Do I Need An OSHA Certification?
In facilities that produce and store medical waste, employees may be required to have an OSHA certification.
In an environment with dangerous hazards such as sharps waste and other regulated medical waste, proper training for handling and disposal is necessary to prevent the spread of infection. Medical waste is primarily regulated by state environmental and health departments. Federal laws do not provide an explicit definition of medical waste and it is normally not regulated at the federal level. In facilities that produce and store medical waste, employees may be required to have an OSHA certification.
The Occupational Health and Safety Act (OSHA) ensures safe and healthful working conditions by setting and enforcing standards and by providing training, outreach, education, and assistance. Medical waste producers have the responsibility to provide a safe workplace that does not have serious hazards and conforms to all OSHA safety and health standards.
Of course, this isn’t exclusive to medical facilities; anyone that employs handlers of medical waste, like tattoo parlors, veterinary practices, and assisted living facilities will require an OSHA certificate.
OSHA training covers just about every topic in medical waste removal, including bloodborne pathogens, hazardous chemicals, radiation, emergency action, and more.
Employers should refer to OSHA’s website for specific training requirements of OSHA standards. OSHA requires training be documented and produce evidence of the employer’s compliance with OSHA standards. Training records should include dates of the training, content of the training, and names and job titles of attendees. OSHA failure-to-train citations can be issued even if just one employee has missed a training, and penalties can be rather hefty.
For OSHA compliance, look no further than Red Bags’ online OSHA Compliance Training Program. As you know, OSHA requires employees to be trained on certain topics annually, and others need to be repeated when a process change occurs. OSHA can fine you up to $7,000 for each non-compliant item. Red Bags’ training program ensures that you are current on your MSDS/SDSs, Safety Training, and Safety Plans, and provides information on conducting your own workplace OSHA audit.
Not sure where to start? Contact Red Bags today to get your facility started with OSHA compliance.
Service Areas: Long Island Medical Waste; New York City Medical Waste; Westchester Medical Waste and more!