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Hospital Safety Connection

Stay on top of hospital safety requirements and best practices with our free, fast-paced weekly update.

2009 | 2008 | 2007 | 2006 | 2005 | 2004 | 2003

Hospital Safety Connection

Issue 47, November 18, 2009

• Medical chopper crash may bolster FAA regulation proposal

  Yet another medical helicopter crashed has killed people, this time near the California-Nevada...

• Large EPA settlement points to common problems with hazardous waste

  The Environmental Protection Agency’s actions as part of a $533,570 hospital settlement...

• No Hospital Safety Connection next week

  In observance of Thanksgiving, we will not be publishing Hospital Safety Connection next Thursday...

• Mac’s Safety Space: With OR humidity, follow CMS and risk assessment findings

  Join Steve MacArthur, safety consultant for The Greeley Company, as he offers advice and best...

• Tip of the week: Look to NFPA 96 for help with kitchen fire prevention

  A cooking fire at a New Jersey hospital serves as a reminder that grease can be a hazard.

Issue 46, November 11, 2009

• Life safety concerns top The Joint Commission’s citation list

  In sobering news for hospital safety professionals, four of the top 10 most cited Joint Commission...

• Infectious disease groups appeal to Obama to pull back on N95 enforcement

  Three infectious disease professional associations have written to President Obama, asking him to...

• Mac’s Safety Space: Digging into why LS.02.01.20 tops the most cited standards list

  Join Steve MacArthur, safety consultant for The Greeley Company, as he offers advice and best...

• Tip of the week: Consider more than one person to monitor emergency drills

  When performing emergency management exercises under Joint Commission requirements, EM.03.01.03...

Issue 45, November 4, 2009

• Take our anonymous Joint Commission poll; results to be published in free report

  If your hospital underwent a Joint Commission survey in 2009, we want to hear from you about how...

• CMS now permits six-year damper tests in hospitals

  As we first reported Tuesday on our “HospitalSafety” Twitter account, the Centers for...

• Mac’s Safety Space: Be wary about using fire drills as emergency management tests

  Join Steve MacArthur, safety consultant for The Greeley Company, as he offers advice and best...

• Tip of the week: Read our free article about dealing with the press after security-related incidents

  In the past month, hospitals across the country have dealt with alleged stabbings, muggings on...

Issue 44, October 28, 2009

• Boston hospitals experience alleged shooting, stabbings, and attempted rape

  The past eight days have been a particularly violent time for Boston hospitals, including a fatal...

• Hospital president notes red bag slip-up to city aldermen

  The president of Waterbury (CT) Hospital told the city’s aldermen last week that the facility...

• Mac’s Safety Space: OSHA raises the stakes in the N95 respirator debate

  Join Steve MacArthur, safety consultant for The Greeley Company, as he offers advice and best...

• Tip of the week: Keep Lysol at home

  Although Lysol might be effective in killing 99% of bacteria on your kitchen counter, it’s...

Issue 43, October 21, 2009

• With the holiday season starting soon, here's a free checklist to monitor decorations

  It won’t be long before holiday decorations start to show up on units and in offices, which...

• The CDC reaffirms N95s for healthcare worker protection against H1N1

  As we first reported last week on our Twitter account and in Mac’s Safety Space, the Centers...

• Download 80 customizable paper patients for just $99

  As part of HCPro’s new Emergency Preparedness Solutions series, you can now download 80...

• Mac’s Safety Space: Joint Commission offers guidance, but no mandates, for patient-owned items

  Join Steve MacArthur, safety consultant for The Greeley Company, as he offers advice and best...

• Tip of the week: Get a head start on annual EC reviews

  EC.04.01.01 requires hospitals to monitor the environment of care by collecting information, which...

Issue 42, October 13, 2009

• Alleged radiation overdoses and a coolant leak lead to CT scanner troubles

  Separate problems with CT scanner settings and coolant made the news in bad ways over the last...

