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Hospital Safety Insider

Issue 51, December 29, 2011

• Hospital fire in India leads to 90 deaths

  Of 90 people died in a fire that began in the basement of Advanced Medical Research Institute...

• Mac’s Safety Space: I need to know

  Another challenge that’s been rearing its ugly little head is the requirement for staff and...

• Tip of the week: Complying with OSHA’s Bloodborne Pathogens standard

  OSHA's Bloodborne Pathogens standard took effect in March 1992 and was designed to protect...

Issue 50, December 22, 2011

• After incident, hospital invests in security technology

  On November 19, a 48-year-old man fatally shot himself just outside the emergency room of Massena...

• Weekly poll: Safety and holiday decorations

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• Mac’s Safety Space: If they don't know by now . . . you must be remarkably emergency-free

  Lately, I’ve encountered some consternation relative to emergency management, specifically...

• Tip of the week: Keeping infection control compliance during construction

  Renovations and construction projects can lead infection control professionals to fret. Here are...

Issue 49, December 15, 2011

• Baby abduction puts CA hospital in immediate jeopardy

  Fourteen California hospitals have been ordered to pay fines totaling $850,000 in the latest round...

• Weekly poll: Working the healthcare worker safety beat

  Recently, OSHA ran what amounts to a help wanted ad in the Department of Labor newsletter for...

• Mac's Safety Space: I need to know--the re-rise of glutaraldehyde-based disinfectant

  One of the developments of the last few years that pleased me most was the move away from...

• Tip of the week: Comply with LS.02.01.10

  According to The Joint Commission, LS.02.01.10 has a 49% ­noncompliance rate in 2010, and 57...

Issue 48, December 8, 2011

• Healthcare employee injury rate higher than construction, mining, and manufacturing

  The U.S. Department of Labor Department statistics shows the healthcare industry has one of the...

• Mac’s Safety Space: A cup of coffee, a sandwich, and . . . the boss!

  If you’ve not yet procured a copy of the November 2011 issue of The Joint Commission...

• Weekly poll: Following flu shot and mask wearing recommendations

  The “Requiring masks for healthcare workers” excerpt drew some spirited comments from...

• Tip of the week: Preparing for a forensic patient

  Similar to preparing for a natural disaster or community emergency, preparing for a forensic...

Issue 47, December 1, 2011

• Hospital built with bioterrorism in mind

  The brand new Rush University Medical Center in Chicago touts a design that addresses the...

• Weekly poll: Hand hygiene and glove use

  A recently published study by researchers at the Royal Free Hospital, London, found a significant...

• Mac's Safety Space: A little more conversation--and a little more action too!

  By this point, you should be thinking about (or already acted on) setting up conversations with...

• Tip of the week: Perform a risk assessment for surgical fires

  Organizations must ensure communication among members of the surgical team and establish a system...

Issue 46, November 17, 2011

• Take our survey for a chance to win $100!

  To ensure that HCPro meets your training products and services needs in 2012, please take a moment...

• PA bill would address healthcare work violence

  A new bill would require hospitals in Pennsylvania to protect nurses and other frontline staff from...

• Weekly poll: OSHA and healthcare national emphasis programs

  Because of the high rate of injuries among support healthcare workers, OSHA announced last week a...

• You gotta serve somebody--cause you've got HOSPITAL-ity!

  A few weeks ago,  I was reading “the nation’s newspaper” (USA Today, of...

• Tip of the week: Comply with EC.02.03.05

  This standard requires hospitals to maintain fire safety equipment and fire safety building...

Issue 45, November 10, 2011

• NC hospital faces immediate jeopardy after security incident

  Cape Fear Valley Medical Center in Fayetteville, NC, might not receive Medicare funding after a...

• Weekly poll: Getting a jump on GHS

  Even though the Globally Harmonized System (GHS) for classifying and labeling chemicals has not...

• Follow the leader

  Another survey condition that has been surfacing of late—which you could say makes it a...

• Tip of the week: Comply with the most cited safety standard - LS.02.01.20

  A whopping 49% of hospitals were scored as noncompliant in this standard in 2010, and 57% were...

Issue 44, November 3, 2011

• OSHA cites ASCs most for bloodborne pathogens

  OSHA has been citing more ambulatory surgery centers (ASC) and physician offices for Bloodborne...

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

  Outpatient settings such as hospital-based outpatient clinics, nonhospital-based clinics and...

