In the dental profession, OSHA does not require that employees or employers receive CE units or attend outside ‘OSHA courses”. The basic premise of OSHA's training requirements, for all employers in the US, is to ensure that employees are trained…
Do you know how long you are required to keep those old material safety data sheets (MSDSs – now referred to as safety sheets, SDSs) that keep piling up in your office? Because illnesses resulting from workplace exposures often do…
Oklahoma investigators announce first documented patient-to-patient hepatitis C transmission in a dental office On September 18, Oklahoma public health investigators released a status update confirming the first known patient-to-patient transmission of hepatitis C. The transmission occurred in an Oklahoma dental…
The California Department of Public Health, Radiologic Health Branch (CDPH-RHB) recently issued an exemption that allows dentists to use portable hand-held x-ray systems. Without the exemption, portable hand-held x-ray systems would be prohibited in dentistry, as stated in the following…
OSHA Review, Inc. has been receiving inquiries regarding sharps waste management, specifically what the maximum storage time is for sharps waste. For California dentists, the California Medical Waste Management Act (MWMA) allows small quantity generators to store sharps waste ready for…
Cal/OSHA is California’s occupational safety and health enforcement agency, covering nearly all employees in the state, except federal employees who fall under the jurisdiction of Federal OSHA. Cal/OSHA conducts workplace inspections to determine whether employers are complying with Cal/OSHA requirements…
In Case of a Positive Spore Test… Weekly monitoring of sterilization procedures using biologic indicators, i.e. spore tests, to evaluate the sterilizing conditions and the equipment’s effectiveness is an important part of infection control. Both the Centers for Disease Control…
Dental offices must be equipped to respond to medical emergencies involving both patients and employees. OSHA requires first aid supplies to be readily available in case of an employee injury, while state dental board may require specific equipment in case…
CALIFORNIA ENVIRONMENTAL COMPLIANCE: Volatile Organic Compound Standards for Consumer Products Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) emitted into the air from consumer products and other sources (motor vehicles, stationary sources, etc.) react with other pollutants and sunlight to form ground-level ozone and…
In July, the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE) reported that that a Colorado oral surgeon, Dr. Stephen Stein, is being investigated for improperly reusing contaminated disposable needles and syringes on patients during oral and facial surgery procedures…