• New H1N1 cases nearly set a record at a children’s hospital in MN

  Here’s just a snapshot of how hospitals around the country are dealing with H1N1 outbreaks...

• Former Joint Commission VP among those appearing at our one-day emergency management workshop

  Get help analyzing your hospital’s disaster plans while also bolstering your professional...

• Mac’s Safety Space: Exit signs in mechanical rooms? It depends ...

  Join Steve MacArthur, safety consultant for The Greeley Company, as he offers advice and best...

• Tip of the week: You decide whether to lock electrical panels

  The Joint Commission has no requirements for hospitals to lock electrical panels. However, an...

Issue 41, October 7, 2009

• Hospital hopes to avoid CMS action following fatal surgical fire

  An Illinois hospital’s alleged lapses when it comes to surgical fire prevention led to the...

• OSHA plans to align hazcom standard with Globally Harmonized System

  The idea has been kicked around for years, and now it looks like it’s finally going to...

• Still time to register for our special one-day emergency management conference in Atlanta

  During HCPro’s Emergency Management Coordinator’s Workshop, which takes place October...

• Mac’s Safety Space: Sinks, ice machines, and a little infection control

  Join Steve MacArthur, safety consultant for The Greeley Company, as he offers advice and best...

• Tip of the week: Learn your state’s estimated bed capacity overrun during this H1N1 outbreak

  A new report from nonprofit organization Trust for America’s Health concludes that 15 states...

Issue 40, September 30, 2009

• Healthcare workers rally against mandatory flu shots in NY

  Opposition continues in New York state to a mandatory order that all hospital workers with direct...

• Beyond architectural needs, CADD drawings can help you comply with fire protection requirements

  With a few tweaks, your computer-aided design and drafting (CADD) drawings can also become...

• Mac’s Safety Space: Risk assessments are the way to go with power strip use

  Join Steve MacArthur, safety consultant for The Greeley Company, as he offers advice and best...

• Tip of the week: Those with incinerators must review new EPA revisions

  Although there are only 57 active medical waste incinerators in the country, if your facility is...

Issue 39, September 23, 2009

• IL patient dies after an alleged operating room fire

  A patient's death following an operating room flash fire serves as a good reminder for surgical...

• Explore the outside standards cited within the EC chapter

  It seems like enough work to know The Joint Commission’s environment of care standards, but...

• Mac’s Safety Space: Most of you are well prepared for disaster response, but there’s always the unpredictable event

  Join Steve MacArthur, safety consultant for The Greeley Company, as he offers advice and best...

• Tip of the week: Anticipate more security-related woes in your emergency room

  As you follow the healthcare reform debate raging across the country, it also makes sense to view...

Issue 38, September 16, 2009

• NEXT WEEK! Practical take-home tools will be part of Life Safety Code Solutions for Hospitals

  Our new seminar, Life Safety Code Solutions for Hospitals, takes place September 24-25 in Boston...

• Healthcare poll indicates at least 25% of workers won't get H1N1 shots

  The results of our informal industry poll show that at least one-quarter of hospital safety...

• Mac’s Safety Space: Behavioral settings are tailor-made for risk assessments

  Join Steve MacArthur, safety consultant for The Greeley Company, as he offers advice and best...

• Tip of the week: Scrutinize volunteer schedules with H1N1 in mind

  As we first noted on our Twitter account this week, University of Wisconsin Hospital in Madison has...

Issue 37, September 9, 2009

• It’s not too late to join us for our newest approach to life safety education

  We’re just two weeks away from Life Safety Code Solutions for Hospitals, a convenient...

• Medical center signs first-of-its-kind agreement with the EPA

  A hospital on Long Island has become the first one in the nation to sign an agreement with the...

• Mac’s Safety Space: Extra fire drill as part of The Joint Commission’s ILSMs

  Join Steve MacArthur, safety consultant for The Greeley Company, as he offers advice and best...

