OSHA has announced that they will initiate focused inspections and investigations of nursing homes and hospitals that treat COVID-19 patients. The intent of the OSHA initiative is to magnify their presence in high-hazard healthcare facilities over a three-month period (March 9, 2022 to June 9, 2022), to encourage employers to take the necessary steps to protect their workers against the hazards of COVID-19. Inspections opened under this initiative shall comprise 15% of all inspections per Region for the designated three-month period.  

An OSHA memorandum outlines instructions and guidance for the short-term inspection initiative. This initiative supplements OSHA’s targeted enforcement under the COVID-19 National Emphasis Program (NEP) by focusing on follow-up and monitoring inspections of hospitals and skilled nursing care facilities that OSHA had previously inspected or investigated. 

OSHA noted in the announcement that although OSHA withdrew the non-recordkeeping portions of the Healthcare Emergency Temporary Standard (ETS) on December 27, 2021, the agency will accept continued compliance with the Healthcare ETS as satisfying an employers’ related obligations under the General Duty Clause, Personal Protective Equipment, and Respiratory Protection standards. 

Questions?

Contact:

Laura Hofmann, MSN, RN – Director of Clinical and Nursing Facility Regulatory Services
c7: 425-231-4804