Achieving OSHA Sharps Safety Compliance in Non-Hospital Settings

More than half of non-hospital healthcare settings are in violation of OSHA law. As integrated distribution networks and hospitals acquire these "alternate care" facilities, they also become at risk of non-compliance. Due to a steady migration of healthcare from the hospital to non-hospital settings; more than 60 percent of healthcare workers are employed in non-hospital settings.

Despite the Federal Needlestick Safety and Prevention Act being enacted more than 10 years ago, along with the OSHA Bloodborne Pathogens Standard mandating that safety engineered needles and syringes be used, there are still substantial gaps in adoption of these of safety engineered products in the non-hospital settings.

A concurrent trend is the acquisition by hospitals and integrated distribution networks of nonacute care facilities such as physician offices and surgical centers. These trends put the overall organization at increased risk of non-compliance with the NSPA and BBP standard.

Learn how to bring these facilities into compliance, protect healthcare workers from needlestick injury and exposure to bloodborne pathogens, protect an employer from citation and fines, and protect the companys reputation. The International Healthcare Worker Safety Center will host a webinar, "Achieving OSHA Sharps Safety Compliance in Non-Hospital Settings," on Monday, August 8 at 2 p.m. ET. The event is ideal for surveyors, auditors, accreditors, occupational health and safety consultants, infection preventionists, risk managers and administrators.

Speakers will include:

- Janine Jagger, MPH, PhD, professor of medicine at the University of Virginia Health System and director of the International Healthcare Worker Safety Center

- Elise M. Handelman, RN, MEd, an occupational and environmental health consultant

- Pamela Dembski Hart, CHSP BS MT (ASCP), principal of Healthcare Accreditation Resources LLC

The experts will address a variety of topics, including:

- Status of compliance and the problems associated with needlestick safety

- OSHA requirements for needlestick safety compliance

- How OSHA provides enforcement

- Common myths and misconceptions about the law and compliance

- How to implement best practices toward compliance

To register, visit: http://attewc.webex.com/attewc/onstage/g.php?d=649106787