Hospitals are among the most dangerous workplaces in the country, averaging nearly seven work-related injuries and illnesses for every 100 full-time employees. That’s nearly twice the rate for private industry as a whole. Cases of nonfatal occupational injury and illness for healthcare workers are among the highest of any industry sector.
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The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) concludes that, in terms of lost-time case rates, it’s more hazardous to work in a hospital than in construction or mining. The challenge is that health care is the fastest-growing sector of the U.S. economy, employing over 18 million people.
Among the risks these dedicated employees face are needlestick injuries, harmful exposures, back injuries, latex allergies (from gloves), stress, and workplace violence.
The problems are significant, but so are efforts to address them. This Compliance Report introduces you to a physician-turned consultant who has some bold new ideas about why worker safety efforts have lagged behind patient safety. And a risk expert at the nation’s largest nurses’ organization talks about the hazards and solutions facing these front line healthcare professionals.