• Tip of the week: Take our H1N1 vaccine poll

  The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has put healthcare workers who have contact with...

Issue 36, September 3, 2009

• Emergency slide provides quick fire escape

  This week the two major hospitals in Missoula, MT, tested new emergency equipment that could be...

• California hospitals seek exemption from earthquake standards

  Hospitals in California that are struggling financially are asking the state back off from...

• Mac’s Safety Space: Mixing valves to control water temperature

  Join Steve MacArthur, safety consultant for The Greeley Company, as he offers advice and best...

• Create a surge plan by working with clinical support

  The emergency management coordinator can advance the development of a hospital surge plan to...

Issue 35, August 26, 2009

• Veterans Affairs hospitals will pay nearly $534K to settle hazardous waste allegations

  In a settlement with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), a regional system of the U.S...

• Hospital Safety Center Symposium sessions now available as $99 audio recordings

  Those of you who were unable to attend our 3rd Annual Hospital Safety Center Symposium in May can...

• Don't forget, we're now on Twitter

  We’ve started covering hospital safety on the social media site Twitter, so check out our...

• Mac’s Safety Space: Hospital fire reveals several truths about emergency preparedness

  Join Steve MacArthur, safety consultant for The Greeley Company, as he offers advice and best...

• Tip of the week: Take this step when PFI funding is denied

  Generally, The Joint Commission would prefer to see your plans for improvement (PFIs) funded when...

Issue 34, August 19, 2009

• While not a regulation, ANSI eyewash standard wields influence

  What is “tepid” water? For the purposes of eyewash safety, the American National...

• Understand how ESC ties in with challenges to life safety citations

  When it comes to successfully clarifying life safety citations from Joint Commission surveyors, key...

• Don’t forget, we’re now on Twitter

  We’ve started covering hospital safety on the social media site Twitter, so check out our...

• Mac’s Safety Space: Alarm transmission options are tight when it comes to fire drill requirements

  Join Steve MacArthur, safety consultant for The Greeley Company, as he offers advice and best...

• Tip of the week: Pay attention to required annual reviews in emergency management

  The Joint Commission encourages you to look at your facility’s emergency management plans as...

Issue 33, August 12, 2009

• We’re now on Twitter covering hospital safety concerns

  If you’re a fan of Twitter or need a good excuse to check it out, Hospital Safety Connection...

• H1N1: Nurses protest in CA, while regulators push mandatory vaccine in NY

  Controversy is swirling this month around protection measures for healthcare workers from the H1N1...

• Mac’s Safety Space: Hurry up and wait for The Joint Commission at the 39-month mark

  Join Steve MacArthur, safety consultant for The Greeley Company, as he offers advice and best...

• Tip of the week: An informal assignment from The Joint Commission

  A Joint Commission official assigned all attendees of the American Society for Healthcare...

Issue 32, August 6, 2009

• Gas leak sends more than 100 to the hospital

  A gas leak at ABC Disposal Inc., a trash transfer station in New Bedford, MA, sent 119 sickened...

• You aren't mandated to develop departmental disaster plans

  There is no Joint Commission requirement for you to have department-level emergency management...

• Hospital safety measures contain chemical leak

  Firefighters responded to a chemical leak inside Clarkson Hospital at the Nebraska Medical Center...

• Live blogging from ASHE conference

  Scott Wallask is at the ASHE conference in Anaheim and he’s blogging about some of the...

Issue 31, July 29, 2009

• New report: One in two nurses is a victim of workplace violence

  Nurses probably won’t be surprised by this, but the figures in a recent study are nonetheless...

• We’ll be at the ASHE conference in Anaheim next week

  If you’ll be traveling to Anaheim, CA, next week for the American Society for Healthcare...

• Mac’s Safety Space: BMP and a tale of hiding in plain site

  Join Steve MacArthur, safety consultant for The Greeley Company, as he offers advice and best...

