| Most healthcare practices and dental offices would | | | | - Provide instructions for correcting unsafe or |
| prefer to spend their time focusing on patients, | | | | unhealthy situations or conditions |
| not developing Safety Plans for OSHA compliance. | | | | - Offer training on safety and health-related |
| However, taking the time to understand and | | | | matters |
| comply with OSHA regulations can actually benefit | | | | - Outline a system for documentation and |
| you by: | | | | recordkeeping |
| - Lowering injury and/or illness rates and the | | | | An effective Safety and Health Plan is not just a |
| costs associated with them | | | | casual document -- it is a specifically focused |
| - Reducing lost workdays resulting from injury and | | | | program that can require expert guidance. |
| illness | | | | 2. Hazard Communication Program (Hazcom) |
| - Decreasing workers' compensation costs | | | | OSHA requires a Hazard Communication Program |
| - Lowering the risk of patient/customer injury due | | | | when hazardous chemicals are on the premises -- |
| to workplace hazards and unsafe environments | | | | as they are in most dental practices. There are |
| - Reinforcing a culture of safety and accountability | | | | several basic components to an effective Hazcom |
| The Potential Costs of Noncompliance | | | | Program. First, it should be in writing and should |
| The consequences of not developing OSHA | | | | assign responsibility to a qualified administrator |
| Safety Plans can be costly -- in terms of financial | | | | who is knowledgeable about the chemicals present |
| penalties and employee injuries. | | | | and how to protect against them. The program |
| The penalties for OSHA violations can reach | | | | should also contain information about container |
| $70,000 for a willful violation. Employers may also | | | | labeling and provide a master list of all hazardous |
| face penalties of up to $7,000 per day for each | | | | chemicals present in the workplace. It should also |
| day a violation goes unabated. In addition, for | | | | discuss employee training. |
| certain Personal Protective Equipment or training | | | | In addition, many hazardous chemicals present in |
| violations, OSHA can impose penalties against the | | | | dental practices must also have Material Safety |
| employer for each single employee not properly | | | | Data Sheets on file. However, determining which |
| trained or equipped. | | | | chemicals are subject to this requirement can be |
| Creating the Key Safety Plans | | | | confusing. For this reason, expert guidance is |
| 1. Safety and Health Plan | | | | recommended for creating your facility's program. |
| Federal OSHA recommends a Safety and Health | | | | 3. Emergency Preparedness Plan (EPP), |
| Plan in all workplaces. In addition, many states | | | | Emergency Action Plan (EAP), and Fire Prevention |
| have their own regulations --some of which | | | | Plan (FPP) |
| mandate the creation of a formal Safety and | | | | EPPs, EAPs and FPPs provide specifics about how |
| Health Program. A good Safety and Health Plan | | | | your facility will respond in the event of an |
| will: | | | | emergency (i.e., immediate evacuation or the use |
| - Be in writing and demonstrate management | | | | of portable fire extinguishers, etc.). The rules are |
| commitment to safety and health | | | | complex for determining whether your facility's |
| - Identify the specific person(s) who have | | | | EPPs must also include such specific OSHA |
| responsibility for the safety program in your | | | | documents as an EAP or an FFP. With proper |
| particular workplace | | | | guidance and tools, however, all three documents |
| - Provide for employee involvement in the | | | | may be created easily and quickly. |
| process and regular office-wide communication on | | | | 4. Bloodborne Pathogens Exposure Control Plan |
| safety issues | | | | (BBP ECP) |
| - Outline a system for worksite analysis and | | | | Required by OSHA's Bloodborne Pathogens |
| assure that your workers are complying with | | | | Standard, an effective Exposure Control Plan is |
| safe work practices | | | | typically the single most important Safety Plan in |
| - Provide a system for regularly inspecting and | | | | healthcare environments. An ECP must be in |
| evaluating program effectiveness | | | | writing, and it must cover the methods your |
| - Address hazard prevention and control and | | | | facility uses to comply with the Bloodborne |
| accident investigation | | | | Pathogens Standard. |