If you’re responsible for hospital training requirements, and/or have responsibility for planning and carrying out a training program for your staff, you should know that OSHA regulations—such as the Hazard Communication Standard (HCS)—have been revised to conform to the UN’s Globally Harmonized System of Classification and Labelling of Chemicals.
The new regulations require that employees receive training on the following elements of the Hazard Communication Standard by December 1, 2013:
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Labels: a harmonized signal word, pictogram, and hazard statement are now required label components on chemical packaging.
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Material Safety Data Sheets: These are being replaced by more rigorously formatted Safety Data Sheets. To find out more about Material Safety Data Sheets, read Jon Elliott's blog here.
OSHA has also modified standards for flammable and combustible liquids and process safety management, as well as for substance-specific health standards. The Construction Asbestos Standard has likewise been tweaked.
In addition a final rule has been issued by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), establishing a National Registry of Certified Medical Examiners. It requires that those who conduct physical examinations for interstate commercial motor vehicle drivers to evaluate their medical fitness for duty must now:
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Complete training concerning FMCSA’s physical qualification standards.
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Pass a test to verify their understanding of those standards.
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Maintain and demonstrate competence through periodic training and testing.
All of these regulation changes, and more, are featured in the newly updated STP publication Training Requirements for Healthcare Facilities Regulatory Compliance Guide.