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OSHA
The mission of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) is to save lives, prevent injuries, and protect the health of America's workers. To accomplish this, Federal and state governments must work in partnership with the more than 100 million working men and women and their six-and-one-half million employers who are covered by the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970.
Employers have certain responsibilities under OSHA, including:
- Providing a workplace free from serious recognized hazards and complying with standards, rules, and regulations issued under the OSHA Act
- Examining workplace conditions to make sure they conform to applicable OSHA standards
- Making sure employees have and use safe tools and equipment and properly maintain this equipment
- Establishing or updating operating procedures and communicating them so that employees follow safety and health requirements
- Not discriminating against employees who exercise their rights under the Act
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration released its bloodborne pathogens standards intended to protect millions of workers across the nation from workplace exposure to HIV and hepatitis. These standards cover employees exposed to blood and other infectious materials, including but not limited to employees in hospitals, healthcare facilities, nursing homes, and research laboratories. The standard requires employers to (1) develop a written exposure control plan, (2) establish a Hepatitis B vaccination program, (3) provide employees with hazard information and training, (4) maintain certain medical records surrounding exposure incidents, and (5) implement certain work practice controls, such as protective clothing and puncture-proof receptacles for tainted needles and other medical wastes.
OSHA says the rules will protect approximately 5.6 million employees in hospitals, doctors' offices, dentists' offices, nursing homes, funeral homes, linen services, medical equipment-repair companies, correctional facilities, emergency-response agencies, and law enforcement agencies. OSHA projects that the new restrictions will prevent 200 deaths and 9,200 bloodborne infections annually.
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