Protect the health of your health care worker

This article reviews the many health and safety risks that confront health care workers every day and lists the various regulations that administrators need to understand and implement to provide for the well-being of hospital employees. In an age of growing public awareness of health and safety issues and an increase in litigation covering such issues, this article demonstrates how crucial it is for administrators to take the offensive to ensure that their hospitals are in full compliance with all health and safety regulations. This article describes possible health hazards in various hospital departments, cites appropriate restrictions and guidelines, both governmental and JCAHO, and offers suggestions for remediation.