OSHA to focus on healthcare workers, Michaels says

Pointing to what it says is an “unacceptable” level of workplace injuries and illnesses among workers in nursing homes and other residential care facilities, OSHA has announced that it will soon begin a national emphasis program to increase enforcement in that industry.

The incidence rate for healthcare support workers increased 6 percent in 2010 to a level nearly two and a half times that for all private and public sector workers, according to figures from the federal Bureau of Labor Statistics. The number of ergonomics injuries with days away from work increased 10 percent for nursing aides, orderlies and attendants.

OSHA chief David Michaels said the national emphasis program would “increase our inspections of these facilities, focusing on back injuries from resident handling or lifting patients; exposure to bloodborne pathogens and other infectious diseases; workplace violence; and slips, trips and falls.”

The program will cover nursing homes and residential care facilities, such as assisted living complexes.

Operators of these businesses, who may be unaccustomed to intense OSHA scrutiny, may wish to read our article “How to meet the challenge of greatly increased OSHA enforcement,” which provides useful tips.