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ALLIANCE ANNUAL REPORT

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA)
And
Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (JCAHO)
And
Joint Commission Resources (JCR)
August 23, 2005
I. Alliance Background

Date Signed

July 27, 2004

Overview

The OSHA and JCAHO, JCR Alliance focuses on providing health care workers and others with information, guidance, and access to training resources to help them protect employees' health and safety, particularly in reducing and preventing exposure to biological and airborne hazards in health care and addressing emergency preparedness, ergonomics, and workplace violence issues.

Implementation Team Members
 
OSHA:  
Sandi Khan
Darla Royal
Don Wright		 Office of Outreach Services and Alliances (OOSA)
Directorate of Science, Technology and Medicine (DSTM)
DSTM
   
JCAHO:  
Char Hill Special Assistant
   
JCR:  
Karen Timmons
Cathy Hinckley
Pam Steinbach
Jennifer Hill		 President and CEO
Executive Director, Publications
Executive Director, Education
Special Assistant to the CEO

Evaluation Period

July 27, 2004 - July 26, 2005

II. Implementation Team Meetings
 
August 23, 2004
January 13, 2005
February 2, 2005
March 3, 2005
April 19, 2005
May 12, 2005		 Kick-off meeting
Team meeting
Conference planning meeting
Conference planning meeting
Conference planning meeting
Team meeting

In addition to these formal meetings, the Alliance coordinators from both groups maintained regular contact throughout the reporting period to monitor the Alliance's progress and results.

III. Results
  1. Events and Products

    Training and Education

    • Work with OSHA to provide expertise to develop training and education programs targeted to health care workers on topics including emergency preparedness, biological and airborne hazards, and ergonomics.
    OSHA Manual

    "Best Practices for Hospital-Based First Receivers of Victims from Mass Casualty Incidents Involving the Release of Hazardous Substances"

    JCAHO/JCR reviewed and provided comments on OSHA's "Best Practices for Hospital-Based First Receivers of Victims from Mass Casualty Incidents Involving the Release of Hazardous Substances." OSHA posted the manual on its Web site in December 2004.

    JCAHO Publication

    "Protecting Those Who Serve: Health Care Worker Safety"

    OSHA reviewed and provided comments on JCAHO's book "Protecting Those Who Serve: Health Care Worker Safety" that was published in June 2005.

    Environment of Care® News

    OSHA and JCAHO/JCR are jointly writing an "OSHA & Worker Safety" standing column in the JCR Newsletter, Environment of Care® News, about health care worker safety and health. The May 2005 edition included the article, "OSHA's First Receivers manual," and the June 2005 edition included an article entitled, "Occupational Health for Health Care Workers-Room for Improvement in Health Care Organizations." Dr. Wright joined the Editorial Board of the Environment of Care® News on January 1, 2005.

    Outreach and Communication

    • Work with OSHA to provide expertise in developing information on the recognition and prevention of workplace hazards, and to provide expertise in developing ways of communicating such information to employers and employees in the industry.
    Products

    OSHA and JCAHO/JCR Alliance Web page

    The OSHA and JCAHO/JCR Alliance Web page on OSHA's Web site was created and is updated on a regular basis. It includes links to the Alliance agreement and related documents, activities and events, and products and resources. For more information on the number of visits to the OSHA and JCAHO/JCR Alliance Web page, please see the Alliance Program Reach table.

    Print and Electronic Media

    Articles on the OSHA and JCAHO/JCR Alliance have appeared in a number of print and online publications, including: BNA Occupational Safety and Health Reporter; Occupational Health and Safety Online; and OSHA's news releases, QuickTakes and Alliance Quarterly Review. For more information on the articles, please see the Alliance Program Reach table.

    • Speak, exhibit, or appear at OSHA's or JCAHO/JCR conferences, local meetings, or other jointly sponsored events.

      During this evaluation period, no products or activities have been developed to meet this Alliance goal.

    • Promote and encourage participation in OSHA's cooperative programs such as compliance assistance and the Voluntary Protection Programs when JCAHO/JCR representatives work with healthcare institutions.

      During this evaluation period, no products or activities have been developed to meet this Alliance goal.

    • Share information among OSHA personnel and industry safety and health professionals regarding JCAHO/JCR good practices or effective approaches and publicize results through outreach by JCAHO/JCR and through OSHA- or JCAHO/JCR-developed materials, training programs, workshops, seminars, and lectures (or any other applicable forum).

      During this evaluation period, no products or activities have been developed to meet this Alliance goal.

    • Work with other Alliance participants on specific issues and projects related to health care worker safety that are addressed and developed through the Alliance Program.

      OSHA, JCAHO/JCR, and the American Heart Association (AHA), another Alliance Program participant, are developing a tele-cast that will be broadcast nationally on the new first aid guidelines developed by the First Aid Science Advisory Board. The First Aid Science Advisory Board consists of volunteer members of the health and safety community who are considered to be premiere stakeholders in the field of first aid.
    Promoting the National Dialogue on Workplace Safety and Health

    • Identify opportunities to raise awareness of workplace safety and health to groups that JCAHO/JCR leaders and surveyors address.