• Mac's Safety Space: I can't drive--5?

  I recently fielded a question regarding vehicle speed limits on a hospital campus.

• Tip of the week: Create a weapons-free environment

  There’s an easy way for hospitals to address the issue of legally carried firearms by...

Issue 43, October 27, 2011

• Many CA hospitals have risk of collapsing during major earthquake

  Many hospital buildings in California are still not earthquake-proof, despite the 1994 landmark law...

• Weekly Poll: Injury and illness rates in healthcare

  In commenting on the latest report on report from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Secretary of...

• Mac’s Safety Space: Random acts of impenetrable prose

  Could I have a volunteer from the audience? Whilst working in the upper part of the Midwest, I...

• Tip of the Week: Make your hospital sustainable

  A New Hampshire healthcare system is sharing its story of how it embarked on a sustainability...

Issue 42, October 20, 2011

• Call for Life Safety Code® stories and best practices

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

• Hospital ER shuts down after meth contamination

  The emergency room of Medical Park Hospital in Hope, AR, was shut down after emergency room workers...

• Weekly poll: Safe patient handling and lifting

  Recent passage in California of a safe patient handling and lifting law, and focus by NIOSH on the...

• Tip of the week: Stop workplace bullying

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

Issue 41, October 13, 2011

• Drug firms found liable in Vegas hepatitis C case

  Drug companies must pay a total of $20.1 million to five plaintiffs affected by an outbreak of...

• Mac’s Safety Space: Mac?s Brief on the September TJC Executive Briefings, Part 2

  As promised, I continue going the standards The Joint Commission (TJC) unveiled as the top 10 most...

• Mac’s Safety Space: What we have here is a failure to communicate, or is it a water failure? Sewer failure?

  Another survey finding that’s been bubbling up to the top lately relates to your utility...

• Weekly tip: Requiring mandatory flu shots

  In April, the American Hospital Association's (AHA) board of trustees approved a new policy urging...

Issue 40, October 6, 2011

• Hospitals use flu vaccination to test mobile shelter

  Western Maryland Health System in Cumberland, MD, and Garrett Memorial Hospital in Oakland, MD...

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

  OSHA Bloodborne Pathogens Standard paragraph (d)(3)(iii) requires that the employer provide...

• Mac’s Safety Space: For those of you not so executively inclined, Mac?s Brief on the September TJC Executive Briefings

  To the surprise of almost no one (as far as I can tell), when The Joint Commission (TJC) unveiled...

• Tip of the week: Establish a preconstruction risk assessment team

  The team that performs a preconstruction risk assessment should be composed of a range of people...

Issue 39, September 29, 2011

• Physician to stand trial for hepatitis outbreak

  The physician at a Las Vegas clinic associated a hepatitis outbreak is competent to stand trial.

• Weekly poll: New hires and hepatitis B protection

  A study researching healthcare students and hepatitis B vaccinations found  lower immunization...

• Mac’s Safety Space: Cappiello named COO of Healthcare Facilities Accreditation Program

  We’d like to report some exciting news: former Joint Commission vice president and long-time...

• Tip of the week: Get safety policies and procedures approved

  Typically, policies, procedures, rules, and regulations that serve as the basis for your safety...

Issue 38, September 22, 2011

• Prisoner escapes in hospitals a problem, reports IHSS

  A new study funded by the International Healthcare Security & Safety (IHSS) Foundation has...

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

  “Contagion,” the film about a new virus that sweeps over the world infecting and...

• Mac's Safety Space: Under Pressure--Positively Clean

  In yet another dispatch from the regulatory survey landscape, one item I’ve noticed being...

• Tip of the week: Analyze the hospital life safety survey

  If you’re interested in ensuring you pass the Joint Commission’s life safety survey...

Issue 37, September 15, 2011

• 9/11 reminds hospitals and communities to check preparedness

  A September 1 report by the Trust for America’s Health and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation...

• Weekly poll: Workplace violence prevention in your healthcare facility

  When OSHA announced its new Enforcement Procedures for Investigating or Inspecting Incidents of...

• Mac’s Safety Space: This is a public service announcement

  Every once in a while I like to share stuff that folks are developing in other areas of...

• Tip of the week: Comply with new Joint Commission requirement for emergency exercises

  EM directors should be aware of the new note that's been added to standard EM.03.01.03, says Marge...

