CNN reports that the United States is in the throes of an opioid epidemic. According to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, about 11.5 million Americans age 12 and older misused prescription pain medicine in 2016. The International Narcotics Control Board reported that in 2015, Americans represented about 99.7% of the world’s hydrocodone […]
OSHA: Why does the water from the eyewash need to be tepid? OSHA refers to the 2014 ANSI standard Z358.1 which states that the water temperature delivered by emergency equipment should be tepid. Tepid is defined to be between 60°F (16°C) and 100°F (38°C). Citations may be issued under OSHA standard CFR 1910.151 if the drenching/flushing […]
Who would have ever thought that those little, red fire extinguishers, mounted on walls in picture framed boxes, could be deadly? A fire extinguisher is a pressurized vessel that, like any compressed gas, can turn into an exploding bomb due to unsafe storage or handling. No matter how large or small the cylinder, compressed gases […]
Karen Gregory joins Aftermath Services on the Discovery Channel for an episode of Innovations with Ed Begley, Jr.. Innovations is a television show that brings viewers the most current information of leading industries out there making a difference. One of these leaders is Aftermath Services LLC. Aftermath is the premier, nation-wide crime scene clean up […]
Just a reminder to those having a breach in the past year impacting less than 500 individuals, you have until March 1, 2018, to report those breaches to HHS. If you have not already done so, all such breach reporting MUST be sent to HHS no later than this date. If you have a […]
OSHA: Employees have complained about headaches and breathing problems when they work in a specific part of our building. What should I do? Foremost, the complaints should not be ignored. If employees have similar symptoms that appear to resolve after leaving the building or specific work area, then contact a vendor to test indoor air […]
Dealing with a minor’s medical records can be a HIPAA minefield when a child is from a blended family or the parents have a contentious divorce going. This gets especially sticky when you add in stepparents and grandparents and situations where a minor controls all or a portion of their own records. It’s a good […]
Someone called my practice and said I have to fill out their checklist for HIPAA each year. Is this true or is it HIPAA scare tactics? Not Really. You do have to perform a “Risk Analysis” (RA) checklist of all the ways you store, input and transmit protected health information (PHI). This must be done […]
HIPAA: Do I need a Business Associate Agreement for the cleaning service? No. A business associate agreement is not required with persons or businesses whose function does not involve the use or disclosure of protected health information (PHI) and where any access would be incidental. This includes janitorial service staff whose access is only a […]
When the new president took office in January 2017 these changes to the recordkeeping regulations were stopped. OSHA just announced that part of these regulations will now go into effect in December. Employers who, under the past rules, had to post a copy in their office of their OSHA 300A report (Summary of Work-Related Injuries […]
