Relias Media - Continuing Medical Education Publishing

The trusted source for

healthcare information and

CONTINUING EDUCATION.

  • Sign In
  • Sign Out
  • MyAHC
    • Home
      • Home
      • Newsletters
      • Blogs
      • Archives
      • CME/CE Map
      • Shop
    • Emergency
      • All Products
      • Publications
      • Study Guides
      • Live Webinars
      • On-Demand Webinars
      • Libraries
    • Hospital
      • All Products
      • Publications
      • Study Guides
      • Live Webinars
      • On-Demand Webinars
      • Libraries
    • Clinical
      • All Products
      • Publications
      • Study Guides
      • Live Webinars
      • On-Demand Webinars
    • All Access
      • Learn More
      • My Subscription
    • My Account
      • My Subscriptions
      • My Content
      • My Orders
      • My CME/CE
      • My Transcript
    Home » OSHA cites hospitals for recordkeeping flaws

    OSHA cites hospitals for recordkeeping flaws

    February 1, 2011
    No Comments
    Reprints
    Facebook Twitter Linkedin Share Share

    OSHA cites hospitals for recordkeeping flaws

    Problems with forms top bloodborne lapses

    Beware of recordkeeping violations. That's a word to the wise based on recent enforcement activity by the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration.

    In the last fiscal year ending Oct. 1, 2010, federal OSHA cited hospitals more frequently for failures related to the OSHA 300 log than any other standard. (Bloodborne pathogens came in second.)

    Meanwhile, OSHA's pending new rule on recording of work-related musculoskeletal disorders would add a new requirement for employers to check a box on the OSHA 300 log indicating that an MSD occurred. It has been delayed due to an extended review from the U.S. Office of Management and Budget.

    The proposed rule also removes the language in an OSHA compliance directive that says that "if a health care professional determines that the employee is fully able to perform all of his or her routine job functions, and the employer assigns a work restriction for the purpose of preventing a more serious injury."

    "We're seeing them taking [recordkeeping] more seriously than they have [in recent years]," says Brad Hammock, Esq., workplace safety compliance practice group leader at Jackson Lewis LLP in the Washington DC region office.

    Some common errors: Failing to post summary forms, improperly completing particular recordkeeping entries, not recording an injury or illness that should have been recorded, failing to have a proper signature on a form.

    That increase in recordkeeping citations coincided with an OSHA national emphasis program on recordkeeping, which was announced in October 2009. The program focused on workplaces that reported low rates of injury that were in high-rate industries. Nursing homes were among the targeted employers, but hospitals were not.

    Yet the increased scrutiny on recordkeeping may have been reflected in some hospital inspections, Hammock says.

    "[OSHA is] citing employers for underreporting injuries and illnesses. That's a major problem because if hazards are underreported then there's no urgency to address them," says Bill Borwegen, MPH, health and safety director of the Service Employees International Union (SEIU).

    Overall, hospitals typically do not receive many OSHA inspections relative to their workforce. Federal OSHA inspections overall rose by 5%, but declined in hospitals by about 7%, according to industry-specific OSHA data.

    Yet that may change as well. In Fiscal Year 2011, OSHA included hospitals and nursing homes among the "high hazard" workplaces that are subject to unannounced, targeted inspections.

    Hospitals that receive the targeted inspections have a rate of days away, restricted or transferred (DART) of 15.0 or more per 100 full-time equivalent employees or a case rate of days away from work due to injury and illness of 14 or higher. For nursing homes, the rates are somewhat higher, with a DART rate of 16 or above and a "days away from work" case rate of 13 or above.

    In nursing homes, OSHA said it will focus on "ergonomic stressors; exposure to blood and other potentially infectious materials; exposure to tuberculosis; and slips, trips, and falls." Citations related to ergonomics would require use of the General Duty Clause, which requires employers to keep the workplace free of "recognized hazards that are causing or are likely to cause death or serious physical harm" to employees.

    "OSHA will be doing more programmed inspections in the hospital sector, so it's good to know what OSHA is focusing on," says Borwegen, noting that OSHA is interested in recordkeeping and bloodborne pathogens.

    Post a comment to this article

    Report Abusive Comment

    Occupational Health Management Archives

    View PDF
    Occupational Health Management 2011-02-01
    February 1, 2011

    Table Of Contents

    Data driven: Using occ health data to lower health care costs

    Better tools needed to measure presenteeism

    Use data dashboard to gauge productivity

    Half measures, full fines: OSHA resp violations

    Don't overlook training needs with respirators

    Protect worker info from supervisors

    Find the right balance for wellness incentives

    Hospitals pressured to mandate flu shots

    OSHA cites hospitals for recordkeeping flaws

    OSHA: Employers must reduce noise hazards

    Fall program keeps $ from slipping away

    Shop Now: Search Products

    • Subscription Publications
    • Books & Study Guides
    • Webinars
    • Group & Site
      Licenses
    • State CME/CE
      Requirements

    Webinars And Events

    View All Events

    Free Email Newsletters

    All Fields Required

    E-Newsletter Options
    • Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education
    • American Nurses Credentialing Center
    • American College of Emergency Physician
    • American Board of Internal Medicine: Maintenance of Certification
    • California Board of Registered Nursing
    • Commission for Case Manager Certification
    • American Academy of Pediatrics
    • American Osteopathic Association
    • Home
      • Home
      • Newsletters
      • Blogs
      • Archives
      • CME/CE Map
      • Shop
    • Emergency
      • All Products
      • Publications
      • Study Guides
      • Live Webinars
      • On-Demand Webinars
      • Libraries
    • Hospital
      • All Products
      • Publications
      • Study Guides
      • Live Webinars
      • On-Demand Webinars
      • Libraries
    • Clinical
      • All Products
      • Publications
      • Study Guides
      • Live Webinars
      • On-Demand Webinars
    • All Access
      • Learn More
      • My Subscription
    • My Account
      • My Subscriptions
      • My Content
      • My Orders
      • My CME/CE
      • My Transcript
    • Help
    • Search
    • About Us
    • Sign In
    • Register
    Relias Media - Continuing Medical Education Publishing

    The trusted source for

    healthcare information and

    CONTINUING EDUCATION.

    Customer Service

    customerservice@reliasmedia.com

    U.S. and Canada: 1-800-688-2421

    International +1-404-262-5476

    Accounts Receivable

    1-800-370-9210
    ReliasMedia_AR@reliasmedia.com

    Mailing Address

    • 1010 Sync St., Suite 100
      Morrisville, NC 27560-5468
      USA

    © 2019 Relias. All rights reserved.

    Privacy Policy  Terms of Use  Contact Us  Reprints  Group Sales

    For DSR inquiries or complaints, please reach out to Wes Vaux, Data Privacy Officer, DPO@relias.com

    Design, CMS, Hosting & Web Development :: ePublishing