Common Safety Hazards In Medical Offices

Employees within medical settings may not have health and safety regulations at the forefront of their minds. Therefore, employers must follow regulations and guidelines set by OSHA to provide a safer workplace and protect their staff as they care for patients daily. Employers must also provide all the safety training and resources that a healthcare worker needs—nobody wants to get caught in the ironic situation of falling ill or getting hurt within a medical environment.

The first critical step to compliance is to develop a workplace safety plan. Under this strategic plan, you can ensure a safe environment by identifying potential dangers and correcting high-risk hazards. Let’s examine closer a few of the most common safety hazards in medical offices to be aware of.

Environmental Safety: Office Settings

Any office or facility setting has universal slip, trip, and fall risks resulting from wet floors, unstable work surfaces, exposed cords, cluttered areas, or unattended spills or mishaps. To fix these environmental safety risks, be sure to maintain traffic areas and stairwells with adequate lighting and visibility. Remove clutter and equipment from walkways. Keep floors clean and dry, and keep an eye out for breakables or sharps that pose risks. Don’t forget about grounds or parking areas, where uneven surfaces or debris can easily cause harm.

Equipment and Handling Use Safety

Out of all the common safety hazards in medical offices, specific equipment use, or misuse of medications for patient care, are frequent concerns. Inspect frequently used equipment for functionality and reliability and follow preventative maintenance requirements for safe usage. Lock away medications within a practice or facility and store them in a space only available to authorized personnel. Employees must always remain cautious when handling sharps to prevent injury or exposure to bloodborne pathogens.

Hazardous Material and Chemical Safety

Product and chemical hazards top the list of common safety risks within medical offices. Employers must ensure proper labeling of these chemicals and provide proper personal protective equipment for handling. Initial and continual employee education on best safety practices and expectations is the key to enhanced work conditions and overall staff wellness.

Turn to Gamma Compliance Solutions to provide a safer and healthier workplace for your healthcare employees. We supply a comprehensive OSHA program manual for medical facilities covering everything you need to know to achieve full compliance. Our documentation kit is a user-friendly and all-in-one solution you can customize to your office. Browse our OSHA compliance kits and packages today.