• Tip of the week: Keep an eye out for those who want to give back

  We read an interesting story about how the recession can in fact bolster emergency planning efforts.

Issue 30, July 22, 2009

• Life safety deficiencies top 2008’s citation list, says The Joint Commission

  It won’t take long for this cheery news to reach your bosses: Life Safety Code (LSC...

• Upcoming events will educate you about life safety and emergency management

  HCPro has two brand new seminars coming up in the fall that you’ll want to check out:

• Mac’s Safety Space: Keeping tabs on glutaraldehyde sneaking back in

  Join Steve MacArthur, safety consultant for The Greeley Company, as he offers advice and best...

• Tip of the week: Follow the paperwork for industrial chemical use

  Ever wonder which hazardous chemicals are being stored by industrial plants in your...

Issue 29, July 15, 2009

• Report urges you to prepare for more HSEEP influence

  It may pay to stay familiar with developments in the Homeland Security Exercise and Evaluation...

• Former hospital pharmacist surrenders license after allegedly stealing oxycodone

  A former managing pharmacist at the University of Wisconsin Hospitals and Clinics in Madison has...

• Mac’s Safety Space: Watch out for the ’E’ in your RACE procedures

  Join Steve MacArthur, safety consultant for The Greeley Company, as he offers advice and best...

• Tip of the week: Watch for this inadvertent exit sign violation

  The 2000 edition of the Life Safety Code (LSC) requires hospitals to post exit signs that are...

Issue 28, July 8, 2009

• Joint Commission engineer: BMP won’t return in 2010

  As we first reported last week on Mac’s Safety Space, there appear to be no plans by The...

• Facility receives $100K fine; equipment location blamed for resident death

  The California Department of Health has fined a skilled nursing and rehabilitation facility...

• Mac’s Safety Space: Be wary of MSDS exemptions for consumer cleaning products

  Join Steve MacArthur, safety consultant for The Greeley Company, as he offers advice and best...

• Tip of the week: Stay tuned about new infectious airborne disease standard in CA

  Starting August 5, California will become the first state to have a standard in place to protect...

Issue 27, July 1, 2009

• Hospital briefly locks down following Michael Jackson's death

  The outpouring of fan grief and media interest following Michael Jackson’s death last...

• Security officer allegedly plans massive computer attack

  A security officer at a medical clinic in Dallas was arrested by the FBI after he allegedly planned...

• Mac’s Safety Space: Risk assessments offer good foundation for OR extinguisher choice

  Join Steve MacArthur, safety consultant for The Greeley Company, as he offers advice and best...

• Tip of the week: Review The Joint Commission's updated info about steam sterilization

  Based on discussions with industry groups, The Joint Commission plans to focus more closely on all...

Issue 26, June 24, 2009

• Joint Commission test appears to conflict with NFPA 25

  In an exclusive story from HCPro, it appears The Joint Commission?s provisions for main drain tests...

• Important ethylene oxide sterilizer deadline hits this week

  In response to a new rule, if you haven’t yet notified the Environmental Protection Agency...

• Mac’s Safety Space: Don’t park your wheeled computers in egress corridorsMac’s Safety Space: Don’t park your wheeled computers in egress corridors

  Join Steve MacArthur, safety consultant for The Greeley Company, as he offers advice and best...

• Tip of the week: Follow-up ideas about duct tape on decon suits

  A couple of weeks back, we wrote about how useful it is to stick a piece of duct tape on the back...

Issue 25, June 17, 2009

• Epidemiology association suggests respirator use isn’t necessary to protect from H1N1

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

• Construction crew exposed to small amount of mercury at a hospital

  A trio of construction workers at the Phoenix Veterans Affairs Medical Center got a surprise when a...

• Mac’s Safety Space: Tread carefully on the new fire watch interpretation

  Join Steve MacArthur, safety consultant for The Greeley Company, as he offers advice and best...

• Tip of the week: Get outsiders involved in drills

  We read about some interesting participants in a hospital disaster drill last week: construction...

