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OSHA Healthcare Standards						Print
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										Examples of OSHA standards related to healthcare include the Bloodborne Pathogen (BBP) Standard and Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) Standard. Both standards require employers to protect workers from occupational exposure to infectious agents.
blood cellsPhoto by Getty Images
**The Bloodborne Pathogen Standard:**
Requires employers of workers who may be exposed to blood or other potentially infectious materials, such as certain tissues and body fluids, to provide safeguards to protect workers against health hazards related to bloodborne pathogens. Provisions include exposure control plans, engineering and work practice controls, hepatitis B vaccination, hazard communication and training, and recordkeeping.
Applies to all workers with occupational exposure to blood or other potentially infectious materials such as saliva during dental procedures and other body fluids in situations where it is difficult or impossible to differentiate between body fluids (e.g., synovial, pericardial, urine, feces).
Requires the use of Universal Precautions, an approach to infection control in which workers treat all human blood and certain human body fluids as if they are known to be infectious, to protect against pathogens.In 1996, CDC recommended the term and use of Standard Precautions, which includes hand hygiene, the use of certain types of PPE based on anticipated exposure, safe injection practices, and safe management of known or suspected to be infectious patients. (See OSHA Bloodborne Pathogens – Worker Protections against Occupational Exposure to Infectious Diseases).
Man in a filter maskPhoto by Getty Images
**The Respiratory Protection Standard:**
Is designed to protect the health of employees from harmful dusts, fogs, fumes, mists, gases, smokes, sprays, or vapors. It applies to all occupational exposures to contaminated air when airborne concentrations exceed an action level or as a standard precaution (e.g., protection against infectious agents).
Requires respiratory protection when effective engineering controls (e.g., enclosure or confinement of the operation, local exhaust ventilation) are not feasible or not fully effective.
Requires employers to provide appropriate respirators (suitable for the intended purpose) properly fitted to employees when necessary to protect the health of employees until the workplace implements other more effective controls.
Requires workplaces using respirators to establish a Respiratory Protection Program.**An effective****respiratory protection program****must cover the following factors:**
Written worksite-specific procedures
Program evaluation
Selection of an appropriate NIOSH-approved respirator
Training
Fit testing
Inspection, cleaning, maintenance, and storage of respirators
Medical evaluation and determination of employee’s ability to wear a respirator
Work area surveillance
Air quality standardsThe OSHA Hospital Respiratory Protection Program Toolkit also provides recommendations and descriptions of mandatory safety and health standards.PreviousNext
							
					
							Last Reviewed:  April 28, 2022						Source: 	National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
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        Syndicate homeSafety Culture in Healthcare Settings
Training Informationplus icon
Introduction
Module 1: Safety Cultureplus icon
Why a Culture of Safety is Important
The Sociotechnical Model
Definition Examples of Safety Culture and Overlap with Safety Climate
Key Attributes and Joint Benefits of Safety Culture
Common Features of Positive Healthcare Worker Safety Culture
General Measurable Elements of a Safety Culture
Tools to Measure Safety Culture and Climate
A Snapshot of Safety Culture in U.S. Hospitals
References
Quiz 1Module 2: Work-Related Risks and Hazardsplus icon
Biological Hazardsplus icon
Chain of Infection Components
Risk Factors of Biological Agents and Unsafe Practices
Chemical Hazards
Enviromechanical Hazards
Physical Hazards
Psychosocial Hazards
Hazard Assessment/Determination
Case Study
References
Quiz 2Module 3: Prevention and Control of Work-Related Injury and Illnessplus icon
Hierarchy of Controls
Elimination: Physically Remove the Hazard
Substitution and Engineering Controls
Administrative Controls: Change the Way People Work
Personal Protective Equipment (PPE): Protect the Worker with PPE
Donning and Doffing PPE: Proper Wearing, Removal, and Disposal
References
Quiz 3Module 4: Leadership and Safe Work Environmentsplus icon
Commitment to Workplace Safety as High Priority and Through Role Modeling
Policies and Procedures and Safe Patient Handling
Hazard Analysis and Safe Staffing Workloads
State-of-the-Art Training and Handling Patients
Engage Healthcare Worker Champions and Observe Work
Transparency, Training, and Staff Safety Rounds
References
Quiz 4Module 5: Legal-Ethical Considerations to Promote Safe Working Conditionsplus icon
The Occupational Safety and Health Act and OSHA Standards
OSHA Healthcare Standards
OSHA Hazard Communication Standard and OSHA Guidelines
What Workers Can Do
Ethics and Healthcare Worker Exposure Considerations
Ethical Principles
References
Quiz 5Safety Culture in Healthcare Settings: Resources Follow NIOSH Facebook
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