A mock survey can be an invaluable preparation tool for healthcare facility and environmental health and safety (EH&S) managers as they prepare for Joint Commission triennial accreditation surveys or other certification reviews. By allowing an expert with a fresh set of eyes to audit your facility, it becomes much easier to identify and close any...Read More
Having an effective water management program has proven critical for minimizing patient exposure to a wide range of dangerous waterborne pathogens. In fact, one CDC study found that approximately 21% of HAIs can be transmitted via water. However, many hospitals have struggled with the development and implementation of a comprehensive water management program. Pathogens include...Read More
Most healthcare facility managers already have in place a water management plan that outlines control measures for mitigating the risk of waterborne pathogens. Despite this, many of those same facility managers find themselves struggling with how to implement these plans in line with The Joint Commission’s (TJC) new water management program standard for the Hospital...Read More
An environmental health and safety (EH&S) program at a college or university is tasked with running like a well-oiled machine – the optimal performance of the overall program requires the smooth operation of each program component. This is much easier said than done. Colleges and universities face a range of occupational health and safety risks...Read More
The problem of Legionella bacteria growth in complex water systems has been known for decades, but recent changes to regulatory requirements have created a compliance issue for many healthcare facilities. If your hospital doesn’t currently have an effective water management program implemented with effective “control measures”, it’s time to make creating one a priority. The...Read More
When your hospital starts to see the crisis period for COVID-19 deescalate, it will be important to thoroughly evaluate your response to the pandemic and document the assessment in an After Action Report (AAR). What worked well? What didn’t? The extreme strain hospital staff has been under for months makes it daunting to think about...Read More
Over the past year, there’s been a lot of discussion about how hospital pharmacies can prepare for USP 800. While hazardous drug safety is not a new concern, the new regulations set forth in USP 800 will require most hospitals to make significant changes in order to achieve and maintain compliance. However, even though the...Read More
It’s been over 10 years since the tragic death of a staff research assistant in the chemistry department at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA). Devastating and high-profile laboratory accidents such as this have elevated safety concerns for academic and biotech research facilities in recent years, driving many to seek ways make safety an...Read More
There are a lot of decisions that go into launching a biotech start-up, but one of the most important for the long-term success of your new company is the decision to establish a culture of safety. This is best done through the clear and intentional development of an environmental health and safety (EHS) program. Not...Read More
While regulations for sterile compounding have been around for decades, many hospital pharmacies around the country have been racing to meet compliance with the new USP 800. Unlike the current standards set by USP 797, which are generally designed to protect the product, USP 800 aims to regulate employee protection. It provides requirements for healthcare...Read More
