Practical EHS Tips, News & Advice. Updated Daily.
A pair of home healthcare providers face $163,627 in Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) fines following the death of a licensed practical nurse during a home visit in Willimantic, Connecticut, the agency announced May 1. OSHA cited Jordan Health Care Inc. and New England Home Care Inc., both doing business as Elara Caring, with […]
Most sharps injuries—84 percent—occur among healthcare workers, the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) confirmed in a recently released analysis. Injuries from a needle or other sharp objects can expose workers to bloodborne pathogens (BBP), such as human immunodeficiency virus, hepatitis B, hepatitis C, and other infectious diseases, NIOSH said in the September […]
The Society of Interventional Radiology (SIR) predicts “significant” patient care “disruptions” will result from the EPA’s proposed regulations to slash ethylene oxide (EtO) emissions by 80%, according to Radiology Business. “SIR, the American College of Cardiology and several other medical societies note that [EtO] is vital for the proper disinfection of catheters, stents, guiding sheaths […]
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) announced “shocking” findings of a workplace safety investigation into a behavioral health and substance disorder facility in Jacksonville, Fla. According to the federal probe, workers at the UHS of Delaware Inc.-Wekiva Springs Center LLC (operating as Wekiva Springs Hospital) were assaulted, confined by patients, and suffered broken bones, concussions, and […]
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) will proceed with three rulemakings focused on the healthcare industry—standards for COVID-19, infectious diseases, and workplace violence—the Department of Labor (DOL) announced as part of the fall 2022 unified regulatory agenda unveiled January 4. The agency also is moving forward with developing a federal heat illness prevention standard, […]
The need for more corporate responsibility has evolved for today’s corporations and the next generation of business leaders in the form of environmental, social, and governance (ESG) initiatives. Investors, activists, and regulators are now requiring proactive, community-structured commitment and accountability that is designed to step above shareholder returns. Today’s global capital markets aren’t interested in […]
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has directed its area offices and state partners to ramp up COVID-19 health and safety enforcement in healthcare facilities. The agency described it as a “highly focused, short-term inspection initiative directed at hospitals and skilled nursing care facilities.” The 3-month enforcement surge in high-hazard healthcare facilities lasts from […]
In March, OSHA issued its Updated Interim Enforcement Response Plan for Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19). The updates extend existing OSHA protections for workplace safety whistleblowers, explicitly stating those protections apply to those who report COVID-19 related violations at the workplace by creating a National Emphasis Program (NEP). Higher Risk Industries In addition, the memo also classifies […]
The ongoing coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic has brought a renewed focus on personal protective equipment (PPE) for healthcare workers. COVID-19 is a respiratory disease caused by a novel coronavirus—referred to as 2019-nCOV or SARS-CoV-2—first identified in Wuhan City, China, in December 2019.
While workplace violence can happen in any industry or occupation, healthcare and social services workers face a high risk of job-related violence. Workplace assaults ranged from 23,540 and 25,630 annually over a 3-year period, and 70% to 74% of those occurred in healthcare and social services settings.