OSHA’s big messages with new H1N1 compliance directive

Just a quick note that OSHA today posted a compliance directive that helps guide inspectors as they visit hospitals treating potential or confirmed H1N1 swine flu patients.

I think there are two broad messages to take out of the compliance directive:

• Hospitals had better be following the CDC’s guidelines on protecting healthcare workers from H1N1 exposures
• There must be a good-faith effort to provide workers with N95 respirators, and if there is a legitimate shortage of these respirators, there should be evidence of ongoing monitoring of N95 supplies

The OSHA document outlines various deficiencies of H1N1 protection that could result in citations for hospitals. I’ll have more on this next week.