With the end of the year drawing near, as we prepare to usher in 2021, December is a good time to review and evaluate office safety policies and procedures to ensure compliance and their effectiveness. Using a safety assessment checklist…
In May, the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) published an interim memorandum on the requirements for recording occupational illnesses, specifically cases of COVID-19. The memorandum is expected to remain in effect until the current COVID-19 public health crisis…
When surgical N95 respirators are necessary to protect employees, employers must implement a formal, comprehensive respiratory protection program in accordance with Cal/OSHA’s Respiratory Protection Standard (5144) and Cal/OSHA’s Aerosol Transmissible Diseases (ATD) Standard (5199). Refer to the COVID-19 Control and…
OSHA releases a new video and poster that demonstrates how to don and doff a respirator correctly at work. The guidance includes seal check procedures to ensure that there is no leakage. The seven steps with depictions include: Wash your…
At the end of April, the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) released a Guidance Document for dental employers to protect dental healthcare personnel (DHCP) from exposure to COVID-19 during the pandemic. This differs from other guidance documents from…
We have been getting inquiries from our dental clients in California, asking about possible Cal/OSHA regulatory changes that might come about after the proverbial COVID-19 dust settles and it’s back to business as usual. Hopefully, that is sooner rather than…
Cal/OSHA Standard Section 5203 of Title 8 of the California Code of Regulations (CCR) mandates that all employers who use a regulated carcinogen must report that use in writing, by mail or email, to Cal/OSHA’s Asbestos and Carcinogen Unit. Cal/OSHA regulates ~30 regulated carcinogens under Title 8 CCR Sections…
The mission of the US Department of Occupational Safety and Health (OSHA) is to ensure the protection of workers and prevent work-related injuries, illnesses, and deaths by setting and enforcing standards. Many OSHA standards include explicit safety and health training requirements to ensure…
If a chemical spill occurs in your dental office, it is important to have written instructions on how to handle such an event. If personnel and/or patients are injured during the spill, then emergency medical services must be activated. If…
Saturday, April 27th is National Prescription Drug Take Back Day According to the 2017 National Survey on Drug Use and Health, 6 million Americans misused controlled prescription drugs, and the majority of abused prescription drugs were obtained from family and friends, often from the home medicine cabinet.…
