Archive for: January, 2009
Ask the Expert—OSHA annual training and quick tip download tool
Q: I know OSHA requires annual training for bloodborne pathogens, but isn’t annual training also required for hazard communication, fire safety, and emergency preparedness?
A: Federal OSHA does not require annual training on hazard communication and emergency action plans standards. OSHA requires initial training on hire and when hazards change to the extent that additional training is required.
Don’t get hit for unsafe injection procedures
There’s been a lot in the news over the last few weeks regarding safe injection measures, particularly in settings outside of the hospital.
A new study conducted by the CDC and published in the January 6 issue of the Annals of Internal Medicine found that over the last decade more than 60,000 patients in the United States have been asked to get tested for hepatitis B (HBV) and hepatitis C (HCV). These infections occurred in non-hospital settings and were a direct result of poor infection control practices.
Ergonomics good for health and budgets
Two former leaders of federal agencies concerned with occupational health and safety say that an ergonomics standard is not a slam-dunk under the Obama administration.
Appearing on a webcast for the American Society of Safety Engineers, John Henshaw, former assistant secretary of labor for OSHA, and John Howard, former director of NIOSH, predicted that a struggling economy makes an ergonomics standard unlikely any time soon, despite the conventional wisdom that Democrat administrations mean more federal regulations.
Poll Question: Safe injection practices
The CDC recently released a study reporting 33 outbreaks of hepatitis B (HBV) and hepatitis C (HCV) in 15 states over the last 10 years, including 12 in outpatient clinics, six in hemodialysis centers, and 15 in long-term care facilities, which resulted in 450 infections.
Much of that can be attributed to unsafe injection procedures. Do you think your facility has been vigilant in enforcing these guidelines?
Note: Adobe Flash Player is required to view this poll. To download the latest version, click here.
Ask the Expert—OSHA vs. HIPAA
Q: If we disclose a source-patient blood test to the exposed employee, aren’t we violating HIPAA?
A: No, it is not a violation.
Is Bush OSHA vs. Obama OSHA a fork in the road?
Critics have stuck a fork in the Bush administration for some time, and now they are finally getting around to carving up its OSHA legacy.
A Washington Post article characterized OSHA under President Bush as “mired in inaction.” It’s similar to “turning a ketchup bottle upside down, banging the bottom of the container, and nothing comes out,”
How the lab could affect your nose
If you have worked in a lab you might be familiar with the way chemicals can irritate your senses. Lab workers who work with organic solvents (OS) on a daily basis regularly deal with a variety of smells.
In the past, some studies have showed that constantly being around these chemicals could result in hyperosmia, or an increased sense of smell. Potentially, this could also lead to symptoms such as nasal irritation or headaches.
For safety’s sake, follow “House” and “Scrubs” on the tube; not in your practice
I spent a fair amount of time over the holidays watching the continuing TV adventures of my favorite misanthrope, Dr. Gregory House.
One of the curious things that I’ve noticed (which is clearly a manifestation of my own obsessive compulsive disorder, as well as my safety-consultant nature) is that the sharps disposal containers located in each of the care environments represented in the various episodes of “House” appear to be mounted at an aperture height of about 72 inches.
Ask the Expert—Don’t fall for all red flags
Q: A sales rep insisted that I had to recalibrate the audiometer in my practice every year or be subject to a possible OSHA fine. Is this true?
Resolve to establish a health and safety maintenance schedule
This month, many people made New Year’s resolutions. A study by the University of Washington in Seattle estimates that 100 million Americans annually resolve to live healthier and happier lives and that 63 percent of those resolutions are still on track by the end of February.
The key to keeping a resolution is having a system in view and close at hand, according to the study. And it also helps if the system makes its user look good in the eyes of others.
So, how about resolving to create a safer and healthier workplace by sticking to a health and safety maintenance schedule?
