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The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) cited the Texas Children’s Hospital of Houston, Texas, with a serious workplace violence violation after an aggressive patient pulled a security officer to the ground by the hair and kicked them repeatedly in the chest and abdomen, the agency announced May 10. The officer lost consciousness, was taken […]
On November 28, the Quality, Safety & Oversight Group of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) urged healthcare industry leaders to take steps to protect healthcare workers from workplace violence. Recommended steps to prevent workplace violence in hospitals include ensuring workers receive adequate training, having sufficient staffing levels, providing ongoing assessment of patients […]
The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) fielded 221 requests for Health Hazard Evaluations (HHEs) in 2018, according to a recently released annual report. The 34 HHE reports published last year examined hazards ranging from hospital disinfectants and repetitive pharmacy tasks to emergency responders’ exposure to opioids.
Why the fuss about bacteria and booze? Well, there’s a potentially serious EHS concern blossoming for healthcare facilities as certain forms of bacteria are becoming more tolerant of the alcohol used in popular hand sanitizers.