on how long we should retain employee...

• Weekly poll: Domestic violence in the workplace

  Does your workplace violence prevention program specifically address the threats and effects of...

Issue 19, May 8, 2012

• Assaults at hospital draw OSHA workplace violence fine

  Lakeview Specialty Hospital, Waterford, WI, made the headlines when it received a $12,000 OSHA fine...

• Celebrating Occupational Safety and Health Professional Day, May 9

  May 9 is Occupational Safety and Health Professional (OSHP) Day, which includes recognizing the...

• Ask the expert: Online exposure control plan

  Q: Is it okay to have the Bloodborne Pathogens exposure control plan online, for example on the...

• Weekly poll: Nurses and workplace safety

  Compared to other working groups or occupations in your healthcare facility or organization, how...

Issue 18, May 1, 2012

• Why OSHA standards take so long to develop

  A report by the U.S. Government Accountability Office on why OSHA standards take, on average, more...

• U.S. workers not catching enough ZZZZs

  An especially high prevalence of short sleep duration was reported by night shift workers in the...

• Ask the expert: Doctors and annual bloodborne pathogens training

  Q: Are doctors in a medical practice exempt from OSHA Bloodborne Pathogens Standard yearly updates...

• Weekly poll: Can OSHA pick up the pace?

  Do you predict that changes will be made to allow OSHA standards to be developed more quickly than...

Issue 17, April 24, 2012

• Study: Forgetfulness, discomfort blamed for respiratory hygiene noncompliance

  Even though nearly all emergency department triage nurses at two university hospitals knew that...

• Editor’s choice: The bathroom is your lab!

  “I couldn't control my shock and asked her if she was kidding me! She was serious. We both...

• Ask the expert: Rented space and OSHA responsibility

  Q: My practice rents space to another practice with employees. They use none of our supplies and...

• Weekly poll: Color-coded scrubs for nurses

  Should nurses be required to wear prescribed color scrubs or uniforms?

Issue 16, April 17, 2012

• Study checks dental students on bloodborne exposures

  Fewer than half of dental school students showed “adequate knowledge of transmission and...

• Webinar focuses on protecting clinicians from hazardous drug exposures

  In recognition of Safe Handling Awareness Day, April 20, BD (Becton, Dickinson and Company) is...

• Ask the expert: Use of power strips

  Q: Our safety checklist states that we should not use multiple extension cords to power electrical...

• Weekly poll: Personally speaking up on hand hygiene

  As a patient, how likely are you to remind a physician to perform hand hygiene before attending to...

Issue 15, April 10, 2012

• Nursing homes draw OSHA emphasis program

  With workers in nursing and residential care facilities experiencing injuries “2.3 times...

• Vital stats: Healthcare as a dangerous job

  The OSHA Healthcare Advisor asked readers whether they considered their healthcare jobs dangerous...

• Ask the expert: Lunch-time training

  Q: Our supervisor wants to conduct annual bloodborne pathogens training during a brown bag lunch...

• Weekly poll: Surviving an OSHA inspection, right now

  Regardless of your facility type, how confident are you that your healthcare facility would be...

Issue 14, April 3, 2012

• Needlestick prevention group takes to the road

  Safe in Common, a non-profit organization established to raise awareness about needlestrick hazards...

• Study finds only low levels of MRSA ambulances

  Ambulances are relative free of contaminated surfaces that could cause staph infections to patients...

• Ask the expert: Who is qualified to instruct in bloodborne pathogens training?

  Q: What qualifications or certifications does OSHA require for conducting annual training for...

• Weekly poll: Safety compliance and regulatory sources

  From what sources do you regularly obtain information about healthcare staff and facility safety?

Issue 13, March 27, 2012

• OSHA announces amended Hazard Communication standard

  OSHA's changes to the Hazard Communication standard will improve safety by making it easier for...

• Safety officer tip: Play it safe with the general duty clause

  Sometimes there will be a danger in the workplace that OSHA hasn’t drafted a particular...

• Ask the expert: Chest x-ray frequency with positive TB test

  Q: How often should a staff member in a doctor's office with a positive tuberculin skin test be...

• Weekly poll: Training time for HazCom 2012

  Does OSHA's December 2013 deadline give employers enough time to train workers for the GHS-related...

Issue 12, March 20, 2012

• Study: Blood exposures risky with IV catheters

  For nurses, working with IV catheters poses a significant risk for blood exposures, yet most...

• Psychiatric hospitals fined

  Two California state psychiatric hospitals were fined by Cal-OSHA for failing to protect workers...

• Ask the expert: Blood exposure and eyewash station checks

  Q: We have no corrosive chemicals in our work area that would require an emergency eyewash station...

• Weekly poll: Staff safety training and education

  What percentage of your job do you spend on staff safety training and education?

Issue 11, March 13, 2012

• Call to Action issued for protection from bloodborne disease exposures

  The International Healthcare Worker Safety Center and the American Nurses Association have been...

• HazCom GHS clears OMB review

  Adoption of the Globally Harmonized System for classifying and labeling chemicals into the Hazard...

• Ask the expert: Carpeting in lab blood draw rooms

  Q: Are there any OSHA rules against carpeting in lab blood draw rooms?

• Weekly poll: OSHA enforcement in non-hospital settings

  Are you in favor of more bloodborne exposure and needlestick enforcement efforts by OSHA in...

Issue 10, March 6, 2012

• Checking podiatry clinics for bioaerosol exposures

  Yes, there are occupational hazards for caregivers working on feet.

• Sidestepping healthcare worker flu shot mandates

  Should vaccinations against influenza be mandatory for healthcare workers?

• Ask the expert: Storing specimens with medications

  Q: We are aware that specimens cannot be stored with food, but is it okay to store blood, urine...

