Health Care/Social Assistance

Washington — Because of the variety of different respiratory hazards health care workers are exposed to on the job, knowing the difference between types of respiratory protection is key.

Washington — Some drugs used to treat cancer and other conditions can be hazardous to workers who are exposed to them. NIOSH recently updated its tool intended to help health care workers and employers identify which routinely handled drugs are considered hazardous.

Washington — OSHA is no longer enforcing its COVID-19 recordkeeping and reporting requirements, the agency announced in a Feb. 5 memo.

Morgantown, WV — What role might artificial intelligence play in occupational medicine? Two researchers from West Virginia University recently explored this question.

Washington — OSHA has terminated its rulemaking on COVID-19 exposure in health care settings to “focus its resources on the completion of an infectious diseases rulemaking.”

Washington — OSHA’s proposed rule on infectious diseases in “health care and other high-risk environments” has been submitted to the White House Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs for final review.

Boston — Intended to give small health care employers an “easy-to-use format” for a written exposure control plan, the Massachusetts Department of Public Health has published sample written plans for a respiratory protection program and bloodborne pathogen exposure control.

Orlando, FL — Although OSHA remains largely a regulatory and enforcement agency, it’s recently started prioritizing safety culture.

Washington — NIOSH is encouraging health care industry employers to craft mental health-related communications in a way that helps reduce the stigma around seeking support.

Philadelphia — Automated text message reminders about a digital mental health platform helped decrease the symptoms of depression and anxiety among health care workers in a recent study from the University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine.