It can happen so unsuspectingly: A quick-to-boil, disgruntled employee; An impulsive, disenchanted patient; And a simple phone call to OSHA. One overlooked OSHA protocol– that leads to another– and then a third (as in this case). The loose ends added up quickly when the OSHA Inspector began measuring this tally!
A Compliance Audit, like this one,… can quickly precipitate disaster for the dental office, unaware of new changes in: Infection Control , Required Waste & Recycling Containers & Dental Chair Unit Water Quality Regulations. Oversights may be seemingly innocent: “We didn’t know that rules had changed”, “We are only a few months past-due for our OSHA Training Course” & “We just were not paying attention.” Comments like these, should never be uttered by dental personnel nor touch an OSHA Inspectors ears.
Yet this incident, unassuming, well-intentioned dental office received (3) costly OSHA violations due to: admitted negligence and obliviousness. OSHA takes non-compliance seriously! A major win for the OSHA Inspector; A $39,780 mistake for the (practice owner), Dentist. Read on to discover how to avoid this plight and get your office on the road to comprehensive OSHA success!…
Did you know, that every January, www.osha.gov & the Department of Labor Agencies, publish their new Penalty Increases. Take a look at the 2019 “price-you’ll-pay” for ignoring to the 100+ Safety Protocols currently required to be operational in your dental office:
| Type of Violation | Penalty |
|
Serious
& Other-Than-Serious | $13,260 per violation |
| Failure to Abate | $13,260 per day beyond the abatement date |
| Willful or Repeated | $132,598 per violation |
| https://www.osha.gov/penalties/ |
The Penalties Inflation Adjustment Improvement Act of 2015 established an “Allowable Increase Rule” that lets these agencies adjust their assessed penalty levels, upward, every year. And they do just that! Since 2015, it seems OSHA & the DOL slap-on an average 10% increase to exceed the prior year’s average penalty rates.
This year, the OSHA penalties will start at $13,260 per violation. In addition, the maximum penalty allowed for “failure-to-abate” violations are $13,260 – that’s for every day that an employer fails to abate (1) specific violation! Finally, the maximum penalty allowed for “willful or repeated” violations is $132,598! This is 10 times the maximum permitted for “serious” & other-than-serious” violations. These fees, undeniably, would be astounding and threatening to any dental practice.
What’s the cure?…
Get “in-the-know”! Stay “in-the-know”, about current & evolving OSHA laws. Make sure to include (3) components to build a truly comprehensive OSHA Program within your office: Annual Employee Compliance Training, All Required Paperwork & Up-to-Date Facility Protocols…
Incorporate Annual OSHA Employee Training for all employees. Be sure to include full-timers & part-timers; clinical as well as non-clinical employees. Currently there are (45) Required OSHA Learning Point that should be covered in this year’s Annual OSHA Training.
Apply what you learn in your facility! There are over 100 protocols to set up within your facility. Set your plan into action! Its best to work with compliance trainers that provide a “recap” of your training in report format. Then make sure you can reach your Trainers for additional guidance, clarification and support as you set up your protocols. Getting the assistance during your set-up phase will be a critical key to your success.
Don’t forget the paperwork! OSHA inspectors will check for required OSHA documents first! When entering your office, they will want to see required documents, that are up-to-date. Be sure to include: Employee Forms & Acknowledgements, OSHA Manual written to GHS & Current CDC Infection Control Standards & new OSHA / GHS SDS Sheets in (2) varying formats.
What do you do now?: Get compressively compliant–then stay comprehensively compliant! How? Align with a compliance resource that provides “a relationship” along with your training, manuals, forms & protocol checklists. One that you can reach out to 24/7 for guidance, clarification and updates. We suggest this ALL IN ONE DXL Program. It provides everything, plus, 24/7 access to Dental OSHA & HIPAA Coaches that become part of your team’s success. It the relationship package. And one of the best rated in the industry.
Need more guidance? Contact an OSHA / HIPAA Coach for a confidential Discovery Meeting by calling 941-587-2864 or email us, anytime. We are happy to help!
