9 workplace OSHA & patient safety

1. Workplace (OSHA) and Patient Safety

2. What is OSHA?
The Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970 was passed to prevent
workers from being killed or seriously harmed at work. The law
requires employers to provide their employees with working conditions
that are free of known dangers. The Occupational Safety and Health
Administration (OSHA) was created, as a result, to set and enforce
protective workplace safety and health standards. OSHA provides
information, training and assistance to workers and their employers.
Workers may file a complaint to have OSHA inspect their workplace if
they believe that their employer is not following OSHA standards or
that there are serious hazards (1-800-321-6742).

3. OSHA also provides workers with the right to:
• Ask OSHA to inspect their workplace
• Use their rights under the law without retaliation and discrimination
• Receive information and training about hazards, methods to prevent
harm and OSHA standards that apply to their workplace
• Get copies of test results done to find hazards in the workplace
• Review records of work-related injuries and illnesses
• Get copies of their medical records

4. Employer Responsibilities
Employers have the responsibility to provide a safe workplace that does
not have serious hazards and to follow all relevant OSHA safety and
health standards. Employers must find and correct safety and health
problems. OSHA further requires employers to try to eliminate or
reduce hazards first by making changes in working conditions rather
than relying on masks, gloves or other types of personal protective
equipment (PPE).

5. Employers MUST:
• Inform employees about hazards through training, labels, alarms, color-
coded systems, chemical information sheets and other methods;
• Keep accurate records of work-related injuries and illnesses;
• Perform tests in the workplace, such as air sampling required by some
OSHA standards;
• Provide hearing exams or other medical tests required by OSHA standards;
• Post OSHA citations, injury and illness data, and the OSHA poster in the
workplace where workers will see them;
• Notify OSHA within 8 hours of a workplace incident in which there is a
death or when three or more workers go to a hospital;
• Not discriminate or retaliate against a worker for using their rights under
the law.

6. Recordkeeping Requirements for the Survey of
Occupational Injuries and Illnesses
As in the past, OSHA requires that all recordable work-related injuries
and illnesses information be reported, utilizing Bureau of Labor
Statistics Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses (SOII)
recordkeeping requirements annually. These forms (OSHA 300, Log of
Work-Related Injuries and Illnesses) have changed to include an
additional column on (M5) on Hearing Loss. Use of the new forms will
begin with submission of work-related injuries and illnesses that occur
during calendar year 2013. Instructions for completing the Survey of
Occupational Injuries and Illnesses for the 2013 year will be mailed to
facilities in January of 2014.

7. OSHA Hazardous Communication Standard
OSHA has revised its Hazard Communication Standard, March 2012, 77
FR 17574, (HCS) concerning classification and labeling of chemicals.
This is recognized by health care providers as Material Safety Data
Sheets (MSDS) and will now be called Safety Data Sheets (SDSs). Two
significant changes contained in the revised standard require the use of
new labeling elements and a standardized format for Safety Data
Sheets (SDS). Effective December 1, 2013, employers must have
trained their workers on the new label elements and SDS format. It is
important that employees understand the new label and SDS formats.
The specific requirements of the revised standard will be phased in
over several years (December 1, 2013 to June 1, 2016)

8. Hazard Communication Safety Data Sheets
The Hazard Communication Standard (HCS) requires chemical
manufacturers, distributors, or importers to provide Safety Data Sheets
(SDSs, formerly known as MSDSs) to communicate the hazards of
hazardous chemical products. Employers must ensure that SDSs are
readily accessible to employees.

9. Home Safety Guidelines
• There are 5 Home Safety Guidelines:
 Environmental
 Emergency Response
 Electrical Safety
 Medication
 Oxygen

10. Environmental
1. Maintain clear passage ways in every room of your home and on
steps.
2. Avoid the use of throw rugs as they contribute to tripping and falls.
3. Keep your home well lit. This practice enhances safety as you move
from room to room.
4. Use exterior lights at night. Burglars are least likely to enter your home
when outside lights are on.
5. Use a bath mat or other nonskid material in your bathtub to avoid falls.
Add grab bars and use bath benches if necessary to aid mobility.

11. Emergency Response
1. Have a plan in case fire strikes your home. Consider possibilities of
fire in various parts of your home. Where will you exit? Where will
you meet?
2. Avoid smoking in bed
3. Keep emergency telephone numbers for fire, ambulances, and
police at or on every telephone.

12. Electrical Safety
1. Cover electrical outlets to prevent children from inserting objects.
2. Check electrical cords for wear. Do not use cords that are frayed or
have exposed wires. Be sure to check the junction between the
cord and plug.
3. Ground all three-pronged plug adapters.
4. Check heating pads for cracks prior to use. Do not use if present.

13. Medication
1. Store all medications out of reach of children.
2. Secure all caps on medication bottles.
3. Store syringes behind a closed door and do not talk about the fact
that you have syringes in your home.
4. Never expose medications to sunlight. (This precaution also applies
to injectable medications, such as insulin.)

14. Oxygen
1. Place a "No Smoking" placards on all entrances to your home.
These placards are provided by the oxygen agency.
2. Do not use more than 50 feet of tubing between the oxygen source
and the consumer.
3. Do not place oxygen tanks within 1-1 /2 feet of windows or doors.
4. Roll the tubing and carry it to avoid tripping and falling when
walking.
5. Do not have open flames, such as pilot lights of gas stoves or water
heaters, within 12 feet of any oxygen equipment. (This warning also
applies to the tubing.)

15. Place the number of your Electric Company on or at every telephone.
Call if there is a power outage.

16. Home Safety Assessment
In order to alert the consumer and caregiver on home safety measures
in order to minimize the hazard risk in the home, a home safety
assessment which includes environmental mobility and bathroom
safety risks should be done annually and home safety will be assessed
on an ongoing basis.

17. Home Safety Assessment Procedures
• A therapist will explain the home safety assessment to the consumer
and/or caregiver and perform the assessment, including giving any
recommendations or comments for improvements.
• Consumer handouts discussing home safety measures will be left with
consumers
• The home safety assessment will be repeated as needed.

18. Home Safety Assessment Form
Item
No.
Description
(ENVIRONMENT)
Yes No NA
1 Safe and adequate food and water supplies
2 Stove and means for refrigeration present
3 Adequate heat and ventilation
4 Free from infestation
5 Pathways free of obstacles such as loose rugs, furniture, etc
6 Clean area exists in which to store medical supplies
7 Is cautious with heating pads
8 Has a working smoke detector
9 If uses oxygen, appropriate signs posted
FIRE / ELECTRICAL
1 Fire exits available; warning devices installed
2 No overuse of extension cords / adequate electrical outlets available
3 Turns off oven and stove burners
4 Emergency telephone numbers posted by phone
5 Turns pot handles to back of stove
6 Uses space heaters cautiously
7 Does not smoke in bed
8 Oxygen precautions used
BATHROOM SAFETY
1 No throw rugs
2 Safety bars present and in good condition
3 Lighting is adequate
4 Shower chair is sturdy and in good working condition
MEDICATION USE
1 Keeps all medications in original bottle or med box
2 Has a medication schedule
3 Home Safety Instructions Given