From the sky, the highway’s straight as it could be!
By Steve MacArthur, Hospital Safety Consultant
But other things, maybe not so much…
In the continuing odyssey of “what goes around, comes around,” I had to cast some tea leaves to recall the last time we chatted about eyewash stations (for those of you keeping track, it was October 2019) as I reviewed the current (March 2021) edition of Joint Commission Perspectives, particularly what I view to be the most interesting aspect (and if you want to interpret that as the only interesting aspect, I would not argue the point) of the publication, the Consistent Interpretation column (I think it’s fair to call it a column, though perhaps not always a load-bearing one). The March Interpretation article deals generally with the minimizing the risks associated with managing hazardous chemicals (for which about 50% of the hospitals surveyed in the last year of the 20-teens were cited). I would encourage you to check out the details. It may save you some future heartache, especially if you have dental clinics in the mix—dental amalgam would seem to be the “pet rock” of some surveyors.
One very useful interpretation is that “simple storage” of corrosive chemicals is (more or less—we’ll see how the play on the field reflects this) off the table in terms of having to have an eyewash station (fortunately for all of us, containers of corrosive chemicals tend not to explode on their own…). Where you do need to provide access (or at least consider) are locations where corrosive chemicals are used/mixed/ dispensed. And this is where it is of critical importance to do your due diligence when it comes to the risk assessment; corrosive (and caustic) chemicals that are injurious to the eye (and other parts) are where you cross the line into eyewash stations. And given the recent funkiness regarding disinfectant cleaners and a return to bleach as a frequently used disinfectant agent, I suspect that there’s going to be a lot of attention to where bleach is being, well, used, mixed and/or dispensed. This is going to present more than its share of challenges in the field, I suspect…
Interesting point in the explanatory section of the piece; there’s a link to an OSHA interpretation that is instructive, but could be confusing as it deals specifically with electric battery storage charging and maintenance areas. Clearly, the focus is (and should be) on managing those most hazardous chemicals, etc. that we might use in the workplace, so it will be interesting to see how this unfolds over the next survey cycle.
As a closing thought (and this it definitely out of left field), I’m not sure how many EVS folks are out there in the audience, but one condition I’ve been encountering with a fair amount of frequency (and not just in hospitals—I look at this stuff wherever I go) are baby changing tables for which the safety belts have either gone missing or been damaged, etc. I know it’s not a big thing (unless you’re a parent with a squirmy infant), but (if you look at it wearing your ugly surveyor hat) you could make the case that if it’s something provided by the manufacturer, then the expectation is for the equipment, etc., to be maintained in accordance with the manufacturer’s Instructions For Use. It’s not something you have to do all the time (unless somebody is swiping them), but it might be worth scheduling a “sweep” of your changing tables from time to time.
Until next time: Be well and stay safe!
About the Author: Steve MacArthur is a safety consultant with The Greeley Company in Danvers, Mass. He brings more than 30 years of healthcare management and consulting experience to his work with hospitals, physician offices, and ambulatory care facilities across the country. He is the author of HCPro's Hospital Safety Director's Handbook and is contributing editor for Healthcare Safety Leader. Contact Steve at stevemacsafetyspace@gmail.com.