It’s time to get into complete compliance and not linger with an infection control program full of holes! States like Maryland and California have introduced stricter requirements for infection control training and oversight. It’s clear that the focus on patient and employee safety is growing with infection control in dentistry.
Most dental professionals recognize the risk of contracting hepatitis B while working in the dental field. They also understand that the hepatitis B vaccine is a safe and effective way to protect against the virus. However, during training Q & A sessions, we often find that employees and employers are unsure about their rights and responsibilities regarding the Hep B vaccine. To clarify, here are some common questions and answers to demystify the requirements.
If you’re a healthcare worker including an individual working in a dental setting, it’s very important to stay up to date on recommended vaccines to protect yourself and your patients. Read below to see which vaccines are required for dental workers.
As a former OSHA Inspector and compliance officer, I worked hard to keep my cool and not let the little things irritate me. However, each industry had a few hazards that consistently frustrated me. Today, I will share my compliance pet peeves for the dental industry. I issued citations and fines for these hazards and want to help your office avoid them!
OSHA published the Guidelines for Preventing Workplace Violence for Healthcare and Social Service Workers and plans to release a proposed rule in December, which would take effect in 2025.
OSHA recently revised the criteria under the Hazard Communication Standard to enhance the information available to employees regarding various health and physical hazard classes. These updates are designed to ensure workers have clearer and more comprehensive guidance about potential risks in their work environment, promoting safety and compliance.
As we enter the last quarter of the year, there are important considerations to make in reviewing your to do list for your regulatory compliance program. Let’s start with OSHA. The next issue we’ll address is HIPAA.
As many of you are aware, I started working in a dental office when I was 17 years old. I worked part-time as a janitor for a cleaning company.
The average dental practice is extremely busy in trying to keep up with patient and treatment schedules. So for many practice staff, the thought of keeping up with both OSHA and HIPAA compliance is overwhelming. Safety coordinators and officers provide essential roles to your practice. This is why it is vital to have designated officers that can handle these components.
Over the years, we’ve received quite a few phone calls with desperate and worried persons on the other end of the line telling us that there has been a needlestick incident in their practice and they have no idea what to do next. This is definitely not a fun predicament to be in, but with Post Exposure Management, it’s important to keep your head and take the appropriate steps to ensure that you’re following OSHA’s standards. Don’t be intimidated by the forms and the protocol. You can do this.