Although COVID-19 cases are down and the dust has seemed to settle, OSHA is gearing up for their largest inspection initiative yet. They have released an enforcement memorandum renewing their focus on COVID-19 ─ but it’s not just about vaccines and social distancing, respiratory protection programs will be under review as well. Everyone’s back on high alert after a season that seemed surprisingly ‘normal.’ Start prepping now, because from March 9th to June 9th, OSHA will be launching an initiative with increased inspections directed specifically at the healthcare industry.
OSHA was straightforward with their intentions, stating their inspections will target the following industries: general medical and surgical hospitals, psychiatric and substance abuse hospitals, nursing care facilities, and assisted living facilities for the elderly. Along with the enforcement memorandum, OSHA has announced their goal to make the COVID-19 standard permanent for healthcare. So, any employer with temporary solutions needs to start thinking ahead for the future.
How can you ensure compliance with respiratory protection standard 29 CFR 1910.134 for patient-facing employees?
Here are the Respiratory Protection Protocols OSHA is Looking For:
- A written and implemented respiratory protection program
- Annual fit testing for each employee and their different respirators in use
- Medical evaluations
- Employee training on the proper use of respirators
- OSHA-compliant record-keeping
Here’s How We Can Help – Mobile Health Respiratory Protection Solutions:
Medical Evaluations: OSHA requires each employee to complete a medical evaluation as a part of their respiratory protection program. This is conducted prior to fit testing to ensure employees are medically able to be fit tested and wear their respirators. Mobile Health online medical evaluations can be completed in minutes with real-time approval by Mobile Health PLHCPs (physician or other licensed health care professional). We simply send your employees a link to their evaluation, and they can complete it from any device.
Respirator Fit Testing: Fit testing is an annual requirement for respiratory protection. Don’t have a plan? We can be on-site 72 hours from now to keep you in compliance. Mobile Health is the only provider to offer complete and customized solutions that can scale to any business. We can send our on-site fit testing teams to your location, see your employees tomorrow in one of our 6,500+ nationwide clinics, or send you our DIY FIT KIT™ and train your staff to fit test employees in-house. With each solution, we train your employees on the proper use and storage of their respirators. From 10 to 100,000 employees, our tailored solutions have you covered.
Record Keeping: Now Is the time to get your records in order. OSHA will be conducting a limited records review for respiratory protection programs during their inspections. All fit testing records and medical evaluations need to be handy and in a HIPAA-compliant environment. Mobile Health’s respirator fit testing portal keeps organized records of all medical evaluations and respirator fit testing records. Need your records in your HRIS/ATS? No problem. Mobile Health can integrate all records to your current system in-real time for past and future records.
Mobile Health works with you to ensure respirator fit testing is effortless. You can come to us, or we can come to you. Talk to an expert and we’ll start making a tailored plan for compliance.
