OSHA Issues Inspection Guidance for Nursing Homes

The Occupational Health and Safety Administration (OHSA) will be paying particular attention to a number of key areas as part of their inspection of nursing homes.  The guidance to inspectors focuses on hazards outlined in a new OHSA memorandum.  Among the areas that will be given additional scrutiny are musculoskeletal disorders related to resident handling, workplace violence, bloodborne pathogens, tuberculosis, and slips, trips, and falls. The hazards were addressed in OSHA's recent National Emphasis Program – Nursing and Residential Care Facilities, which involved collecting specific injury and illness data from 80,000 healthcare facilities.

Contact:  Elliott Frost, efrost@leadingageny.org, 518-867-8832