OSHA’s role is to assure the safety and

health of America’s workers by setting and enforcing standards; providing training, outreach and education; establishing partnerships; and encouraging

continual improvement in workplace safety and

health. As part of the Department of Labor, OSHA

and the states that operate OSHA-approved state

plans establish guidelines and standards to promote worker safety and health that apply to every

workplace in the United States, including medical

and dental offices.

This brochure provides only a glimpse of the

most frequently found hazards in medical and

dental offices. Many other standards may apply.

This information should not be used as a substitute

for reading and becoming familiar with all applicable OSHA standards. As an employer, it is up to

you to follow up and obtain the full text of the

OSHA standards, all of which are available on the

OSHA website at www.osha.gov or by calling our

toll-free number (800) 321-OSHA(6742). Most OSHA

materials are available at no charge.

The following requirements include those that

normally apply to medical and dental offices,

whether there are two or 200 employees. Additional

OSHA standards may apply to some offices. The

complete text of the regulations can be found in

Title 29 of the Code of Federal Regulations (29 CFR).

Bloodborne Pathogens Standard

(29 CFR 1910.1030)

This is the most frequently requested and referenced OSHA standard affecting medical and dental

offices. Some basic requirements of the OSHA

Bloodborne Pathogens standard include:

■ A written exposure control plan, to be updated

annually.

■ Use of universal precautions.

■ Consideration, implementation and use of safer

engineered needles and sharps.

■ Use of engineering and work practice controls

and appropriate personal protective equipment

(gloves, face and eye protection, gowns).

■ Hepatitis B vaccine provided to exposed

employees at no cost.

■ Medical follow-up in the event of an “exposure

incident” .

■ Use of labels or color-coding for items such as

sharps disposal boxes and containers for

regulated waste, contaminated laundry and

certain specimens.

■ Employee training.

■ Proper containment of all regulated waste.

Hazard Communication Standard

(29 CFR 1910.1200)

The hazard communication standard is sometimes called the “employee right-to-know”

standard. It requires employee access to hazard

information. The basic requirements include:

■ A written hazard communication program.

■ A list of hazardous chemicals (such as alcohol,

disinfectants, anesthetic agents, sterilants and

mercury) used or stored in the office.

■ A copy of the Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS)

for each chemical (obtained from the

manufacturer) used or stored in the office.

■ Employee training.

Ionizing Radiation Standard

(29 CFR 1910.1096)

This standard applies to facilities that have an

x-ray machine and requires the following:

■ A survey of the types of radiation used in the

facility, including x-rays.

■ Restricted areas to limit employee exposures.

■ Employees working in restricted areas must

wear personal radiation monitors such as film

badges or pocket dosimeters.

■ Rooms and equipment may need to be labeled

and equipped with caution signs.

Exit Routes Standards

(29 CFR Subpart E 1910.35,

1910.36, 1910.37, 1910.38

and 1910.39)

These standards include the requirements for

providing safe and accessible building exits in

case of fire or other emergency. It is important

to become familiar with the full text of these

standards because they provide details about

signage and other issues. OSHA consultation

services can help, or your insurance company or

local fire/police service may be able to assist

you. The basic responsibilities include:

■ Exit routes sufficient for the number of

employees in any occupied space.

■ A diagram of evacuation routes posted in a

visible location.

Electrical Standards

(Subpart S - Electrical 29 CFR

1910.301 to 1910.399)

These standards address electrical safety

requirements to safeguard employees. OSHA

electrical standards apply to electrical equipment

and wiring in hazardous locations. If you use

flammable gases, you may need special wiring

and equipment installation. In addition to reading the full text of the OSHA standard, you

should check with your insurance company or

local fire department, or request an OSHA

consultation for help.

OSHA Poster

Every workplace must display the OSHA poster

(OSHA Publication 3165), or the state plan

equivalent. The poster explains worker rights to

a safe workplace and how to file a complaint.

The poster must be placed where employees will

see it. You can download a copy or order one

free copy from OSHA’s website at www.osha.gov

or by calling (800) 321-OSHA.
Recording and Reporting

Occupational Injuries and Illnesses

(29 CFR 1904)

Medical and dental offices are currently exempt

from maintaining an official log of reportable

injuries and illnesses (OSHA Form 300) under the

federal OSHA recordkeeping rule, although they

may be required to maintain such records in some

state plan states. If you are in a state plan state,

contact your state plan directly for more information. All employers, including medical and dental

offices, must report any work-related fatality or the

hospitalization of three or more employees in a

single incident to the nearest OSHA office. Call

(800) 321-OSHA or your state plan for assistance.

Helpful Resources

OSHA makes every effort to make information

about its regulatory requirements readily available

to the public. The full text of each standard in this

brochure is available on the OSHA website at

www.osha.gov. You can search for a specific

subject by using the alphabetic index near the

top of the home page or by clicking on Laws &

Regulations below Compliance Assistance, then

clicking on OSHA Standards (Standards - 29 CFR).

A recent OSHA publication, Model Plans and

Programs for the OSHA Bloodborne Pathogens

and Hazard Communications Standards, contains

models of these two important documents that

can be tailored to your business or office. Request

Publication 3186-06R to receive this helpful

resource. Information on other areas of interest or

concern, such as compresssed gases, may be

obtained by calling OSHA.

The OSHA toll-free number is (800) 321-OSHA.

Operators will direct the caller to the appropriate

federal or state plan office to request a consultation, file a complaint, report a fatality, or to obtain

telephone numbers for OSHA offices and the

OSHA-approved state plan programs. They also

take orders for OSHA publications.

Medical&

DentalOffices

A Guide to

Compliance with

OSHA Standards

www.osha.gov

Model Plans and Programs for the OSHA

Bloodborne Pathogens and

Hazard Communications Standards

OSHA 3186-06R 2003

OSHA 3187-12R

2004

OSHA 3186-06R

OSHA 3165

www.osha.gov