OSHA Regulations Regarding Medication Management

Occupation Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) is responsible for enforcing health and safety regulations in the workplace. OSHA's main mission is to prevent injuries, illnesses and deaths that are work-related. Among the workplaces regulated by OSHA, hospitals or medical facilities are among the riskiest places of work due to the constant exposure of healthcare workers to communicable diseases and other health hazards. It is for these reasons why OSHA has regulations on medication management.
  1. Sharps Safety

    • Healthcare workers who handle sharps or needle-sticks when obtaining and/or transfusing blood as well as administering intravenous medications are at risk of exposure to blood-borne pathogens that cause communicable diseases such as autoimmune deficiency syndrome (AIDS), hepatitis B and hepatitis C. Some of the key

      OSHA regulations regarding sharps safety include-proper handling of sharps or needles, training for best practices, improving technology to eliminate and reduce exposure to blood-borne pathogens, requiring employers to establish and maintain a Sharps Injury Log for the recording of injuries from contaminated sharps and post-exposure evaluation and follow-up. In addition, OSHA mentions in its regulations free hepatitis B vaccinations offered to workers exposed to blood-borne pathogens.

    Hazardous Drugs Safety

    • Some healthcare workers often handle hazardous drugs as part of their jobs. For example, healthcare workers who administer drugs to cancer patients are at a higher risk than those who don’t. According to the Center for Disease Control (CDC), atineoplastic agents (cancer chemotherapy drugs and cytotoxic drugs) used to treat cancer patients can be harmful to healthy cells. OSHA's regulations on hazardous drugs safety include standard operating procedures to follow in the handling of hazardous drugs, list of criteria to use by employers to reduce employee exposure, equipment and ventilation requirements, training and provisions for medical examinations of potentially exposed employees.

    Laser Regulations

    • Using laser procedures in ophthalmology promotes healing and improvement of certain eye conditions. However, laser used for eye corrective procedures can be harmful to healthcare workers and patients when not handled properly. According to Princeton University's Environmental Health and Safety, lasers can harm the skin via photochemical or thermal burns. Furthermore, electrical hazards arise on laser systems that are improperly set up, which can cause minor tingle to serious personal injury or death.

      OSHA imposes additional electrical safety requirements on laser devices, systems and those who work with them. OSHA's National Electric Code regulations include safety procedures when handling electrical systems, implementing buddy system when working on electrical circuits, proper tools to use (such as those with insulated handles) and lockout/tag-out procedures.

Public Health - Related Articles