Issue 36, September 8, 2011

• Staff stay with patients despite order of evacuation

  Mayor Michael Bloomberg ordered five New York City Hospitals to evacuate prior to Hurricane...

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

  New Jersey is considering a law requiring all commercial facilities with beds, including hospitals...

• Mac's Safety Space: And now for something completely . . . the same

  Time for a quick roundup of some recent survey trends:

• Tip of the week: Don’t splurge on a resource center

  The costs to set up a resource center can be minimal,says Joseph A. Glaski, MBA, SASHE...

Issue 35, September 1, 2011

• Hurricane Irene forces total evacuation for one CT hospital

  Johnson Memorial Medical Center in Stafford, CT, suffered a power outage from Hurricane Irene on...

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

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

• Mac's Safety Space: Your mother should know . . . but what if she doesn't?

  I’ve noticed a little word popping up in recent survey reports, a word that strikes fear in...

• Tip of the week: Stay up to date with TJC during construction

  Ed Lydon, CHFM, director of the support services department at Northeast Health Systems in...

Issue 34, August 25, 2011

• 17% of nurses exposed to chemotherapy drugs

  Nearly 17 percent of nurses who work in outpatient chemotherapy infusion centers reported being...

• Weekly poll: Speaking up for safety as a patient

  A comment about a phlebotomist not gloving up suggests this week poll question: As a patient, if...

• Mac’s Safety Space: Reasons (not) to be cheerful, part 3

  Interested in knowing what The Joint Commission looks for during surveys? What follows is a...

• Tip of the week: Monitor physicians for emergency preparedness

  The Joint Commission requires the medical staff to monitor physicians who have been granted...

Issue 33, August 18, 2011

• Australian hospital may card unruly ER patients

  A hospital in Melbourne, Australia, is looking into the possibility of implementing a penalty...

• Mac’s Safety Space: Since when should we let folks consider safety as an option?

  Dipping into the mailbag once again, I recall a conversation I had with a client who was with...

• Weekly tip: Clean your surgical suites right

  Hospitals can use the recommendations from the Association of periOperative Registered Nurses...

Issue 32, August 11, 2011

• Wisconsin piloting patient tracking system for mass casualty event

  The Wisconsin Department of Health Services is conducting a statewide pilot of a Web-based patient...

• Weekly poll: Reacting to flu shot resisters

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

• Tip of the week: Save money, improve customer service with a facility management resource center

  A resource center can help a hospital manage its physical environment, says Joseph A. Glaski, MBA...

Issue 31, August 4, 2011

• Vancouver hospital was ready for hockey riot

  St. Paul’s Hospital in downtown Vancouver was ready for whatever the riot following Game 7 of...

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

  Going into a hospital for care is riskier than air travel, according to the World Health...

• Mac’s Safety Space: How soon is now, how safe is safe enough?

  During a recent Joint Commission survey, a concern was raised because the hospital’s...

• Tip of the week: Take the right steps for your MSDS

  Ensure that the following steps are taken when dealing with material safety data sheets (MSDS...

Issue 30, July 28, 2011

• $25 million settlement moves ahead in Tenet case

  On July 21, a New Orleans judge granted preliminary approval for a $25 million settlement to end a...

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

  The NIOSH Science blog takes a cue from the film “Horrible Bosses” to look at and offer...

• Mac’s Safety Space: All we are is dust in the?

  One of the critical processes when one embarks upon a program of construction and/or renovation is...

• Tip of the week: Ensure that you think of security considerations ahead of a disaster

  If a tornado hits, is your security team prepared? Make sure you can answer the following...

Issue 29, July 21, 2011

• Hospital closes ER after faulty radiation reading

  Scripps Memorial Hospital in Encinitas, CA, had quite the impromptu drill after a wrongly...

• Weekly poll: Infection control for outpatient settings

  Do you think that the CDC guide and checklist for infection prevention in outpatient settings...

• Mac’s Safety Space: One more from the mailbag

  Q: Regarding patient/nonpatient care areas, how often should I be performing site visits to...

• Tip of the week: Establish parameters for risk assessments

  The risk assessment is a simple but effective tool to evaluate any number of risks stemming from...

Issue 28, July 14, 2011

• Local radio reports nurse's aide most violent job in Washington state

  As part of an investigative series on workplace safety, Seattle public radio station KUOW-FM has...

• Weekly poll: OSHA and whistleblower protection awareness

  A whistleblower complaint filed against an Ohio dental practice demonstrates that employers&rsquo...