• Weekly poll: Preferred safety training methods

  For your healthcare facility or department, what is your preferred method for staff safety training?

Issue 9, February 28, 2012

• Doctor, don’t dump thyself!

  A doctor in Bonita Springs, FL, disposed of medical waste … the problem is it wasn’t...

• Safety officer tip: Play it safe with the general duty clause

  Sometimes there will be a danger in the workplace that OSHA hasn’t drafted a particular...

• Ask the expert: OSHA bloodborne pathogens fines for hospitals

  Q: In a hospital what is the most frequent OSHA bloodborne pathogens citation and fine?

• Weekly poll: Healthcare as a dangerous job

  Do you consider healthcare jobs as dangerous?

Issue 8, February 21, 2012

• Needlesticks law accounts for drop in injuries

  Law and order has led to a decrease in needlestick injuries among hospital workers, according to...

• Flu shot sticks during pandemic clinics

  Healthcare workers giving lots flu shots in clinics during a pandemic are at higher risk of...

• Ask the expert: Most common OSHA fine for medical practices

  Q: In a medical practice what is the most frequent OSHA citation and fine?

• Weekly poll: Progress from Needlestick Safety and Prevention Act

  With the report of a 38% decrease in needlesticks, has the passage and enforcement of the...

Issue 7, February 14, 2012

• Federal recommendations inch toward mandatory flu shots

  A federal panel of vaccine advisors has presented to the Department of Health and Human Services...

• IAC updates flu shot honor roll

  The Immunization Action Coalition has added 28 organizations to its Honor Roll for Patient Safety...

• Ask the expert: Mandatory flu shots, mask-wearing policies, and HIPAA

  Q: Our healthcare facility is requiring employees to get the flu shot or they will have to wear a...

• Weekly poll: Needlestick safety devices

  How confident are you that your healthcare facility has considered and provided you with the best...

Issue 6, February 7, 2012

• OSHA adds free online respiratory protection videos

  OSHA announced its new respiratory protection video web page, January 31.

• Safety officer tip: Enjoy recordkeeping exemptions, while you have them

  While hospitals and long-term care facilities are busy this month posting workplace injuries to...

• Editor’s choice: You are disinfecting that scope with what?

  Some healthcare facilities have strange ideas about what constitutes appropriate decontamination.

• Ask the expert: Source patient testing after needlestick injury

  Q: When must we obtain testing consent from the source individual after an employee needlestick...

• Weekly poll: Safety on Super Bowl Monday

  Does Super Bowl Monday affect safety in your healthcare facility or unit?

Issue 5, January 31, 2012

• GHS review delayed

  The much-anticipated chemical labeling change to the Hazard Communication Standard will take a bit...

• AORN nixes multidose vials among other medication recommendations

  The Association of periOperative Registered Nurses hopes two new recommendations will prompt...

• Colorado considers mandatory flu shots

  The Colorado State Board of Health will vote next month on whether to mandate flu shots for...

• Ask the expert: ASC, MSDS, and hazardous drugs

  Q: Is an ambulatory surgery center required to keep an MSDS file for the medications that are used...

• Weekly poll: Yes or no on mulitdose vials

  Do you agree with the AORN recommended practice to discontinue the use of multidose medication...

Issue 4, January 24, 2012

• Study: Workplace exposures put nurses at risk for lost pregnancies

  A study appearing in the American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology raises concerns about common...

• Editor’s choice: Infection prevention plan for outpatient oncology settings

  A new “plug and play” infection control plan that allows oncology clinics to get up to...

• Ask the expert: Top 10 questions for 2011

  Want to know about compliance on bloodborne pathogens training, TB skin testing, emergency eyewash...

• Weekly poll: Workplace safety and performance evaluations

  How important is workplace safety in the written performance evaluations for employees in your...

Issue 3, January 17, 2012

• ANA survey: Workplace safer for nurses

  A survey by the American Nurses Association shows that overall workplace safety has improved...

• Viewing the film Puncture

  The needlestick injury film Puncture is availalabe through DVD rental/purchase or online streaming.

• Editor’s choice: Responsibility for performing the weekly checks of eyewash stations

  Check out “In your eyes – the light, the heat … the chemicals?” by Steve...

• Ask the expert: Gloves for injections

  Q: In researching OSHA guidelines, I found that wearing gloves during an injection is not required...

• Weekly poll: Workplace safety now and then

  Overall, is your healthcare facility a safer place to work than it was 10 year ago?

Issue 2, January 10, 2012

• CDC proposes safer work practices in medical labs

  Experts convened by the CDC have produced guidelines that reinforce a common-sense approach to...

• International study examines infection prevention practices in dental settings

  A study assessing infection prevention practices of dentists in eight countries shows a wide...

• Ask the expert: OSHA safety sharps compliance on pre-filled syringes

  Q: May we use the non-safety needles that come with pre-filled vaccine syringes provided by the...

• Weekly poll: The Feds and healthcare worker mandatory flu shots

  If approved, do think the CDC’s Recommendations on Strategies to Achieve the Healthy People...

Issue 1, January 3, 2012

• OSHA improves the "It’s the Law" poster page

  OSHA has improved the Web page where employers go for information about the posting requirements...

• Elevators are safe, but caution is still required

  It's a question we probably take for granted, but are you exercising safe practices when using an...

• Ask the expert: Who does OSHA fine for not using safety needles, the worker or employer?

  Q: If an employee refuses to use available safety devices, such as safety needles and sharps, who...

• Weekly poll: Prediction on bloodborne pathogens exposures

  How well will your facility do in preventing occupational bloodborne pathogens exposures in 2012?