OSHA/NIOSH issue toolkit for hospital staff respiratory protection programs

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration and National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health today released a toolkit to help hospitals protect staff from respiratory hazards. OSHA’s Respiratory Protection Standard requires that health care employers establish and maintain a respiratory protection program in workplaces where workers may be exposed to respiratory hazards. Respirators are used to protect against exposures to airborne transmissible infectious diseases as well as chemicals and certain drugs that may be used in health care settings. The toolkit covers respirator use, hazard assessment and the development of a hospital respiratory protection program, among other information. A supplementary monograph produced by The Joint Commission, NIOSH and others identifies common implementation challenges and strategies. “We hope that by showcasing the innovative and effective strategies used by health care organizations across the country to overcome some of these challenges, hospitals can learn from one another as they implement and improve their own respiratory protection programs,” said Ana McKee, M.D., executive vice president and chief medical officer for The Joint Commission.