• Mac's Safety Space: This ain't the summer of love (but maybe it could be?)

  One of the universal challenges facing Environment of Care/safety committees is the task of...

• Tip of the week: Cut energy costs

  In 2004, facility managers at Catholic Health Initiatives (CHI) decided they needed to make energy...

Issue 27, July 7, 2011

• Another person killed in FL hospital violence

  A man who entered Physician’s Regional-Pine Ridge in Naples, FL on the evening of July 5...

• Weekly poll: To sleep, perchance to dream

  Studies presented last month at SLEEP 2011: Associated Professional Sleep Societies 25th Annual...

• Mac’s Safety Space: What is a nonpatient care area?

  Catching up on some recent e-mail questions, there was one regarding hazard surveillance activities...

• Tip of the week: Defend costs to administration

  There are always costs associated with any upgrade project. The security director must show that he...

Issue 26, June 30, 2011

• News: MI hospital activates emergency response over powder

  After an employee in an administration office on the Imaging Center on Beaumont Hospital’s...

• Weekly poll: Workplace flu shots

  A CDC report shows that that the third most common location to receive seasonal flu shots for...

• Mac's Safety Space: Not quite animal magnetism

  Recently I fielded a question from someone who was reviewing an MRI safety plan and was curious...

• Tip of the week: Learn from banks to create an environment that is friendly and secure

  The primary concern for hospital security is the safety of everyone in the healthcare environment...

Issue 25, June 23, 2011

• NFPA approves new versions of Life Safety Code®, NFPA 99

  Last week, the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) approved new versions of NFPA 101, Life...

• Weekly poll: Worker safety vs. green issues

  In “Safety Has Not Been Asked to Prom” the National Institute for Occupational Safety...

• Mac's Safety Space: That's me in the corners. . .losing my infection (risks)

  Not that long ago, I participated in a discussion regarding the terminal cleaning of surgical...

• Tip of the week: Use hospital intranet for posting emergency operations plan

  When a disaster happens, hospitals turn to their emergency operation plans (EOP). It’s the...

Issue 24, June 16, 2011

• Man fired gun in Ohio hospital emergency room

  Wright-Patterson (OH) Medical Center experienced quite the scare over the weekend when a man fired...

• Weekly poll: Reaching the flu shot goal

  The CDC reports a 42.8% influenza vaccination rate in the U.S. for persons aged 6 months to 64...

• Mac's Safety Space: Beware the Ides of July?

  By now, I suspect that most of you have heard about some of the “editorial” changes...

• Tip of the week: Evaluate new technology before purchasing

  Almost every security department is on a tight budget. Hospitals are no different. Since upgrade...

Issue 23, June 9, 2011

• CA representative calls for continued funding of emergency mobile hospitals

  California representative Bonnie Lowenthal (D-Long Beach), chair of the Assembly Transportation...

• Weekly poll: Germ-ridden cell phones and safety

  A study of cell phones used in healthcare settings found more bacteria on patient and visitor...

• Mac's Safety Space: Questions you can?t answer (right away) are the hallmark of a useful emergency exercise

  The “best” result you can really expect from an emergency response exercise is the...

• Tip of the Week: Have a wide range of people--and food options--at your next safety meeting

  How do you run a successful safety committee meeting? "It might seem silly, but one of the...

Issue 71, June 2, 2011

• Hospital shooting raises security questions

  Hospital safety is being questioned after a patient shot and killed a doctor at Florida Hospital in...

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

  The tornado that ripped through St. John’s Regional Medical Center in Joplin, MO, serves as a...

• Mac’s Safety Space: Andy Rooney redux: Handwringing at its finest

  One of the occupational hazards of my job is that I tend not to leave the job behind when I travel...

• Tip of the Week: Report card: How well are hospitals prepared for emergencies?

  The following is an excerpt from the May issue of Briefings on Hospital Safety Study reveals some...

Issue 70, May 26, 2011

• Missouri hospital evacuated safely during weekend tornado

  The entire 367-bed St. John’s Regional Medical Center in Joplin, MO, needed to be evacuated...

• Weekly poll: Workplace safety and health achievements

  The CDC included occupational health on its list of Ten Great Public Health Achievements in the...

• Mac’s Safety Space: Meanwhile, on the other side of town...interim gas measures?

  One little item that seems to be popping up with increasing regularity is citing deficiencies in...

