The main purpose of OSHA is to assure safe and healthful working conditions for working men and women by setting and enforcing standards and by providing training.

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration Act of 1970 created the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), which sets and enforces protective workplace safety and health standards.

OSHA covers most private sector employers and employees in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and other U.S. jurisdictions either directly through Federal OSHA or through an OSHA-approved state plan. State-run health and safety plans must be at least as effective as the Federal OSHA program.

Under workers' compensation laws, most employees aren't allowed to sue their employer. With workers' comp insurance, you don't have to prove your employer did anything wrong to collect benefits.

OSHA standards fall into four categories: General Industry, Construction, Maritime, and Agriculture. OSHA issues standards for a wide variety of workplace hazards. Where there are no specific OSHA standards, employers must comply with The General Duty Clause, Section 5(a)(1).

OSHA inspectors, called compliance safety and health officers, are experienced, well-trained industrial hygienists and safety professionals whose goal is to assure compliance with OSHA requirements and help employers and workers reduce on-the-job hazards and prevent injuries, illnesses, and deaths in the workplace.

The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) sets the standard for sensitive patient data protection. Companies that deal with protected health information (PHI) must have physical, network, and process security measures in place and follow them to ensure HIPAA Compliance.

The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability ACT (HIPAA) is designed to help protect American workers and their families with continued health insurance coverage and establish industry-wide guidelines to protect the confidential use of personal healthcare information.

If you are a “covered entity” or “business associate” and you handle “protected health information (PHI),” you and your business are required to be HIPAA-compliant. “Covered entities” include health plans, health care clearinghouses, and health care providers. “Business associates” are vendors or subcontractors with access to PHI.

Every single person who interacts with patient health information in any way must protect it. Employees may individually face charges if patient data is compromised, but that doesn’t mean providers are exempt from making sure the organization is HIPAA compliant.

The HIPAA Privacy Rule focuses on the rights of the individual and their ability to control their protected health information or PHI. The HIPAA Security Rule only deals with the protection of ePHI or electronic PHI that is created, received, used, or maintained.

The HIPAA law to protect patient health information is quite well known by personnel in most physician offices. Providers who are not up to date with changes in the law risk potential violation that could not only damage a practice's reputation but cause criminal and civil fines. Common violations include unauthorized disclosure, mishandling records, lost or stolen devices, texting patient information, social media breaches, unauthorized access, and lack of training.

“CLIA” is the acronym for the Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments of 1988. This law requires any facility performing examinations of human specimens for diagnosis, prevention, or treatment purposes to be certified by the Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services.

The accuracy of clinical laboratory test results can be a life or death matter. If glucose tests are not performed correctly, a patient could receive an incorrect insulin dose and sustain potentially dangerous consequences.

Waived tests are those determined by CDC or FDA to be so simple that there is little risk of error. Some testing methods for glucose and cholesterol are waived along with pregnancy tests, fecal occult blood tests, some urine tests, etc.

COW laboratories must enroll in the CLIA program, pay applicable certificate fees biennially, and follow manufacturers’ test instructions.

Of the 174,504 laboratories enrolled in CLIA, approximately 93,129 (55%) of these hold a COW.

OSHA safety training is essential to ensure that employees are aware of workplace hazards and know how to protect themselves and others. It helps reduce workplace injuries, illnesses, and fatalities.

All employees who may be exposed to workplace hazards should receive OSHA safety training. This includes workers in healthcare, laboratories, construction, manufacturing, and more.

OSHA requires initial training for new employees and refresher training annually or whenever new hazards are introduced.

Topics include hazard communication, bloodborne pathogens, personal protective equipment (PPE), fire safety, emergency procedures, and more.

Medical waste includes any waste generated in healthcare facilities, laboratories, or research centers that may be contaminated by blood, body fluids, or other potentially infectious materials.

Medical waste must be segregated, labeled, and disposed of according to federal, state, and local regulations. This often involves using color-coded containers and arranging for licensed medical waste disposal services.

Proper disposal prevents the spread of infections, protects healthcare workers and the public, and ensures compliance with environmental and health regulations.

OSHA inspections may be triggered by workplace accidents, complaints, referrals, or as part of a programmed inspection targeting high-risk industries.

Cooperate with the inspector, provide requested documents, and ensure a management representative accompanies the inspector at all times.

After the inspection, OSHA may issue citations and propose penalties for any violations found. Employers have the right to contest citations.

We provide compliance assistance, safety training, regulatory consulting, and support for OSHA, HIPAA, and CLIA requirements.

Healthcare providers, laboratories, clinics, and other organizations seeking to improve safety and regulatory compliance.

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Maintain accurate records, follow all testing protocols, ensure staff are properly trained, and conduct regular internal audits.

Common reasons include incomplete documentation, improper testing procedures, expired reagents, and lack of staff training.

Address the deficiency promptly, document corrective actions, and communicate with the inspector as needed.

Quality assurance (QA) is a systematic process to ensure that healthcare services meet defined standards of quality and safety.

QA helps prevent errors, improves patient outcomes, and ensures compliance with regulatory requirements.

QA is implemented through policies, procedures, staff training, audits, and continuous improvement initiatives.

Regulatory compliance means adhering to laws, regulations, guidelines, and specifications relevant to your business or industry.

It helps organizations avoid legal penalties, improve safety, and build trust with clients and stakeholders.

Stay informed about relevant regulations, provide staff training, maintain documentation, and conduct regular compliance audits.