OSHA Requirements for MSDS Healthcare Facilities
- Employees in health-care facilities must be careful when handling needles.in hospital image by Mykola Velychko from Fotolia.com
Material safety data sheets contain health and safety information in accordance with OSHA -- Occupational Safety and Health Association -- requirements. Regarding health-care facilities, these sheets provide procedures that entail the storage and disposal associated with the handling of hazardous materials. Some health-care facilities place workers in direct contact with blood and needles. It is important that OSHA's sheet requirements be followed to reduce the chance of contracting diseases. - Protective equipment is required when performing surgeries.surgical team during operation: working on open wo image by alma_sacra from Fotolia.com
Personal protective equipment comprises clothing and equipment that must be included in the data sheet. For example, gloves and eye protection must be available in the size that fits the employee. Orthodepic surgeries and autopsies call for employees to wear more extensive protection. Surgical caps, hoods and shoe covers must be worn in these situations. It all must be considered in the data sheet. - Working areas must be keep clean at all times.operating room image by Maciej Zatonski from Fotolia.com
Thorough housekeeping lowers the risk of acquiring life threatening diseases. According to OSHA, 8,700 health-care workers annually are infected with Hepatitis B and 200 die from contracting the virus from work. Employees must clean work surfaces when they are contaminated, after any spill of blood or infectious material and at the end of the work shift. - Injuries must be reported in a timely fashion.Plaster image by Star from Fotolia.com
Exposure incidents require immediate action on behalf of the employer. Employers must instruct employees on procedures when an exposure occurs. Immediate attention can reduce the spread of infectious diseases such as Hepatitis B. Reporting exposure incidents includes follow-up evaluations and employer-provided treatment.