• Tip of the Week: OSHA updates requirements for PPE with new enforcement guidelines

  The following is an excerpt from the May issue of Briefings on Hospital Safety Pay close attention...

Issue 69, May 19, 2011

• No violations found in incident involving heavy equipment that injured two

  OSHA found no violations in an incident at Advocate Good Samaritan Hospital in Downers Grove, IL...

• Weekly Poll: Opinion on healthcare facilities with serious OSHA violations

  HCPro’s OSHA Healthcare Advisor reported last week that an assisted living facility was fined...

• Mac’s Safety Space: Harvester of Data: Data collection?your pathway to compliance

  At this point, if you’ve been managing your environment for any length of time, you know...

• Tip of the Week: Joint Commission expects hospitals to address patient communication standards

  The following is an excerpt from the May issue of Briefings on Hospital Safety

Issue 68, May 12, 2011

• Infected water system to be replaced in Washington hospital

  The water system at Providence Sacred Heart Medical Center in Spokane, WA, will be treated with...

• Napa State Hospital under scrutiny for another assault

  Another assault occurred at Napa State Hospital in Napa, CA, less than a month after the...

• Mac’s Safety Space: Hot! Hot! Hot! (part 1) - Hot Labs

  I’m reasonably certain that when you folks are conducting your annual evaluations, you are...

• Mac’s Safety Space: Hot! Hot! Hot! (part 1) - Hot Labs

  I’m reasonably certain that when you folks are conducting your annual evaluations, you are...

• Mac’s Safety Space: Hot! Hot! Hot! (part 1) - Hot Labs

  I’m reasonably certain that when you folks are conducting your annual evaluations, you are...

• Mac’s Safety Space: Hot! Hot! Hot! (part 1) - Hot Labs

  I’m reasonably certain that when you folks are conducting your annual evaluations, you are...

• Tip of the week: EPA issues final rule to reduce boiler emissions

  Normal 0 false false false EN-US X-NONE X-NONE...

Issue 67, May 5, 2011

• Man accused of murder at Napa State Hospital will go to trial

  In the ongoing saga at Napa State Hospital in Napa, CA, following a nurse’s murder by a...

• New California bill aims to improve safety for patients and staff at state hospitals

  A bill proposed by state Assembly member Michael Allen (D-Santa Rosa) to address safety issues at...

• Mac’s Safety Space: Peeling back the layers of the onion?adventures in the kitchen

  I cannot honestly say that this has been cropping up in Joint Commission surveys, but it has been...

• Tip of the week: The challenges of hazardous chemical reporting

  The following is an excerpt from the May issue of Briefings on Hospital Safety The EPA's Tier II...

Issue 66, April 28, 2011

• New infant security system dubbed Hugs and Kisses

  A new infant security system involving ankle straps and monitors has been launched at St. Lucie...

• Bills to allow seismic safety deadline extension

  Two bills were signed by California Governor Jerry Brown (D) that could give hospitals a seven-year...

• Mac’s Safety Space: Scoping out some changes

  Keep an eye out for the forthcoming issue of Briefings on Hospital Safety, which will include a...

• Joint Commission revises requirements for fire alarm and protection systems

  The following is an excerpt from the April issue of Briefings on Hospital Safety. Starting July 1...

Issue 65, April 21, 2011

• Nurses outraged over emergency room security switch up

  A change in emergency room security staff has nurses up in arms at St. Josephs Hospital in St...

• Ambulance stolen from hospital

  Just after a patient was dropped off by ambulance at Floyd Memorial Hospital, in New Albany, IN...

• Mac’s Safety Space: Transporting blood and urine samples

  Q: A question about transporting blood and urine samples. Do the samples need to be in a biohazard...

• Complimentary live demo of HCPro’s Patient Safety Monitor

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

Issue 64, April 14, 2011

• Patient dies at Napa State Hospital from alleged attack

  A patient died April 11 at Napa (CA) State Hospital, Napa while being subdued after attacking a...

• New emergency room opens in new facility in Hartford

  After three years of construction, St. Francis Hospital in Hartford, CT, opened a $184 million...

• Mac’s Safety Space: Crash carts

  Q: Is there a regulation that states you can't store crash carts behind locked doors? We have kept...

• Tip of the Week: Many hospitals jumping on social media bandwagon

  The following is an excerpt from the April issue of Briefings on Hospital Safety. With people...