Issue 24, June 10, 2009

• HCPro takes honors for its emergency management DVD

  We’re thrilled to announce that HCPro has won an international award for our emergency...

• Police fatally shoot a man in a hospital ED

  Sheriff deputies confronted and killed a man who allegedly threatened officers and staff members at...

• Mac’s Safety Space: PI ’til you’re PO’d

  Join Steve MacArthur, safety consultant for The Greeley Company, as he offers advice and best...

• Tip of the week: My name’s on the back

  An online news story about an upcoming regional disaster drill--complete with a file photo of...

Issue 23, June 3, 2009

• The Joint Commission further explains its fire watch policy

  The Life Safety Code requires hospitals to carry out fire watches when a fire alarm or sprinkler...

• OK stiffens penalties for assaulting physicians and security officers

  Oklahoma Governor Brad Henry signed a bill into law that now makes it a felony to assault emergency...

• Mac’s Safety Space: Developing emergency management bench strength

  Join Steve MacArthur, safety consultant for The Greeley Company, as he offers advice and best...

• Tip of the week: Get worker input about new medical equipment

  Under EC.02.04.01, The Joint Commission requires hospitals to manage medical equipment risks.

Issue 22, May 27, 2009

• Some hospitals will get Joint Commission life safety specialists for three days

  Particularly large healthcare facilities now face the possibility of hosting a life safety...

• Congress will again consider a safe patient lifting law

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

• Mac’s Safety Space: Digging into The Joint Commission?s FAQ about compressed gas cylinders

  Join Steve MacArthur, safety consultant for The Greeley Company, as he offers advice and best...

• Tip of the week: Keep up on proper UV bulb replacement

  Those of you who use ultraviolet (UV) bulbs in your hospitals have a pair of considerations beyond...

Issue 21, May 20, 2009

• Security officers prompt arrest of man allegedly masquerading as a cop

  Police arrested a man who reportedly impersonated a cop at a Virginia hospital last week.

• Symposium coverage: Connecting the lines between NIMS and The Joint Commission

  A hearty thanks to all of you who attended the 3rd Annual Hospital Safety Center Symposium last...

• Mac’s Safety Space: iPods and device interference -- and how many downloaded songs does Mac have?

  Join Steve MacArthur, safety consultant for The Greeley Company, as he offers advice and best...

• Tip of the week: Keep late-night fire drills hush-hush

  It’s well known that the Life Safety Code and Joint Commission standard EC.02.03.03 require...

Issue 20, May 14, 2009

• SPECIAL EDITION: Coverage from the Hospital Safety Center Symposium

  Hospital actions in response to the H1N1 swine flu outbreak served as a "good dress...

Issue 19, May 12, 2009

• Stay in touch with today's Hospital Safety Center Symposium

  The 3rd Annual Hospital Safety Center Symposium opens this morning in Las Vegas, and those of you...

• Construction chute contributes to an AZ hospital fire

  A fire in an outside Dumpster climbed up an attached construction debris chute and into part of a...

• Mac’s Safety Space: Two approaches--or maybe more?--to thwarting latex balloons

  Join Steve MacArthur, safety consultant for The Greeley Company, as he offers advice and best...

• Tip of the week: Double-check your hazard vulnerability analysis, says Joint Commission engineer

  Some hospitals have received citations this year during their Joint Commission surveys because...

Issue 18, May 6, 2009

• Emergency prep will be a prime piece of next week’s Hospital Safety Center Symposium

  No doubt H1N1 swine flu preparation efforts will be on the minds of attendees to our 3rd Annual...

• Three hospitals in one FL community plan to ban smoking on their campuses

  A trio of hospitals in a Florida community will be among the latest to embrace smoke-free campuses...

• Check out this new information on the Hospital Safety Center

  Don’t miss out on the great premium content HCPro develops for hospital safety professionals...

