Legal Brief
OSHA, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration is quite alive and well when it comes to enforcing its regulations against physicians. The seven rules that apply to physicians involve:
1- Having a plan to reduce exposure to bloodborne pathogens.
2- You must have a safety plan for exiting your office.
3- You must have a plan for hazard communication; this involves hazardous chemicals of any kind. There must be a written list along with several other requirements.
4- Electrical safety rules must be observed.
5- New York does not require reporting occupational injuries and illnesses. There is a federal exemption for medical office reporting.
6- Every practice must display an approved OSHA poster showing the employee rights to a safe working environment.
7- For practices that use x-rays and imaging services, there are rules, such as radiation exposure badges.
Do NOT ignore the OSHA requirements as the fines may be substantial.
Until next week,
Larry Kobak, Esq.
