ANNUAL ALLIANCE REPORT
Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) and
Association of periOperative Registered Nurses (AORN)
December 31, 2007

I. Alliance Background

Date Signed

December 15, 2006

Evaluation Period

December 15, 2006 - December 14, 2007

Overview

The OSHA and AORN Alliance is providing AORN's members and others, including perioperative healthcare providers, with information, guidance, and access to training resources to protect employees' health and safety. Through the Alliance, the organizations are addressing preventing exposure to bloodborne diseases, ergonomic injuries and exposure to smoke plume generated from the use of electrosurgery units (ESU) and lasers.

Implementation Team Members
 

II. Implementation Team Meetings
 

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 Goal
    
   • Work with OSHA to provide expertise to develop training and education programs for AORN members and others regarding the prevention of percutaneous injuries.
   Products
   
   Slide Presentations
   
   Through the Alliance, OSHA and AORN are developing two slide presentations, "Sharps Safety in the Operating Room: Creating an Injury Prevention Program," and "Use of Blunt-Tip Suture Needles to Decrease Percutaneous Injuries to Surgical Personnel." The presentations will be completed in 2008.
   
   Outreach and Communication Goals
    
   • 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 (e.g. print and electronic media, electronic assistance tools and OSHA's and AORN's Web sites) to employers and employees in the industry.
   Products
   
   OSHA and AORN Alliance Web Page
   
   OSHA developed and maintains an OSHA and AORN Alliance Web page that is posted on the Agency's Web site that includes the OSHA and AORN Alliance agreement, news releases, and activities and events. This Web page is updated on a regular basis. For more information on the number of site visits please see the "Alliance Program Reach" table.
   
   AORN and OSHA Alliance-related Web Page
   
   AORN created and maintains an AORN and OSHA Alliance-related Web page on its Web site. The page includes links to the OSHA and AORN Alliance Web page, OSHA and AORN news releases, OSHA's Hospital eTool and Safety and Health Topics pages. For more information on the number of site visits please see the "Alliance Program Reach" table.
   
   Publications and Newsletters
   
   News releases have been issued and articles on the activities of the OSHA and AORN Alliance have appeared in a number of print and online publications, including: BNA Occupational Safety and Health Reporter, Facilities Management News, and AORN's monthly publication, Connections. For more information on the news releases and articles, see the "Alliance Program Reach."
   
   OSHA Safety and Health Topics Pages
   
   AORN representatives, Darin Prescott, RN, Centracare/St. Cloud Hospital, St. Cloud, Minnesota, Anita Shoup, RN, Molnlycke Health Care US, LLC, and Judy Hawkins, RN, Womens and Childrens Hospital, Lafayette, Louisiana serve on the following OSHA Safety and Health Topics pages editorial boards:
    
   • • Bloodborne Pathogens and Needlestick Prevention
     • Computer Workstations
     • Dermal Exposure
     • Eye and Face Protection
     • Fall Protection
     • Fire Safety
     • Formaldehyde
     • Laser/Electrosurgery Plume
     • Laser Hazards
     • Latex Allergy
     • Personal Protective Equipment
     • Radiation
     • Reproductive Hazards
     • Waste Anesthetic Gases
   • Speak, exhibit, or appear at OSHA's or AORN's conferences, local meetings, such as the annual AORN Congress or other AORN sponsored events.
   Events
   
   AORN 2007 Fall Conference, September 8, 2007, San Antonio, Texas
   
   On September 8, 2007, Lyndol Miller, Industrial Hygienist, Region VI, Austin, Texas Area Office, USDOL-OSHA, gave a presentation, "Implementing OSHA Guidelines in the Workplace," at the AORN 2007 Fall Conference in San Antonio, Texas.
   
   2007 AORN Clinical Specialty Conference, September 16, 2007, Louisville, Kentucky
   
   On September 16, 2007, Ron McGill, Region IV, Area Director, Nashville, Tennessee Area Office, USDOL-OSHA, gave a presentation, "OSHA � A Safety and Health Overview," at the AORN 2007 Clinical Specialty Conference in Louisville, Kentucky.
    
   • Share information among OSHA personnel and industry safety and health professionals regarding AORN's best practices or effective approaches and publicize results through outreach by AORN and through OSHA or AORN's developed materials, training programs, workshops, seminars, and lectures (or any other applicable forum).
   Events
   
   Department of Labor Safety (DOL) Safety Day, June 6, 2007, Washington, DC
   
   The DOL's Safety Day was held on June 6, 2007 in Washington, DC for the Department's employees. During the event, a number of organizations shared safety and health information with the attendees. AORN staffed an exhibit booth at the event and distributed information and answered questions about AORN and issues related to surgical safety.
    
   • Work with other Alliance participants on specific issues and projects related to ergonomic injuries, bloodborne diseases and exposure to surgical plume that are addressed and developed through the Alliance Program.
   Products
   
   OSHA's Hospital eTool
   
   Through the Alliance, AORN representatives are working with other Alliance Program participants including the Association of Occupational Health Nurses (AAOHN) and The Joint Commission/Joint Commission Resources (JCR) to provide input and expertise to OSHA to help the Agency update its Hospital eTool. The modules of the eTool that are being updated include the Surgical Suite, Bloodborne Pathogens (BBP) and Ergonomics.
   
