OSHA Compliance Checklist for Medical Offices

Out of all the industries in America, the healthcare and medical sector has the most work-related illnesses and injuries annually. While the root of this fact lies deeply within the job field, there are certain measures and laws put in place to help regulate the safety of such work environments. OSHA, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, enforces set standards on these workplaces, such as medical offices or practices. These standards protect employees from various health and risk hazards they may deal with daily.

Employers of medical facilities, practices, and offices are subject to such laws and standards. Each must be upheld to assure safe and healthful working conditions. The wide majority of medical offices have compliance risks due to common practices within their facility. While the range of risks and hazards may vary due to the kind of services that a medical facility offers or the proficiency of the staff, the General Duty Clause under OSHA controls the safety of workplaces. According to OSHA, general industry standards regulate workplaces to assure avoidance of serious harm or death.

Employers and employees alike must understand and comply with the necessary safety regulations. The summary of the following regulations must be complied with to either eliminate, or at the very least minimize, potential workplace incidents. To keep your facility in check, here is an OSHA compliance checklist for medical offices.

Comply With the Hazard Communication Standard

The Hazard Communication Standard, also known as the “Right-to-Know” standard is a regulation that is designed with hazardous chemicals in mind. Employers are required to provide or have readily available information on any chemicals that are utilized in the workplace. This information can come in the style form of Safety Data Sheets (SDS) and clear-cut chemical labels that outline any hazards that are related to the chemicals at hand. Your staff also has the right to access any relevant exposure or medical records about toxic substances that concerns them during their employment.

This standard about hazard communication is a top priority for employees who handle or come in contact with or are potentially exposed to risky chemicals. Continual education and training on these hazardous chemicals are required under OSHA laws. This means that a chemical that is clearly identified as a risk on its label must be fully explained and outlined for employee understanding. An employer should have a list on hand that is updated each time a new chemical gets introduced to the office space.

Comply With the Bloodborne Pathogens Standard

This is a fairly common standard within the healthcare field. The Bloodborne Pathogens Standard (BBP) is direct protection against health hazards from exposure to bloodborne pathogens. Any employee in a medical office that has job tasks that may possibly put them into contact with blood or other possibly infectious materials falls under this protective standard.

Employers must provide and implement an exposure control plan that outlines matters such as universal precautions, post-exposure protocols, waste disposal methods and procedures, recordkeeping requirements, and other details to be regulated. Besides the written ECP, training must be provided to employees that face blood or infectious material exposure. Employers are in charge of providing the necessary safety devices and education to scale down the number of contaminated-sharps incidents from needles, scalpels, broken glass, or other sharp devices.

Comply With the Personal Protective Equipment Standard

Another standard on the OSHA compliance checklist for medical offices to follow is the provision of the proper personal protective equipment for employees. While OSHA customarily regards PPE as the least acceptable means of employee protection, as work practices should trump over equipment, PPE is a notable barrier against infectious diseases or materials. Hence, employers must have knowledge of each operation or care practice within the facility, and which personal protective equipment is required for staff in these roles.

PPE has especially come to the forefront during these current circumstances of the COVID-19 pandemic. This type of equipment can include face masks, face shields, protective gloves, gowns, and aprons. The provided equipment must be clean and reliable. PPE must fit the worker correctly, as an improper fit risks hazardous exposure. Employers are required to have a PPE program in place to train employees on what equipment is necessary, at what time it is necessary, how it is worn, how to care, maintain, and dispose of it, in addition to its true limitations.

Comply With the Ionizing Radiation Standard

The next standard employers must be in compliance with is the Ionizing Radiation Standard. If your medical office has x-ray machines that emit radiation, specific safety standards must be implemented for protection. Any areas that contain x-ray machines need to be designated and controlled to reduce possible health risks from radiation exposure. Control measures include shields and PPE for staff alongside personal radiation monitors. As with any other risky or hazardous materials, radioactive source equipment must have clear labels that critically illustrate the need for caution.

Medical Office and Practice OSHA Inspections

It’s best to examine and survey your workplace continually for supplementary hazards or other safety standards than those listed above. An OSHA inspector can find you in violation if they come to visit your office or if a serious complaint gets filed against your practice. OSHA violations and penalties come at a substantial cost. Besides the high price of fines, business productivity and care can be lost, as well as even the severity of lives. This is why consistent training, education, and understanding of compliance is critical.

Remember that this checklist is general, not a comprehensive culmination of standards your medical workplace may fall under. A variety of health and safety hazards exist at a majority of healthcare workplaces. At Gamma Compliance Solutions, we offer comprehensive online OSHA medical training and program manuals for medical facilities. Our medical training comes with easy-to-use guides, built-in quizzes, and interactive audio-visual content for the best possible learning experience for employees.

We have a relevant selection of products and resources that will surely aid your team to achieve full governmental regulatory compliance. Our products are up-to-date and include information regarding COVID-19 and OSHA compliance, and come with four years of service support and annual updates. Whatever the needs of your medical team, we’re sure to have you covered.