The Ebola outbreak of October 2014 and the infection of health care workers treating infected patients in the United States dominated the headlines and frightened the nation. One year later, training and preparation for the next Ebola is fragmented and some nurses feel unprepared for the next pandemic disease. The Department of Health and Human
As Promised, OSHA Targets Health Care and Nursing Homes for Enforcement Actions
As previously discussed, OSHA has been carefully scrutinizing the health care industry lately. And on June 25, 2015, OSHA officially introduced a new compliance nightmare for the inpatient health care and nursing home industries by announcing the details of the agency’s new health care enforcement initiative in a memorandum from Dorothy Dougherty, Deputy Assistant
Health Care Industry: OSHA Is Quietly Gunning for You – Is Your Workplace Ready?
On April 2, 2015, Thomas Galassi, Director of the Directorate of Enforcement for OSHA, sent a memorandum to all Regional Directors announcing that the agency’s National Emphasis Program on Nursing and Residential Care Facilities would be extended until replaced by updated guidance or removed by the agency. Mr. Galassi went on to state that, because
OSHA Launches Ergonomics Campaign in Healthcare Industries
By Eric J. Conn, Head of Epstein Becker & Green’s OSHA Practice Group
OSHA recently announced a campaign to raise awareness about the hazards likely to cause musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) among health care workers responsible for patient care. Common MSDs suffered in the patient care industry include sprains, strains, soft tissue and back injuries.
These injuries are due in large part to over exertion related to manual patient handling activities, often involving heavy lifting associated with transferring and repositioning patients and working in awkward positions.
“The best control for MSDs is an effective prevention program,” said MaryAnn Garrahan, OSHA’s Regional Administrator in Philadelphia. “[OSHA’s] goal is to assist nursing homes and long-term care facilities in promoting effective processes to prevent injuries.”
As part of the campaign, OSHA will provide 2,500 employers, unions and associations in the patient care industry in Delaware, Pennsylvania, West Virginia and the District of Columbia with information about methods used to control hazards, such as lifting excessive weight during patient transfers and handling. OSHA will also provide information about how employers can include a zero-lift program, which minimizes direct patient lifting by using specialized lifting equipment and transfer tools. Here is a resource regarding Safe Patient Handling from OSHA’s website.
Employers in the healthcare industries should be on high alert, because whenever OSHA provides information about hazards it believes are present, a focus on enforcement is soon to follow. This is particularly true when it comes to hazards for which OSHA has no specific standards or regulations, like ergonomics. In these circumstances, OSHA is limited in its enforcement to use of Sec. 5(a)(1) of the OSH Act – the General Duty Clause. The General Duty Clause is used by OSHA to issue citations in the absence of a specific standard, in situations where employers have not taken steps to address “recognized serious hazards.” Efforts like OSHA’s present campaign to advise healthcare employers about hazards in their workplaces, is OSHA’s way of making you “recognize” the hazard, so the Agency can more easily prove General Duty Clause violations.
Of course, there are plenty of other reasons that healthcare employers should take note of the rate of MSD cases in patient care work.
Continue Reading OSHA Launches Ergonomics Campaign in Healthcare Industries
Workplace Violence Policies and Background Checks Are Essential Components of a Prevention Plan
Sadly, workplace violence continues to be a topic that challenges many organizations. Indeed, as the news reports continue to remind us, employees and non-employees often take out their aggression and violent acts within the workplace. As the recent attacks at hospitals in Pittsburgh and in Washington, D.C. demonstrate, there remains a
OSHA Launches New Nursing Home National Emphasis Program
By Julia E. Loyd and Eric J. Conn
Last week, the U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (“OSHA”) launched a new National Emphasis Program targeting Nursing Homes and Residential Care facilities (“Nursing Home NEP”).
In an accompanying Press Release, OSHA announced that the Nursing Home NEP aims to protect workers from