Question 1

Is OSHA training mandatory every year for medical and dental offices?

Accepted Answer

Yes. OSHA Standard 29 CFR 1910.1030(g)(2) mandates annual Bloodborne Pathogens training for all employees with occupational exposure to blood or OPIM. Training must be interactive and provided at no cost during working hours.

Question 2

Does a medical practice need a custom OSHA safety manual or is a generic template acceptable?

Accepted Answer

Generic boilerplates routinely fail OSHA inspections. OSHA requires a site-specific exposure control plan, hazard assessment, and chemical inventory tailored to your specific staff, floor plan, and clinical workflows.

Question 3

How often does a healthcare practice need to perform a HIPAA Security Risk Assessment (SRA)?

Accepted Answer

Under 45 CFR § 164.308(a)(1)(ii)(A), a Security Risk Assessment must be conducted periodically. Best practice and MIPS/Promoting Interoperability guidelines require an annual comprehensive assessment or whenever new technology or operational changes occur.

Question 4

What are the four complexity categories under CLIA 88?

Accepted Answer

The four CLIA complexity categories are: 1) Certificate of Waiver (COW), 2) Provider-Performed Microscopy Procedures (PPMP), 3) Moderate Complexity, and 4) High Complexity. Each category carries distinct personnel, QC, QA, and inspection requirements.

Question 5

Can Point Of Care Consults represent our practice during a surprise OSHA or OCR inspection?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Point Of Care Consults provides on-call regulatory assistance, mock audits, citation defense, and direct guidance during federal or state regulatory inspections.

Frequently asked questions on safety.

Bloodborne pathogen standards

Regulated medical waste and biohazard disposal

Personal protective equipment

Hazard communication and safety data sheets

Ergonomic safety in healthcare

Fire and facility evacuation safety

Electrical safety in clinics

Hand hygiene, antiseptics and disinfectants

OSHA inspections, citations and appeals

Medical recordkeeping and OSHA 300 logs

Workplace violence prevention

Airborne pathogens and infection control

Still have a question?

Frequently asked questions on safety.

Bloodborne pathogen standards

How often must our exposure control plan be reviewed and updated?

Do we have to pay for the hepatitis B vaccination series?

What exactly is a sharps injury log and who has to keep one?

Who must be involved in selecting safer sharps devices?

What must happen immediately after a needlestick?

Regulated medical waste and biohazard disposal

What actually counts as regulated medical waste?

Are we overpaying for medical waste disposal?

How should sharps containers be positioned and maintained?

How long do we keep waste manifests?

Personal protective equipment

Must the employer pay for all PPE?

What is a PPE hazard assessment and do we need one in writing?

What is the correct doffing sequence?

Can staff take contaminated lab coats home to launder?

Hazard communication and safety data sheets

Do we still have to keep paper safety data sheets?

Does a bottle of disinfectant we decant need a label?

How many sections does a safety data sheet have?

Are medications covered by hazard communication?

Ergonomic safety in healthcare

Is there an OSHA ergonomics standard we must comply with?

Why are sonographers at such high risk?

What are the ergonomic priorities in a dental operatory?

Fire and facility evacuation safety

Do we need a written emergency action plan?

How often must fire extinguishers be inspected?

Can we keep an exit door locked for security?

Electrical safety in clinics

Can we plug a power strip into another power strip?

How much clearance is required in front of an electrical panel?

When can extension cords be used?

Hand hygiene, antiseptics and disinfectants

What is contact time and why does it matter so much?

Is alcohol hand rub always an acceptable substitute for handwashing?

Are we required to provide handwashing facilities?

OSHA inspections, citations and appeals

How long do we have to contest a citation?

Do we have to post a citation we received?

Can OSHA interview our staff without management present?

What triggers an inspection of a medical office?

Medical recordkeeping and OSHA 300 logs

Are we exempt from keeping the OSHA 300 log?

When must the 300A summary be posted?

How quickly must a severe injury be reported?

How long must employee medical and exposure records be retained?

Workplace violence prevention

Is a workplace violence programme legally required?

What should a prevention programme contain?

How should staff respond to an aggressive patient?

Airborne pathogens and infection control

What does a tuberculosis risk assessment involve?

When do we need a respiratory protection programme?

What precautions apply to Zika and other vector-borne exposures?

What is the difference between cleaning, disinfection and sterilisation?

Still have a question?