Issue 63, April 7, 2011

• Fear of radiation exposure cause pediatric clinic relocation

  Employee concern about possible radiation exposure from the radiology department has prompted...

• Hospital security likely to be taken over by sheriff’s office

  The Santa Clara County Sheriff’s Office will likely be taking over security at Valley Medical...

• Mac’s Safety Space: Greetings From the Survey Zone

  A few items have been popping up in surveys over the last couple of weeks; two require a homework...

• Tip of the Week: Hospitals go green, save money with free recycling program

  The following is an excerpt from April’s Briefings on Hospital Safety. Before Mark A...

Issue 62, March 31, 2011

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

  Preliminary approval was given by a California legislative committee for a bill to move forward...

• New system to enhance communication between police and ED

  A new communications system will help first responders at Holy Name Medical Center, Teaneck, NJ...

• Mac’s Safety Space: A visit to the infusion center

  Q: Our Chief Operating Officer (COO) is concerned that The Joint Commission may go to our infusion...

• Tip of the Week: Upcoming OSHA hazard communication change may make process more user- friendly

  The following is an excerpt from the March issue of Briefings on Hospital Safety. Plans by OSHA to...

Issue 61, March 24, 2011

• California hospital will be able to withstand an 8.0 earthquake

  An innovative building design will allow the brand new Mills-Peninsula Medical Center in San Mateo...

• Infant security system sets off unauthorized movement

  A new infant security system to alert hospital staff if an infant has been moved has been donated...

• Mac’s Safety Space: Life Safety Code retractable hooks

  Q: I had a Life Safety Code question I was hoping you could help me with when you get a chance...

• Tip of the Week: Use intranet website to put hospital’s emergency operation plans at everyone’s fingertips

  After a disaster occurs, hospitals turn to their emergency operation plans (EOP). Children’s...

Issue 60, March 17, 2011

• GPS device used to keep track of newborns

  Colorado uses anklet devices to ensure infant safety, but Pennsylvania is using security tags on...

• Hospital fined for lack of workplace violence protection

  OSHA fined Franklin Hospital Medical Center in Valley Stream, NY, $4,500 for failing to protect its...

• Mac’s Safety Space: Electric blankets in patient care occupied rooms

  Q: At my hospital, we do not allow electric blankets in patient rooms. Several Charge Nurse’s...

• Tip of the Week: Risk assessments: The catch-all for hazard analysis

  The following excerpt is from the March issue of Briefings on Hospital Safety. No matter the size...

Issue 59, March 10, 2011

• Infant security program added to Colorado medical center

  Tiny security devices are being put around infants’ ankles at the Vail Valley Medical Center...

• New facility being inspected before opening

  The new building at Abraham Lincoln Memorial Hospital in Lincoln, IL, will have new technology, a...

• Mac’s Safety Space: Temperature and humidity in the operating room

  Q: My engineering manager is telling me that they only have to monitor temperature and humidity in...

• Tip of the Week: With more technology to choose from, it’s important to understand what to buy and why

  The following question is from the March issue of Briefings on Hospital Safety. With more...

Issue 58, March 3, 2011

• California Children’s hospital fined for safety violations

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

• Fire in hospital due to careless smoking

  New details have been released about a fire that took place on February 6 in Springfield Hospital...

• Mac’s Safety Space: Linens in the ENT clinic

  Q: We have been having a discussion about the linens in our ear, nose, and throat (ENT) clinic...

• Tip of the Week: Creating an environment that is friendly and secure

  The following is an excerpt from the March issue of Briefings on Hospital Safety. Balance safety...

Issue 57, February 24, 2011

• Healthcare provider uses technology to keep criminals away

  Face recognition software is being used by a healthcare system to scan visitors entering the...

• Vermont hospital concerned about emergency room violence

  To enhance security, Central Vermont Medical Center in Berlin will be limiting entrances to its...

• Mac’s Safety Space: Joint Commission standards on mop and rag laundering

  Q: We're concerned about whether the way our mops and rags are laundered are up to Joint Commission...

• Tip of the Week: Worker’s death is a reminder to hospitals to ensure safe storage

  A 26-year-old employee of Advocate Condell Medical Center in Libertyville, IL, was killed in...

Issue 56, February 17, 2011

• Massachusetts facility fined for electrical safety issues

  Northeast Hospital Corp., located in Beverly, MA, is facing a $63,000 fine after an investigation...