• Mac’s Safety Space: Hazmat inventory provisions under EC.02.02.01

  Join Steve MacArthur, safety consultant for The Greeley Company, as he offers advice and best...

• Tip of the week: A new approach to consider for tuberculosis prevention

  Those of you interested in exploring how ultraviolet (UV) germicidal irradiation can help protect...

Issue 17, April 30, 2009

• Despite swine flu tensions, useful ideas abound at hospitals

  It’s likely that every hospital in the country is discussing what to do if swine flu...

• Two weeks and counting until the Hospital Safety Center Symposium

  We’re just 14 days away from the 3rd Annual Hospital Safety Center Symposium, which takes...

• Mac's Safety Space: Don't wing it with family support during an emergency

  Join Steve MacArthur, safety consultant for The Greeley Company, as he offers advice and best...

• Tip of the week: National preparedness is the next step

  The Center of Biosecurity at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center says that although...

Issue 16, April 22, 2009

• FAA intends to publish new medical flight regulation

  As we first reported yesterday on Mac's Safety Space, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA...

• Hospital shooting should prompt a review of your lockdown assessments

  A double murder-suicide at a California hospital is a sad but useful opportunity to review your own...

• Symposium spotlight: Joseph Cappiello and Marge McFarlane will analyze disaster planning strategies

  The overlap among various emergency planning approaches will be at the heart of the closing session...

• Mac’s Safety Space: How to start communicating with other hospitals under EM.02.02.01

  Join Steve MacArthur, safety consultant for The Greeley Company, as he offers advice and best...

• Tip of the week: Meet the new head of OSHA

  OSHA now has a decidedly vocal safety advocate at the helm.

Issue 15, April 15, 2009

• Troublesome pair subdued by Taser shocks in a California hospital

  Two people who were intoxicated inside a hospital yet rebuffed security officers’ attempts to...

• Symposium spotlight: Brad Keyes will help you rein in life safety challenges

  We’re less than a month away from the 3rd Annual Hospital Safety Center Symposium, which...

• Mac’s Safety Space: With emergency inventory planning, don’t just focus on the numbers

  Join Steve MacArthur, safety consultant for The Greeley Company, as he offers advice and best...

• Tip of the week: In the wake of TB exposures, check your facility’s isolation rooms for air leaks

  A pediatric physician-in-training who inadvertently saw young patients at three Chicago area...

Issue 14, April 8, 2009

• Bomb scare causes a hospital to evacuate its emergency room

  A bomb threat that turned out to be a hoax nonetheless forced the evacuation of the emergency room...

• Symposium spotlight: Safety’s ’greatest hits’ from Steve MacArthur

  Attendees at our 3rd Annual Hospital Safety Center Symposium May 14-15 at Caesars Palace in Las...

• Mac’s Safety Space: What The Joint Commission says about housekeeping activities

  Join Steve MacArthur, safety consultant for The Greeley Company, as he offers advice and best...

• Tip of the week: Review NIOSH’s recommendations for respirator use during biological incidents

  For those of you involved with emergency planning for potential biological weapons and agents, the...

Issue 13, April 2, 2009

• ND hospitals evacuate during flooding

  MeritCare facilities in Fargo-Moorhead, ND reopened on April 1, after evacuating 180 patients days...

• Mercury spill in operating room

  Sun Health Boswell Hospital in Sun City, AZ experienced a brief scare on March 21, after 22 to 30...

• MacArthur or MacGyver: What constitutes a weapon?

  The behavioral health unit in the hospital can be a potentially dangerous place for healthcare...

• Tip of the week: Strengthen your EOP

  Managing emergencies was a problematic Joint Commission standard in surveyed critical access...

Issue 12, March 26, 2009

• Tip of the week: FDA warns about use of insulin pens for multiple patients

  Last week, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued a press release warning healthcare...

• Chimney collapse results in hospital evacuation

  The noise was so loud when part of a 40-foot chimney collapsed March 22 at the Adirondack Medical...

