Importance of OSHA Certification for Healthcare Employees

Healthcare OSHA Certification

In every occupational setting – risks – or the circumstance in which people are exposed to hazards – cannot be prevented.

In the wake of devastating incidents that have resulted in injuries and deaths to workers, a consensus was agreed upon by the federal government that workplace safety should not simply be a matter of employer ethics, but a matter of law enforcement. As a result of this the ratification of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) was announced.

OSHA has various standards for protecting employees in the workplace, and many these have training components that lead to certification, such as the bloodborne pathogen standard that results in bloodorne pathogens certification.

 The following are some of example specifications for different standards:

Bloodborne pathogens:

  • Access to medical exposure records: Employees, their representatives, and OSHA are entitled to appropriate medical records.
  • Personal protective equipment: Regardless of the industry, all workers are entitled to designated protective equipment to protect them from industrial hazards
  • All emplyees at risk of exposure are manadated to complete bloodborne pathogens training at least annually.

Hazardous Chemicals

Hazardous drugs, such as those used for cancer chemotherapy, antiviral treatments and hormone regimens, pose a serious health hazard to healthcare workers.

OSHA says even in low doses the preparation, administration, manufacturing, and the disposal of these hazardous medications can expose hundreds of thousands of healthcare workers to irreversible harm. These hazardous medications can cause serious effects including:

    • cancer
    • organ toxicity
    • fertility problems
    • genetic damage
    • birth defects

Why is an OSHA Online Certificate important?

To become or remain OSHA-compliant, businesses and companies should remember to carry out proper training at the outset of a worker’s career before an employee begins employment in a higher risk field or, to fulfill the criteria of a company’s insurance program.

What are temporary agency employers expected to do to fulfill the OSHA requirements?

As for temporary agency employers requirements to dealing with hazards in a work environment, they must meet the requirements of OSHA’s standards for example the HAZCOM standards. For instance, in the categories of chemicals that employees may potentially encounter, a temporary agency employer will be required to provide general training on the hazards and information on the types of chemicals. Therefore, host employers are responsible for providing site-specific hazards in compliance with sections 1910.1200(h)(1) and 1926.59 under the OSHA Standards.

The Reference Interpretation and Compliance Letters are as follows:

  • Information on contractual workers, distinctly those in the electronic assembly field. [04/30/96]
  • Obligations of employers towards temporary workers. [02/03/94]

By acknowledging OSHA certification, safe work environments will not only be beneficial to businesses and companies but also, to the worker. Measures to ensure worker safety and wellbeing should be at the core of all workplaces. OSHA certification such as Fire Safety certification is important tin numerous different industries and work sites.

Who needs to get OSHA Certified?

Every healthcare employee desires to work in a safe and secure setting. OSHA promotes the health of employees and also the reduction of work-related incidents, diseases and fatalities by implementing and promoting standards, and conducting training, outreach, education and assistance.

Although the determination of the employees who are covered under the OSHA standards depends on the employer and since there is no specific list of occupations that are covered by the OSHA standards, some of the occupations that require OSHA Certification include:

Healthcare workers

  • The healthcare community, especially the hospital is considered as one of the most hazardous workplaces. Back in 2011, it was reported that there were 253,700 work-related accidents and illnesses in the USA hospitals alone, with a rate of 6.8 work-related injuries and illnesses for every 100 full-time workers that is twice the average for the private industry world in general.
  • This includes healthcare janitorial staff, nurses, doctors, administration staff, EMT’s and numerous other occupations.

For this reason, OSHA has developed a series of resources that help healthcare facilities identify the protection needs of the workplace, incorporate safety and health monitoring mechanisms, and improve their safe patient handling programs. Observing these standards not only benefits the employees, but also, helps the patients.

How do I get my Healthcare Staff OSHA certified?

Because all workers employed in dangerous environments are at risk, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) require employees to receive appropriate training.

The training can be done in two different ways: Classroom training and online training. The advantages of each type of training are shown below:

The advantages of taking classroom training

In taking classroom training, there are several notable benefits. We have gathered a rundown of some of the benefits below.

  • Inquiring– The capability to inquire what you are learning will allow the other people to validate the argument in their minds.
  • Recognition to needs– Some individuals need a little more support with their studying, and in-person courses will help teachers understand and help with these needs.
  • Discussions with trainees– Occasionally, you simply need to communicate with your associates to comprehend things more clearly. Classroom training offers many opportunities to do so.

The benefits of taking online training

Online learning has been on the rise in recent years and it’s not hard to understand why. Thus, it is more advantageous than taking traditional face-to-face classes. Apart from the convenience, online courses are more available for low-cost budgets. Numerous universities, schools, and other training institutions are growing their number of online courses nearly every day.

Here are some of the noteworthy reasons why online learning is more effective than participating in face-to-face training courses:

  • Accessible– Ease of access in the form of online classes requires making it available for all students, regardless of their other commitments and obligations. Infrequently, when you’re employed, work or other responsibilities can force you to travel out of state or away from home. This is where the flexibility to train anywhere is most advantageous.
  • Train anywhere– Being able to train from the comfort of your own home, a lot of people find this approach efficient.
  • Availability of materials– Seeing how online classes do not require textbooks or mediums, learning materials may be modified whenever appropriate. This ensures that the learning process is up-to-date.
  • Time management– Being able to go online at any moment and start practicing right away is a lot less time taking unlike preparing your day to go to a course location.
  • Flexible– Since class-times are traditionally pre-ordained, you need to adjust your timetable around your class rather than being the other way around.

Based on all the information needed to remember when deciding between classroom training or online training, it is only fair to say that the OSHA Certification is best taken online. Its affordability, simplicity, and ease of use make it even easier to acquire a credential and certification. The idea that it requires lesser time is perfect, combined with its capability to be taken at any time, anywhere, and you have a winner yourself.

Can I get OSHA group certification?

If you are an employer looking for OSHA training for your staff, you should ensure that you choose a trusted provider and that the training is in a format that you find convenient to complete.

Nowadays, some platforms offer free drills and exercises for free and OSHA-recognized official training certification that comes with fees.

They say practice makes perfect, and undergoing free drills and exercises before the actual OSHA-recognized official training certification can help you to achieve better results. If you are preparing for the assessment and are wondering about the benefits of the practice exams, take a look at the following:

  • You can track your progress– Creating a reference with a single practice assessment will give you the insight you need to determine what areas you need to work on.
  • Alleviate Anxiety– Practicing is one way to ensure maximum comfort and minimal anxiety.
  • Online certificate delivery– It is more time-efficient and the availability of the certificate is faster.

Our Healthcare safety group training offers a fast and easy way to manage your employees OSHA training in a few clicks, with user friendly reports that you allow you to track completions and compliance and instant access to training records and certificate verification.

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