Author Archive for: David LaHoda
OSHA fines are down, but not for long
November 20th, 2009 
From HealthLeaders, Nov. 18, 2009
Total OSHA fines and inspections decreased across all types of healthcare facilities in FY 2009.
Medical and dental practices and hospitals saw the greatest decreases in fines, 30%-40% from the previous year, according to OSHA’s Statistics and Data Web page. Nursing care facilities and laboratories showed less dramatic decreases at 12%-14%.
Nursing facilities ($321,327) and hospital settings ($196,400) ranked first and second respectively in total fines by type of facility, accounting for nearly three-quarters of OSHA fines issued in healthcare. Next came medical ($52,214) and dental ($47,549) practices at approximately 7% each of total OSHA healthcare fines.
Even though this is the second straight year healthcare violations have seen a decline, the trend is not likely to continue. OSHA under President Obama has an increased budget, including 130 new inspectors, according to remarks made earlier this summer by acting Assistant Secretary of Labor for Occupational Safety and Health Jordan Barab to the American Society of Safety Engineers. “The law says that employers are responsible for workplace safety and health, and there’s a new sheriff in town to enforce the law,” said Barab.
Ask the expert: PPE for dental assistants
November 19th, 2009
Q: Can you let me know if dental assistants are required to wear personal; protective equipment (PPE), and if so what are the options for cleaning it.
A: PPE is not based on the job title, but the hazards present. It is the employer’s responsibility to identify hazards, address those hazards in the written exposure control plan (ECP), and ensure that workers adhere to those requirements. So, first check your ECP for your facility.
Tracking flu absenteeism
November 16th, 2009
NIOSH is seeking to understand how hospitals capture healthcare worker absenteeism from influenza and is interested in hearing about the details of any hospital-based systems in which absences can be tracked, including:
Appealing the N95 decision all the way to the top
November 13th, 2009
It seems that the protest for using N95 respirators for H1N1 protection by three infection-control groups smacks of desperation. The kind of desperation that says: Yeah, we know we’re beaten on this, but we’re appealing to a higher authority, anyway.
In this case, the higher authority is President Obama.
Ask the expert: Qualifications for a bloodborne pathogens trainer
November 13th, 2009
Q: Who is qualified to train employees in bloodborne pathogens?
A: Section 1910.1030(g)(2)(viii) of the standard gives a broad answer as to whom is qualified to train in bloodborne pathogens:
Whoa there a minute; IOM stands by its N95 recommendation
November 12th, 2009
There has been a lot of attention given to the retraction of an Australian study recommending fit-tested N95 respirator use over surgical and procedure masks for healthcare worker protection from H1N1. (See Authors of N95 study retract findings, Ohio OKs surgical masks after N95 study retraction, and IC associations make a plea for modified H1N1 guidelines, moratorium on OSHA enforcement)
But before you “pull the mask off the ol’ Lone Ranger,” as the folk singer advised against, it appears that the now-retracted study was not the linchpin on which the recommendation got rolling.
OSHA tips on dealing with N95 respirator shortages
November 10th, 2009
While we wait for OSHA’s promised enforcement directive for inspections dealing with H1N1 protection compliance, the agency has posted as part of its Workplace safety and H1N1 web page advice on how healthcare employers should deal with N95 respirator shortages.
Here is what OSHA recommends:
OSHA web site offers practical advice for dealing with H1N1 influenza precautions
November 10th, 2009
Following the lead of the recent CDC flu guidance on infection control and healthcare worker protection, OSHA is providing commonsense fact sheets that employers and workers can use to promote safety during the current H1N1 influenza outbreak through its newly-posted workplace safety and H1N1 Web page.
The Web page is organized under worker guidance and employer guidance categories. There is healthcare-specific content in each category.
Ask the expert: Size, as well as other things, does matter with N95 fit testing
November 9th, 2009
Q: I work at a facility that has fit-tested most of the staff with N95 respirators. We have recently received a large shipment of a different brand of N95 respirators (which we did not order). Is it necessary to fit-test when changing brands?
A: Yes you would need to fit test anew.
Ask the expert: OSHA fire drill requirements
November 6th, 2009
Q: What are the OSHA fire drill requirements for medical and dental offices?
A: Federal OSHA does not specifically require fire drills, but the agency’s Small Business Handbook recommends that employers “conduct frequent drills to ensure that all employees know what to do under stressful conditions.”
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David LaHoda
David LaHoda, the managing editor of Medical Environment Update and OSHA Watch, has produced healthcare training videos and consulted for medical practices and ambulatory healthcare facilities.
David has written 196 posts.