• Where do fire blankets belong in the OR?

  The placement of fire blankets in and around the operating room (OR) can be a tricky subject. The...

• Symposium Spotlight: Discussing options for healthcare accreditation

  Accreditation is a big concern for everyone in the hospital. With Joint Commission standards...

Issue 11, March 18, 2009

• Hospitals can take advantage of new environmental tools

  A healthcare environmental group Practice Greenhealth has teamed with consumer health and medical...

• Symposium spotlight: Marge McFarlane will help you improve staff education

  Those of you looking for ways to better train your coworkers about safety have good reason to...

• Mac’s Safety Space: Wag the magnet: An MRI cleaning tale

  Join Steve MacArthur, safety consultant for The Greeley Company, as he offers advice and best...

• Tip of the week: Monitor resources to avoid an emergency management hotspot

  Joint Commission standard EM.02.02.03, element of performance 6, requires that an emergency...

Issue 10, March 11, 2009

• Chemical fumes force 500 to evacuate part of a hospital campus

  National Jewish Health in Denver evacuated about 500 staff members and students on Monday after a...

• Symposium spotlight: We've extended our early bird discount and reduced room rates

  Good news for those of you who want to attend HCPro’s 3rd Annual Hospital Safety Center...

• Take a look at what's new online at the Hospital Safety Center

  We’ve uploaded great new content to the Hospital Safety Center...

• Mac’s Safety Space: The best EC performance indicators stem from challenges

  Join Steve MacArthur, safety consultant for The Greeley Company, as he offers advice and best...

• Tip of the week: Katie Couric, step up for your shot

  Many of you involved with emergency preparation are familiar with the idea of identifying critical...

Issue 9, March 4, 2009

• Life safety violations top The Joint Commission's most cited standards list

  In a statistic that can only be bad news for hospitals, the former EC.5.20 was the most cited Joint...

• Symposium spotlight: Brad Keyes will detail the importance of life safety drawings

  Considering our first item above, you’ll have a renewed appreciation of life safety floor...

• Mac’s Safety Space: Getting clinicians to see the importance of unobstructed fire safety equipment

  Join Steve MacArthur, safety consultant for The Greeley Company, as he offers advice and best...

• Tip of the week: You determine ID badge policies, says The Joint Commission

  In an FAQ released earlier this year, The Joint Commission outlined its expectations for staff ID...

Issue 8, February 25, 2009

• Hospital window is partially implicated in a patient’s death

  A hospital in Indiana is reconfiguring its patient bedroom windows to no longer fully open after a...

• Symposium spotlight: Joseph Cappiello will help you improve emergency preparation with your community

  An important presentation at the 3rd Annual Hospital Safety Center Symposium May 14-15 at Caesars...

• Mac’s Safety Space: Ahh, the fact and fiction about blanket warmer temperatures

  Join Steve MacArthur, safety consultant for The Greeley Company, as he offers advice and best...

• Tip of the week: Communication methods during an emergency go beyond satellite phones and text messaging

  You often hear about the need to have redundant communication strategies for a community...

Issue 7, February 18, 2009

• The Joint Commission updates its public Survey Activity Guide

  Two weeks ago we told you how The Joint Commission’s internal Surveyor Survey Activity Guide...

• Symposium spotlight: Dean Samet will explain The Joint Commission's new criticality scoring

  As the weeks count down to the 3rd Annual Hospital Safety Center Symposium May 14-15 at Caesars...

• Mac’s Safety Space: Safety education for LIPs doesn’t have to center on test scores

  Join Steve MacArthur, safety consultant for The Greeley Company, as he offers advice and best...

• Tip of the week: Remember to post your OSHA Form 300A

  If you’re covered by federal OSHA regulations, here’s a reminder that you should have...

Issue 6, February 11, 2009

• Accused Katrina physician seeks reimbursement of her legal fees

  A physician who was accused, but never convicted, of euthanizing patients at a New Orleans hospital...