      During this evaluation period, no products or activities have been developed to meet this Alliance goal.

    • Develop case studies illustrating the business value of safety and health and promote such results.

      During this evaluation period, no products or activities have been developed to meet this Alliance goal.

    • Convene or participate in forums, round table discussions, or stakeholder meetings on health care worker safety related issues to help forge innovative solutions in the workplace or to provide input on safety and health issues.
    Event

    National Conference for Hospital Based First Receivers, October 6-7, 2005, George Washington University, Washington, D. C.,

      Through the OSHA and JCAHO Alliance, the organizations are working together to develop curriculum and are co-sponsoring a National Conference for Hospital Based First Receivers, October 6-7, 2005 in Washington, D.C. The conference goals are: providing attendees with a thorough examination of OSHA and Joint Commission standards related to emergency management, identify hospital-based best practices, examine avenues for funding, address communication between first receivers and other first responders, discuss specific areas of concern including respiratory infection, victim decontamination, bloodborne pathogens, waste-water disposal and mobile hospital capabilities.
  2. Executive Summary

    During the first year of their Alliance, OSHA and JCAHO/JCR explored ways to use their collective expertise to help foster a culture of prevention while sharing technical knowledge in the area of reducing and preventing exposure to biological and airborne hazards in health care and addressing emergency preparedness issues. OSHA reviewed the JCR book, "Protecting Those Who Serve: Health Care Worker Safety," and JCAHO/JCR reviewed OSHA's manual, "Best Practices for Hospital-Based First Receivers of Victims from Mass Casualty Incidents Involving the Release of Hazardous Substances" and provided each other with comments. In addition, the organizations agreed to develop curriculum and co-sponsor a national conference for hospital-based first receivers that will be held October 6-7, 2005 in Washington, D. C.

    OSHA developed an OSHA and JCAHO/JCR Alliance Web page on OSHA's Web site that provides information about the Alliance, its activities and events, products and resources and links to related documents.

    A number of print and online publications featured articles on the OSHA and JCAHO/JCR Alliance, including BNA Occupational Safety and Health Reporter; Inside Health Policy.com, Environment of Care® News, OSHA's News Release, QuickTakes, and the Alliance Quarterly Review.

    In addition, Dr. Wright joined the editorial board of the JCR publication, Environment of Care® News. OSHA and JCAHO/JCR are jointly writing an "OSHA & Worker Safety" standing column for the quarterly newsletter.

    Finally, OSHA and JCAHO/JCR are working with the American Heart Association, another Alliance Program participant to develop a tele-cast regarding the new first aid guidelines developed by the First Aid Science Advisory Board.

  3. Alliance Program Reach
Type of Activity (Conference, Training, Print and Electronic Distribution, etc.) Number of Individuals Reached or Trained
OSHA and JCAHO/JCR Alliance Web page on the OSHA Web site 5,296
July 28, 2004 - "OSHA Aligns with the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations and Joint Commission Resources, Inc," OSHA News Release 42 News Services
August 2004 - "Three Organizations Establish New Alliances, OSHA Renews Another," QuickTakes, OSHA's bi-weekly e-newsletter 45,000
August 5, 2004 - "OSHA Aligns with Health Care Accreditation Groups," BNA Occupational Health and Safety Reporter Data not available
August 23, 2004 - "JCAHO Not Policing Member Organizations in New Alliance with OSHA," insidehealthpolicy.com 80,000
October 12, 2004 - "Expect a stronger JCAHO focus on worker safety," PHTS E-Zine Data not available
May 2005 - "OSHA First Receivers document," Environment of Care® News 1,848
June 2005 "Occupational Health for Health Care Workers-Room for Improvement in Health Care Organizations," Environment of Care® News 1,817
June 2005 - "Protecting Those Who Serve: Health Care Worker Safety" (Published June 2005
JCAHO)		 138 books distributed as of July 2005
TOTAL 134,099

IV. Upcoming Milestones

In the Alliance's second year, the OSHA and JCAHO/JCR Alliance implementation team members will finalize the details for the National Conference for Hospital Based First Receivers, October 6-7, 2005 in Washington D.C. In addition, the team is discussing holding an annual joint conference on emergency preparedness topics, including natural disasters.

OSHA and the JCAHO/JCR will further identify avenues to publicize the Alliance Program, share technical knowledge regarding reducing and preventing exposure to biological and airborne hazards in health care and addressing emergency preparedness, ergonomics, and workplace violence issues.

OSHA and JCAHO/JCR will continue to jointly write articles for the standing column in the JCR quarterly publication, Environment of Care® News.

In addition, OSHA, JCAHO/JCR, and the AHA, another Alliance Program participant, are developing a tele-cast that will be broadcast nationally on the new first aid guidelines developed by the First Aid Science Advisory Board. The First Aid Science Advisory Board consists of volunteer members of the health and safety community who are considered to be premiere stakeholders in the field of first aid. Dr. Wright, a member of the implementation team, is serving on the Board.


Report prepared by: Sandi Khan, Alliance Coordinator, Office of Outreach Services and Alliances, September 2, 2005.