Preventing Workplace Violence In Mental Health Facilities Employees in mental health facilities face workplace violence at a rate significantly higher than those in other industries. The Bureau of Labor Statistics reported that psychiatric aids’ rate of nonfatal occupational injury and illness due to violence in the workplace is 69 times higher than the national average […]

Navigating Cybersecurity Challenges in the Health Care Industry Health care providers have been increasingly utilizing technology and turning to digitization. Innovations such as telehealth, artificial intelligence (AI), digital billing systems and connected devices continue to reshape the industry. Although technological advancements provide several key benefits and can enhance patient care, they create additional cybersecurity exposures. […]

Liability and the Volunteer Protection Act When volunteers bear the burden of liability, the public is less likely to participate in social service programs. To promote volunteerism, the Volunteer Protection Act (VPA) was signed into law in 1997. This act pre-empts existing, looser state laws protecting nonprofit volunteers, encouraging the public to participate in social […]

Eldercare Facilities and Pollution Eldercare facilities must maintain a safe environment and protect their residents. One risk often overlooked is pollution. After all, there are many pollution hazards that, though normally harmless to the general population, can pose serious health threats for the elderly due to their weakened immune systems. Pollution is generally seen as […]

Green Practices in Health Care Facilities Sustainability has become increasingly important for health care facilities. Faced with regulatory requirements, cost-saving opportunities and growing public expectations for environmental responsibility, health care facilities are pursuing green initiatives that align with operational efficiency and risk management goals. This article explores key green practices that health care facilities can […]

The Benefits of a Safe Patient Handling Program Because of age or incapacitation due to illness or injury, patients in health care settings often need help with normal daily tasks, such as sitting up or walking. Helping patients with these tasks requires significant physical demands, putting employees in danger of musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs). MSDs—such as […]

Responding to OSHA Citations: Appealing An OSHA inspector visits a workplace and issues one or more citations. What happens next? Citations, which are mailed by the OSHA area director shortly after an inspection, indicate the fine assessed and the abatement period to correct the health or safety violation. Violation classifications include the following: Serious violations—A […]

Wheelchair Safety for Passenger Vans Passenger vans—which typically have an occupancy of between nine and 15 people—are used by many organizations to transport a wide range of passengers. Some of those passengers require the use of a wheelchair. Wheelchairs can either be stored as cargo when not in use or used as a seat during […]

Handling Communicable Diseases in Your Facility It’s important to be prepared for a range of events that could threaten your employees’ and patients’ safety and/or disrupt operations. One of these threats is a communicable disease outbreak. Communicable diseases are those that are easily transmitted among people, and include influenza, hepatitis, tuberculosis, HIV and many others. […]