• Free hospital safety audio conference is now archived online

  A free online recording is now available of HCPro’s popular audio conference, “Hospital...

• Does your company want to talk to our readers directly?

  If you work for a vendor and want to get your product or message in front of thousands of safety...

• Mac’s Safety Space: The use of safety vests by snow-clearing workers hinges on risk assessment

  Join Steve MacArthur, safety consultant for The Greeley Company, as he offers advice and best...

• Tip of the week: If budget cuts come calling, prioritize security training for staff members

  In this period of potential cutbacks in training budgets, one quick idea for security education is...

Issue 5, February 4, 2009

• EC tracer is now part of formal survey agenda, says internal Joint Commission guide

  As we first reported in Mac’s Safety Space on Tuesday, an internal guide given to surveyors...

• Thanks for helping us with a great 10-year party

  Our month-long celebration of Hospital Safety Connection’s 10th year has ended, but we want...

• Mac’s Safety Space: If your emergency prep is good, don’t sweat Joint Commission survey guide changes

  Join Steve MacArthur, safety consultant for The Greeley Company, as he offers advice and best...

• Tip of the week: Check out our free story about the EPA's pharmaceutical waste proposal

  Late last week the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) extended until March 4 its comment period...

Issue 4, January 28, 2009

• There's still time to submit comments about relaxed pharmaceutical waste proposal

  February 2 is the deadline for hospital safety professionals and others to submit their comments...

• Our final prize drawing is for HCPro's emergency management DVD

  As we wrap up our month-long celebration of Hospital Safety Connection’s 10th year, we want...

• Mac’s Safety Space: Though EPA is proposing pharmaceutical waste changes, pay attention to your state

  Join Steve MacArthur, safety consultant for The Greeley Company, as he offers advice and best...

• Tip of the week: You don't need to see two exit signs in all cases

  Last week a competitor of ours ran a story that perpetuated the myth that you must always be able...

Issue 3, January 21, 2009

• An ergonomics standard isn't a lock even with Obama in office

  Don’t be too sure that OSHA under President Obama will release an ergonomics standard. At a...

• This week’s free prize: New Life Safety Compliance Manual

  Continuing our month-long commemoration of Hospital Safety Connection’s 10th year, we want to...

• Mac’s Safety Space: New Joint Commission FAQs should prompt a critical review

  Join Steve MacArthur, safety consultant for The Greeley Company, as he offers advice and best...

• Tip of the week: Anticipate late-arriving victims following large crashes

  Last week’s plane crash into the Hudson River in New York City provided a call to action to...

Issue 2, January 14, 2009

• EC competency provisions are now officially back on your plate

  Don’t forget that as of January 1, safety competency requirements for staff members have...

• A new free prize is up for grabs this week

  Continuing our month-long celebration of Hospital Safety Connection’s 10th year, we want to...

• Mac’s Safety Space: Question yourself about inventories under EM.01.01.01

  Join Steve MacArthur, safety consultant for The Greeley Company, as he offers advice and best...

• Tip of the week: Inauguration offers all hospital a chance to review emergency plans

  Though any other city outside of Washington, D.C., will probably never host a presidential...

Issue 1, January 7, 2009

• Celebrate our 10th anniversary by entering our free contest

  We want to thank all of you who’ve been loyal readers along the way, and we’re excited...

• Even more Joint Commission changes occur to the standards

  As we reported earlier this week in Mac’s Safety Space, The Joint Commission released a...

• Our new online sections explain the 2009 physical environment standards

  Speaking of Joint Commission compliance, platinum subscribers to the Hospital Safety Center now...

• Mac’s Safety Space: Some thoughts about The Joint Commission’s new EPs

  Join Steve MacArthur, safety consultant for The Greeley Company, as he offers advice and best...

• Tip of the week: Think about how you’d locate a missing patient

  Last month, we reported on a patient who wandered onto the roof of The University of Pittsburgh...