AAOHN AND AOHP CALL FOR NEW
RESPIRATOR STANDARD
Additional Standard Would Address Unique Needs of Health Care Workers
ATLANTA — The American Association of Occupational Health Nurses, Inc. (AAOHN) and the Association of Occupational Health Professionals (AOHP) today called for a new respirator standard that takes into account the unique needs of employees in the health care industry. The associations submitted their joint recommendation in response to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s (OSHA’s) recent notice of proposed rulemaking and call for comments on 29 CFR Part 1910.
"The existing respirator standard, 1910.134, is ideal for general industry, but doesn’t translate well to a health care setting, where the types of airborne exposures are more likely to be infectious microbes," said AAOHN President Susan A. Randolph. "The need for a new, separate respirator standard to protect against airborne infections is underscored by the trend toward the emergence of newer, more virulent strains of infectious diseases like SARS that will continue to have worldwide impact."
AAOHN and AOHP also pointed to logistical concerns as another compelling reason for developing a separate standard.
"As employee health professionals, our primary concern is the health and safety of the healthcare worker. Our care needs to be based on the best scientific data available. Often, in hospital settings, there may be several hundred to several thousand employees who require an annual fit test under the existing standard," said AOHP Executive President MaryAnn Gruden. "This would make it not only challenging, but close to impossible, for employee health professionals to be in compliance. OSHA has already considered these logistical challenges and safety issues, and the result was the creation of the tuberculosis exemption standard, 29 CFR 139. We believe OSHA should apply this same thinking and publish a more comprehensive rule that acknowledges the unique characteristics of the health care setting."
Highlights of the response to OSHA from the two associations include recommendations for the agency to:
Rename Sec. 1910.139, "Respiratory Protection for M. Tuberculosis" to "Respiratory Protection for Airborne Infectious Diseases."
Determine respiratory protection requirements for health care workers based on the size of the infectious microbe.
Clearly define surveillance procedures under the standard in a way that promotes the protection of workers’ health and safety, but in a way that is both practical and efficient. For example, conduct fit testing upon hire and then use annual surveys thereafter to determine any physical changes that affect the fit of the respirator.
For a complete copy of the AAOHN/AOHP comments, click here.
Founded in 1942, AAOHN is a 10,000 member professional association dedicated to advancing the health, safety and productivity of domestic and global workforces by providing education, research, public policy and practice resources for occupational and environmental health nurses. These professionals are the largest group of health care providers serving the worksite.
AOHP, a national association founded in 1981, is dedicated to advocating the protection and well-being of health care workers and to promoting educational and professional growth opportunities for its members. As a specialty within the discipline of occupational health, AOHP is the definitive resource for its members as they care for entire worker populations in a variety of health care settings.
# # #
