OSHA Case Study

OSHA Complacent or Compliant?

Dr. Scott Harrington was recently asked about sterilization and drug procedures in his two offices, he simply replied, ‘My staff takes care of that; I don’t.’ According to OSHA, not knowing is simply not an acceptable answer (Baker). Don’t be confused or complacent when complying with OSHA regulations” (Baker). The mission of Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) is to ensure a safe and healthy workplace for American Workers (Baker). The goal of OSHA is to help employers protect themselves as well as their employees from work related injuries, illnesses, or deaths. It is the responsibility of the employer to obtain a full text of the standards, available at www.osha.gov, or by calling (800) 321-OSHA

Dental offices must have a Hazard Communication Standard plan that lists the chemicals in the office, SDS, training, and where the employees can access the plan. The Hazard Communication Standard is sometimes also called the employees’ right-to-know standard because employees have the right to know what chemicals are being used in their office and the proper way to use them. The employees should be aware of where the SDS sheets are in case of an exposure so they can look up the correct way to treat the

Hands are porous and act like a sponge (Baker). The dental professionals should a different type of glove to sterilize equipment than they do for patient care. Gloves used to sterilize equipment should be a type of utility glove that is puncture resistant. Hands need to be protected from exposure to hazards such as those from skin absorption of harmful substances, severe cuts or lacerations, severe abrasions, punctures, chemical burns, thermal burns, and harmful temperature extremes (Baker). When the employers are choosing gloves from themselves and their employees they should think about the task they will be performing so they can choose the glove that will work best for the