OSHA Renews Focus on Healthcare Facility COVID Inspections

Posted By Brandy King
March 10, 2022 Category: OSHA, OSHA Inspections, Focused Inspection Initiative, COVID 19, Patient Care, Nursing Homes, Hospitals, HAL, UPA, RRI

There’s certainly been no shortage of OSHA news recently, and their most recent push is aimed at the healthcare industry. From March 9, 2022 through June 9, 2022, OSHA will begin a focused, short-term inspection initiative directed at both hospitals and skilled nursing facilities that treat or handle COVID-19 patients. The goal is to mitigate the spread of SARS-CoV-2 and all of its variants, and ensure the overall health and safety of healthcare workers who are at a higher risk of being exposed to the virus in the workplace. The initiative will supplement OSHA’s existing targeted enforcement under the National Emphasis Program (NEP) for COVID-19.  OSHA will use these partial-scope inspections to gauge employer compliance efforts as well as readiness for future COVID surges. These specific inspections will also make up 15% of OSHA’s inspections in each region during the three-month period.  If your business falls under the following NAICS codes:  622110 General Medical and Surgical Hospitals (NCCI Codes 8833, 9040) 622210 Psychiatric and Substance Abuse Hospitals (NCCI Codes 8833, 9040) 623110 Nursing Care Facilities/Skilled Nursing Facilities (NCCI Codes 8824, 8826) 623312 Assisted Living Facilities for the Elderly (NCCI Codes 8824, 8826) And also meets any of these criteria:  Follow-up inspection of any prior inspection where a COVID-19-related citation or hazard alert letter (HAL) was issued; Follow-up or monitoring inspections