The holidays and colder weather are here, and with that comes the increased use of extension cords. These can be used for connecting holiday decorations, lights, small devices, etc. to an electrical source. Extension cords are helpful tools that provide additional outlet space and power for devices or appliances. Caution should be taken when utilizing […]
Total Medical Compliance has always been a company that focuses on the safety of workers and patients. Over the past several months, we have been in partnership with Jerry McCormick, President of Personal Safety at Work, who has educated both clients and our TMC team members on another aspect of safety: facility safety. His vast […]
In a recent Google search for adjectives to describe the world’s experience with the SARS-CoV-2 virus and the illness COVID-19, there was quite a range of emotions voiced. Some of the descriptive terms included: frightening, enlightening, paralyzing, loss, fear, and gain. Whatever term or terms you might use, the word stressful does comes to mind. […]
Preparedness is the first step in preventing workplace violence. OSHA outlines five core building blocks which when implemented should reduce the chance of a violent event. Check out this great white paper on Preventing Workplace Violence: A Road Map for Healthcare Get Your Free Copy of Preventing Workplace Violence: A Road Map for Healthcare Facilities
Let’s be honest here; most OSHA and HIPAA healthcare Compliance Officers are chosen because they are the ones on the staff with the most time, and that’s usually the newest people. While this idea seems logical it can cause a lot of problems in the long run. There are drawbacks in choosing a compliance officer. […]
Numbers of new cases of COVID-19 infections are at the lowest they have been in months. In fact, many states, as well as counties, are easing restrictions such as mask mandates indoors. These decisions are based on new tools created by the CDC to reduce risk of exposure and possibly infection and to reduce the […]
OSHA: Has OSHA relaxed any of the covid-19 guidance for employers? No. Although the Emergency Temporary Standard (ETS) has been withdrawn, OSHA is working towards a permanent regulatory solution and will enforce the general duty clause and general standards. Therefore, employers should continue to provide adequate protections against covid-19 for healthcare employees. This includes, but […]
Most OSHA inspections in healthcare practices are brought about by employee complaints and can be preventable. You may think that disgruntled ex-employees are doing the reporting. That does happen frequently, but OSHA is aware of these kinds of retaliatory complaints and weighs that factor into their determination on whether to send you a letter or […]
A lot of our clients ask us what the OSHA penalty is for a particular violation. OSHA citations and the accompanying penalties do not work that way. There is no schedule that says an overfilled sharps container is $900 or failure to provide appropriate protective equipment is $2500. OSHA citations are based on failure to […]
Two laws were enacted last week that affect healthcare facilities of which you should be aware. Both revolve around COVID-19 vaccination of employees. One is the new OSHA COVID-19 Vaccination and Testing Emergency Temporary Standard and the other is the Centers for Medicare + Medicaid Services (CMS) Omnibus COVID-19 Health Care Staff Vaccination Interim Final […]
