Workplace safety: OSHA

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration, or OSHA, is a government agency that is responsible for protecting the health and safety of workers across all sectors.

OSHA enforces standards and provides education and training necessary to ensure safe working conditions.In healthcare, OSHA establishes detailed standards and directives, which are aimed at protecting all healthcare professionals, including nursing assistants, from various health hazards, such as infectious diseases.

For example, OSHA established bloodborne and respiratory pathogens standards, which require employers to provide Hepatitis B vaccination to their workers; set standards for procedures, such as use of puncture-resistant containers for disposal of sharps; and require employers to provide personal protective equipment, including gloves, gowns, masks, and face shields.

OSHA also enforces standards for safe client handling and to protect healthcare providers from work-related injuries, which can occur when lifting, moving, and repositioning clients; assuming awkward postures, like leaning over the bed for a long time; or performing some repetitive tasks.

The most common injuries related to handling clients include sprains and strains, which commonly affect the lower back and the shoulder.

To address this problem, OSHA recommends that the healthcare staff receive training on safe strategies to handle clients.

It also encourages the use of assistive devices when moving clients, such as mechanical lifts and wheel chairs. Another hazard is workplace violence, which can affect workers, clients, or visitors.

Violence can occur in many forms, ranging from verbal abuse, physical assault, to even homicide. OSHA recommends employers to implement a workplace violence prevention program and staff training.

They should also promptly investigate all reports of workplace violence.Other workplace hazards addressed by OSHA are exposure to chemicals, such as sterilants; hazardous drugs, such as some cancer chemotherapy drugs; physical agents, such as radiation; and some materials known to cause allergies, like latex.

Healthcare facilities also need to have a plan in place in the event workers are exposed to hazardous agents. All right, as a quick recap… OSHA is a government agency that is responsible for protecting the health and safety of American workers across all sectors.

Hazards addressed by OSHA include being exposed to infectious diseases, work-related musculoskeletal injury, workplace violence, and exposure to hazardous chemicals and drugs.