The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) is a section of the United States Department of Labor in charge of developing and overseeing employee safety and health requirements for each industry in the US must fulfill. This, of course, goes for Florida bio-hazardous medical waste management.
Supplementary to OSHA’s standards, many US states have created their own State Occupational Safety and Health Plan. An office is required to strictly follow OSHA standards. Failing to do so could end up in paying monetary charges.
OSHA Communication
Health care offices are obliged to post OSHA information in the workplace, including placing an OSHA poster (or its state equivalent) in a place visible to all employees. OSHA provides these posters free of charge through its website.
A second OSHA publication, entitled “Model Plans and Programs for the OSHA Blood-borne Pathogens and Hazard Communication Standards”, which is very important for creating a sound bio-hazardous medical waste management plan, is also available and can be used as a template for employee training and displacing.
OSHA Blood-borne Pathogens Standard
The OSHA Blood-borne Pathogens Standard is the most commonly cited standard this organization has that regards health care offices. Best known blood-borne pathogens are HIV, Hepatitis B and Hepatitis C, but there are plenty of others out there as well.
This standard necessitates the following: precautions, safe needle use, a plan for controlling exposure, PPE such as disposable gloves and face masks, Hepatitis B vaccines given to workers at no cost (especially those working with bio-hazardous medical waste management), incident reports, labeling of medical waste containers, medical waste disposal and,finally, training for employees regarding these standards.
What Other Standards Does OSHA Have?
In addition to Blood-borne Standards, OSHA also has requirements for biohazardous materials, radiation and office exit routes. Health care offices need to have a list of their on-site biohazardous and hazardous materials, a written communications plan, as well as a copy of the safety sheet from the manufacturer of the chemical.
OSHA Radiation Standards demand a review of the types of radiation used in the health care facility, identification of worker exposure to it, use of PPE around X-ray machines, as well as labeling equipment.
Furthermore, OSHA also requires that all medical care buildings have a safe exit route and to inform their workers about these routes.
Conclusion
OSHA requirements for Florida bio-hazardous medical waste management are not there simply to be an empty letter. They must be enforced very strictly by employers, not because of financial penalties for failing to do so, but for the well being and health of their personnel.
