All Entries in the "OSHA" Category

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: [more]

With OR humidity, follow CMS and risk assessment findings

There is a great deal of not-quite-controversy relative to humidity concerns in operating rooms (OR) because of the personal comfort aspect.

The American Institute of Architects’ 2001 Guidelines for Design and Construction of Hospital and Healthcare Facilities indicate a temperature range [more]

CDC revisions continue to recommend N95 use, but acknowledge supply shortages

The CDC issued revised interim guidelines yesterday to protect healthcare workers from the H1N1 swine flu virus.

The biggest news is that the CDC continues to recommend that healthcare workers wear N95 respirators when [more]

Even with electronic water temperature control, an argument for mixing valves

I caught wind of an organization that uses an electronic water temperature control system that keeps the water temp at 110° F. There’s been some pushback from facilities folks about whether they still need to install a mixing valve.

I would suggest that if the organization has a risk assessment finding that indicates a mixing valve is not necessary, [more]

Keeping tabs on glutaraldehyde sneaking back in

A word of advice relative to conducting safety rounds: Sometimes a little due diligence will help keep things on the straight and narrow.

Lately in my client work, I’ve been running into glutaraldehyde-based disinfectants [more]

Questions raised at one hospital about adequate PPE supplies

Hi everyone, it’s Scott Wallask. My colleagues over at OSHA Healthcare Advisor blogged this week about a hospital that was butting heads with some employees regarding personal protective equipment.

The workers don’t believe the hospital has supplied enough PPE, which raises the question of what would happen to the absentee rate at this facility if a pandemic occurred. The hospital disagrees with the employees’ contention. It’s a though provoking blog post.

Be wary of MSDS exemption for consumer cleaning products

My colleagues and I had a discussion recently about an OSHA reference for when material safety data sheets (MSDS) are not required when staff members use everyday consumer cleaning products.

This comes from OSHA’s hazard communications standard (1910.1200), in which [more]

Gloves don’t have to be one-size-fits-all

Hi everyone, it’s Scott Wallask checking in after a bit of an absence to welcome my new son in the world. During my stay at the maternity unit of the hospital, I saw a simple but effective way to further encourage hand glove use. [more]

Published best safety practices versus alternate approaches

Whenever organizations like the ECRI Institute, the American National Standards Institute, and The Joint Commission provide consultative advice that could be described as a best practice, organizations that choose to adopt some other guidance will need to demonstrate that the alternative strategy they’ve adopted is equivalent from a risk management perspective to the original best practice. [more]

Does OSHA have a new bloodborne bard?

I just had to pass along this post from our sister blog, OSHA Healthcare Advisor, as it actually connects William Shakespeare’s prose to OSHA “regualtory speak” in the bloodborne pathogens standard.

I’m not a big Shakespeare fan, but this one had me laughing out loud a few times. Well worth a read.