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Is Your Dental Office Prepared For An OSHA Visit?

Is Your Dental Office Prepared For An OSHA Visit?
by Karen K. Daw, MBA, and Alicia E. Nesline Shaw, Esq.

OSHA from the dentist's perspective

Dr. Dennis Benton of Mint Dental Team is familiar with the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) from his days before dental school. “My previous experience with OSHA was in various jobs I held before I attended OSU College of Dentistry. I handled various hazardous chemicals, operated different machinery, and more. There are things in all jobs that must be considered for safety.”

Now as the owner of a general dentistry practice, Dr. Benton makes sure his team receives regular safety training. “Ongoing OSHA training is important for every team member because every business experiences attrition in staff. This creates new positions in the business, which may lead to subtle changes in daily procedures. These changes can either benefit everyone or put everyone at risk of injury.

“Often a change can be made without thinking about its total consequence,” Dr. Benton continued. “In our office we have annual OSHA meetings and monthly staff meetings, and we also bring attention to any concerns regarding patient care in our daily morning huddle before the start of the day. With a growing office, it’s important to encourage new hires to look for areas of improvement, as well as provide training to set expectations.”

Sometimes the staff stays put and it’s the dentist who transitions. Dr. Lisa Poweski of Elite Endodontics took on a busy endodontic practice. “It was important to me as the employer to know that the practice transition went smoothly because I wanted our employees and patients to be comfortable with me as a new employer.”

The previous dentists had a detailed and robust safety program in place, and they ensured annual updates were communicated to the team. They also welcomed comments from staff, and that communication continues to this day. “In our office we encourage employees to report safety concerns by telling them if they see something, say something. It is for the benefit of the entire office and for the well-being of our patients.”

Having a comprehensive safety program and open dialogue is important for maintaining a consistent office culture of safety. This also better prepares the office staff should there be an investigation. An important operating procedure offices should consider training for is what to do when OSHA visits.

Read full article on Dentistry iQ.