AHA requests more time for hospitals navigating OSHA’s COVID-19 emergency temporary standards

Jun 29, 2021 - 10:39 AM
AHA-OIG-letter

AHA today urged the Occupational Safety and Health Administration to delay by six months its compliance dates for the recently announced COVID-19 Health Care Emergency Temporary Standard, thus giving hospitals and health systems ample time to implement the policy’s many new requirements.

“Changes in hospital policies and procedures are not simply a matter of changing words on paper; they require careful analysis and planning, the acquisition of needed materials and tools, and the retraining of personnel. For organizations that are already busy caring for their communities’ ill and injured, it will take time to accomplish all of these required changes,” AHA wrote. AHA also requested that OSHA extend the comment deadline for an additional 30 days, in order to ensure substantive and data-informed comments.

Related News Articles

Perspective
A New Year of Working Together to Advance Health in America
Public
Congress returned to Washington this week with a full plate of issues to contend with in the short-term as it defines its legislative agenda for the remainder…
Headline
FDA issues guidance on wellness products, clinical decision support software
The Food and Drug Administration today released two guidance documents; one related to low-risk wellness products (including certain wearable devices) and the…
Chairperson's File
Chair File: Leadership Dialogue — Reflecting on 2025, Looking Ahead to 2026 with Marc Boom, M.D., of Houston Methodist
Public
One of the most rewarding parts of being an AHA member and serving on the board is building relationships with other leaders who share a passion for making…
Headline
CDC report finds COVID-19 vaccine for children reduced chances of ED, urgent care visits
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Dec. 11 released a report that found last year’s version of the COVID-19 vaccine was 76% effective in preventing…
Headline
AHA responds to FDA request for information on AI-enabled medical devices
The AHA provided recommendations to the Food and Drug Administration Dec. 1 in response to a request for information on the measurement and evaluation of…
Headline
Permanent recall issued for Baxter ventilation system
The Food and Drug Administration has identified a Class I recall of Baxter Life2000 Ventilation Systems due to a cybersecurity issue discovered through…