Joint Commission Environment of Care Standards

The Joint Commission is a non-profit organization in the United States that handles accreditation for hospitals and other health care organizations. Among the various standards it uses to hold organizations accountable are environment of care standards for health care.

Standards Regarding Hazardous Materials

• The Joint Commission requires its member organizations to comply with all laws regarding disposal and handling of hazardous materials, and asks them to keep a reference library of such laws. It does not mandate placement of sharps boxes and containers, but asks its organizations to conduct risk assessment regarding it. It permits undersink storage of chemicals as long as the chemicals stored cannot react with each other.

Standards Regarding Personal Hygiene

• The Joint Commission encourages its organizations to use standards set by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration or the Department of Energy regarding frequency of eyewash inspections. It sets specific standards regarding placement of alcohol-based hand rub dispensers.

Other Environment of Care Standards

• The Joint Commission asks its organizations to use American Institute of Architects guidelines regarding placement of nurse call buttons in public restrooms. It encourages locking of electrical panels in geriatric, behaviorial health, and pediatric units, and in public areas. It asks each member organization to establish its own environment of care plan. It encourages its organizations to be smoke-free. It requires standpipe fire hoses to be tested every three years.