Medical and dental practices become snagged in OSHA’s inspection net frequently and the reactions from the practices’ office managers are usually that of complete surprise. Many small practices believe they are exempt from OSHA inspections, regulations and standards, so an OSHA Compliance Officer at their door is the last person they would expect. Once inside, OSHA tends to find the same trend of violations from medical and dental practices across the country –the top five of which are listed below.
Wait –Why Is OSHA Here?
Many medical and dental offices mistakenly assume they are fully exempt from complying with OSHA standards and regulations because they have fewer than 11 workers. That’s not the case at all. In fact, all employers in the U.S. have a legal responsibility to provide a safe and healthful workplace, free of recognized hazards. There is an exemption for most employers with fewer than 11 workers, though.
The exemption is with regard to record-keeping responsibilities. OSHA published a new rule for record-keeping responsibilities that will take full effect in 2017. Smaller employers, including medical and dental offices, still need to comply with Title 29 of the Code of Federal Regulations (29 CFR). While these smaller employers are not included in random inspections from OSHA, a worker complaint to the agency can result in OSHA at your doorstep. Of all reasons for OSHA to appear at your workplace, 26% of the time is due to a complaint from a worker.
The following are frequently found violations found in medical and dental practices:
The number one requested and referenced OSHA standard regarding medical and dental practices pertains to bloodborne pathogens. Basic requirements of this standard include:
The updated hazard communication standard, or Globally Harmonized System, is sometimes called the “The worker’s right to understand” standard. It requires worker access to hazard information, including:
For offices that utilize an x-ray machine, the following is required:
Many smaller practices may utilize exit pathways or areas directly in front of emergency exit doorways as extra storage space, but this is dangerous and illegal. The basic responsibilities include:
Also –Don’t Forget…
Every workplace must display the OSHA poster. The poster explains worker rights to a safe workplace and how to file a complaint. The new OSHA poster addresses worker protection from employer retaliation and satisfies OSHA’s requirement to inform workers of the anti-retaliation law.
Safety First Consulting helps businesses identify OSHA compliance issues in their workplaces, manage their safety programs, and we become accountable for the results. In addition to offering custom written safety programs for companies, Safety First Consulting provides required safety training, industrial hygiene sampling, noise sampling, and workplace inspections.
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