Do you know why OSHA would come to your lab? Do you know how to respond to an OSHA complaint or allegation? Join Dan the Lab safety Man as he discusses the steps to preparing your lab for an OSHA visit and how to properly respond when it actually happens.

Because of rising employee injuries across the nation in the past several years, OSHA added healthcare facilities to its list of “high risk” work places. That means that hospitals and laboratories are at greater risk than before of encountering an unannounced OSHA inspection. State or federal inspectors can arrive at the laboratory door in response to a specific incident, to answer a complaint, or simply because the work place was chosen at random. In any case, understanding how to prepare and respond to these inspections is crucial to the continuing operation of the laboratory.

There are specific steps to take from the time an inspector arrives to the time a final report is received in the laboratory. Preparations for an inspection include a focus on Bloodborne Pathogens, Chemical Management, General Safety, and even Ergonomics. OSHA fine rates increased for the first time in over 30 years in 2016, and understanding how fines are determined and calculated is helpful when responding to a written report.

This session will enable labs to avoid common safety inspection findings as well as to improve the overall safety culture in order to prevent employee accidents and injuries. When an inspector arrives, attendees will become comfortable with the audit process as well as with the methods used to respond to any findings.