• Hospital garage collapses and injures two

  A six-story parking garage at University Hospital in San Antonio, TX, collapsed on February 14...

• Mac’s Safety Space: Don’t let go of the coat

  I was traveling recently through the middle of the country and had to witness some sort of lock...

• Tip of the Week: Hospitals have unique challenges to ensure air quality

  One of the main issues hospitals face when it comes to clean air quality is the patients they tend...

Issue 55, February 10, 2011

• Hey, put that camera away

  Laurie Shifler, who delivered her baby at Meritus Medical Center in Hagerstorn, MD, was banned from...

• Hospital reevaluating its railings

  An Ontario hospital is looking closely at its railing design after a man died February 3 after...

• Mac’s Safety Space: When equipment retires ...

  I was doing some work recently when I came upon an interesting situation. During the course of the...

• Tip of the Week: Boston hospital's EM program is deficiency free and wins high praise

  Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center’s emergency management (EM) program scored high in its...

Issue 54, February 3, 2011

• OSHA fines Maine hospital for workplace violations

  OSHA fined a Maine psychiatric hospital $11,700 last month for failing to provide its employees...

• Napa State Hospital workers speak out about their concerns

  Napa (CA) State Hospital has gone through its fair share of trouble this past year when a nurse was...

• Mac’s Safety Space: Fire alarm standards

  Q: It has long been understood that the EOC standards allowed for actual fire alarms to be counted...

• Tip of the Week: Security’s involvement in suicide risks

  Security is capable of providing support for suicide prevention. How do your security staff fit...

Issue 53, January 27, 2011

• OSHA investigates 3,000-pound equipment fall that injures two

  A 3,000-pound piece of equipment fell onto two men in an Illinois hospital on January 19 and has...

• Hospital fire causes some staff evacuation

  A sub-basement fire at St. Luke’s Hospital in Boise, ID, required some staff members in the...

• Mac’s Safety Space: Safety committee meetings

  Q: How often do you believe a safety committee should meet? I have always believed monthly, and...

• Tip of the Week: Follow these eight steps to design effective emergency exercises

  How do you create emergency exercises and have them be effective? Marge McFarlane, PhD, MS(ENPH...

Issue 52, January 20, 2011

• Dust bunnies find their way into Missouri hospital

  Calling all dust busters, feather dusters, and brooms: The University of Missouri Health Care needs...

• New fire and protection revisions for hospitals by The Joint Commission

  The Joint Commission last week released a newly revised fire alarm and protection system...

• Mac’s Safety Space: Return of the thin white glove

  The gloves come off--wait a minute, there’s another glove underneath--as is my custom when...

• Tip of the Week: Safety and infection control audio conference survey

  Do you have any new ideas you’d like to see regarding hospital safety? Share them with us!

Issue 51, January 13, 2011

• Hospital recognizes need for workplace safety improvements

  A list of safety improvements is scheduled to be fixed during 2011 at Phelps County Regional...

• Oregon State Hospital's mental facility renovations will improve cramped living quarters

  On January 10, a group of patients from Oregon State Hospital (OSH) in Salem moved out of their...

• Mac's Safety Space: Using disposable razors

  Q: I work in a behavioral health facility and was hoping to get your input regarding...

• Tip of the Week: Virtual fire extinguisher provides realistic training

  Knowing how to use a fire extinguisher in a healthcare facility can be important. But does everyone...

Issue 50, January 6, 2011

• Texas hospital enhances security system

  The Scott & White Hospital-Llano (TX) replaced its outdated security system by purchasing a new...

• Shooting prompts hospital to add security features

  On Tuesday, January 4, a man walked into the University of New Mexico Hospital and fired one shot...

• Mac’s Safety Space: Life Safety Surveyor

  Q: I was just wondering what your thoughts are on the expanding life safety surveyor. I am in a...

• Tip of the Week: Security considerations for psychiatric patients

  What do you do when your emergency department becomes dangerous because of a psychiatric patient...

Issue 41, October 13, 2011

• Hazmat response for medical waste exposure at MD hospital

  Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in Bethesda, MD, had a hazmat scare when a contractor...

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

  A study from Great Britain has raised doubts about whether home washing machines do an adequate job...

Issue 32, August 18, 2011

• Weekly poll: Safety and progressive disciplinary policy

  When workers continue to violate safety rules, especially with the use of PPE, proof that the...