   OSHA's Compliance Assistance Quick Start: Health Care Industry
   
   Through the Alliance, AORN worked with other health care industry related Alliance Program participants to review of the draft Health Care module for OSHA's electronic assistance tool, Compliance Assistance Quick Start. The module was added to OSHA's Web site in August 2007. In addition, AORN published an article, "OSHA Offers New Resources for Healthcare Compliance," in the September 2007 edition of the organization's publication, Management Connections.
   
   2007 North American Occupational Safety and Health (NAOSH) Week, May 6-12, 2007
   
   AORN supported and promoted the 2007 NAOSH Week May 6-12, 2007 by providing information about the event and linking to the 2007 NAOSH Week Web page on ASSE's Web site from the AORN and OSHA Alliance-related Web page. NAOSH Week is sponsored by the American Society of Safety Engineers (ASSE), another Alliance Program participant, and the Canadian Society of Safety Engineering (CSSE). The goal of the annual Week is to promote safety and health and how to help prevent injuries and illnesses in the workplace. AORN provided information about and a link to the 2007 NAOSH Week Web page on ASSE's Web site on the AORN and OSHA Alliance-related Web page.
    
2. Executive Summary
   
   Through the Alliance Program, OSHA and AORN are working together to share information on preventing exposure to bloodborne diseases, ergonomic injuries and exposure to smoke plume generated from the use of electrosurgery units (ESU) and lasers.
   
   In addition, OSHA and AORN representatives are sharing their expertise through participating on OSHA's electronic assistance tools' editorial boards, developing slide presentations and speaking and exhibiting during health care related events. For example:
    
   • OSHA created and updates the OSHA and AORN Alliance Web page on the Agency's Web site. The Web page includes links to the OSHA and AORN Alliance agreement, news releases, activities and events and products and resources.
      
   • AORN developed and maintains an AORN and OSHA Alliance-related Web page on the association's Web site. The Web page includes links to the OSHA and AORN Alliance and news releases, OSHA's, Protect Yourself Avian Flu Healthcare Workers, Quick Card, and Use of Blunt-Tip Suture Needles to Decrease Percutaneous Injuries to Surgical Personnel," Safety and Health Information Bulletin.
      
   • On September 8, 2007, Lyndol Miller, Industrial Hygienist, Region VI, Austin, Texas Area Office, USDOL-OSHA, gave a presentation, "Implementing OSHA Guidelines in the Workplace," at the AORN 2007 Fall Conference in San Antonio, Texas.
      
   • On September 16, 2007, Ron McGill, Region IV, Area Director, Nashville, Tennessee Area Office, USDOL-OSHA, gave a presentation, "OSHA - A Safety and Health Overview," at the AORN 2007 Clinical Specialty Conference in Louisville, Kentucky.
      
   • AORN is working with OSHA to update the Agency's Hospital eTool. The organization's representatives are working on this project with other Alliance Program participants, including AAOHN and The Joint Commission.
      
   • On June 6, 2007 AORN representatives staffed an exhibit booth at the 2007 DOL Safety Day and distributed information and answered questions about AORN and issues related to surgical safety.
      
   • AORN supported and promoted the 2007 NAOSH Week May 6-12, 2007.
3. Alliance Program Reach

IV. Upcoming Milestones

Through the Alliance, OSHA and AORN will continue to work together and the Alliance's Implementation Team has discussed a number of activities that will be undertaken in the upcoming year. For example, in 2008 AORN will complete and add the slide presentations, "Sharps Safety in the Operating Room: Creating an Injury Prevention Program," and "Use of Blunt-Tip Suture Needles to Decrease Percutaneous Injuries to Surgical Personnel," to the AORN and OSHA Alliance-related Web page on the organization's Web site. In addition, OSHA will link to the presentations from the OSHA and AORN Alliance Web page on the Agency's Web site.

In addition, AORN representatives will continue to provide their expertise to the Agency by serving on the editorial boards of several of OSHA's Safety and Health Topics pages, including Bloodborne Pathogens and Needlestick Prevention, Personal Protective Equipment, Laser Hazards and Waste Anesthetic Gases. AORN representatives will also continue to work with other Alliance Program participants, including the AAOHN and The Joint Commission/JCR, to assist OSHA with its update of the Agency's Hospital eTool.

Further, OSHA is exhibiting at the 2008 AORN Congress, April 30-May 3, 2008 in Anaheim, California and the AORN Fall and Clinical Conferences. AORN also agreed to exhibit at the 2008 DOL Safety Day, June 6, 2008 in Washington, DC and to support the 2008 North American Occupational Safety and Health Week, May 4-10, 2008.

Finally, the organization will continue to promote OSHA compliance assistance materials and the OSHA and AORN Alliance through its Web site and articles its publication, Management Connections.

Report prepared by: Sandra Khan, Alliance Coordinator, Office of Outreach Services and Alliances, January 15, 2008