DHA Employee Safety

PL 91-596, OSHAct
Requires employers to provide safe and healthful working conditions and requires all accidents to be investigated

E.O. 1296
Makes OSHA requirements applicable for federal agencies

29CFR 1960, OSHA Basic Elements for Federal Employees
Establishes the basic program elements for federal agencies

DoDI 6055.01, Safety and Occupational Health (SOH) Program
Establishes the DoD safety and occupational health program

DHA AI 6055.01, The DHA Safety Program
Establishes how the Federal and DoD regulations apply specifically the DHA

Identify the hazard
Step 1

Assess the Hazard
Step 2

Implement controls
Step 3

Risk mitigation
Step 4

Supervision and step evaluation of risk mitigation
Step 5

What publication provides policy for the Defense Health Agency Safety Program?

You team has been incredibly busy at the hospital's loading dock. You've noticed the bay doors are unsecured and there are several tripping hazards near each door. You notice the situation and think you should report it as hazardous, but you are concerned you boss will be angry with you.

Which of these employee rights might affect what you do?

A new piece of equipment has arrived and you supervisor is anxious to put it to use. You can usually figure out how to operate equipment, but you've never used this before. Your supervisor hands you the manual and says, "Ok, get started!" As he walks off, he turns and says, "Oh, and be careful." You understand the urgency, but are nervous about using the new equipment.

Which of these employee rights might affect what you do?

Your supervisor is proud that there have been very few mishaps while he has been in charge. He keeps a Mishap Statistics sign on the bulletin board. It indicates there have been 30 mishap-free days. However, you have heard about several mishaps in the past two weeks. You are curious about whether they were reported, since the sign hasn't changed.

Which of these employee rights might affect what you do?

Your workstation is located under a high window. Fumes from a nearby work area are dispersed into your area. You and your colleagues often get headaches and several times you felt sick from the fumes, which you feel are hazardous to your health. Subsequently, the Industrial Hygienist sampled the air quality and determined there is a high level of nauseous fumes in the area.

Action 1 of 4: Take time off until medical authority determines proper fitness for duty

Your workstation is located under a high window. Fumes from a nearby work area are dispersed into your area. You and your colleagues often get headaches and several times you felt sick from the fumes, which you feel are hazardous to your health.

Action 2 of 4: Ask to see whether others have already reported the fumes as a hazard.

Your workstation is located under a high window. Fumes from a nearby work area are dispersed into your area. You and your colleagues often get headaches and several times you felt sick from the fumes, which you feel are hazardous to your health.

Action 3 of 4: File a complaint with OSHA if nothing is done after the hazard has been reported.

Your workstation is located under a high window. Fumes from a nearby work area are dispersed into your area. You and your colleagues often get headaches and several times you felt sick from the fumes, which you feel are hazardous to your health.

Action 4 of 4: You would like to observe a safety inspection of the ventilation system in your work area.

Your hospital has received some new supplies and the manufacturer is here to deliver required training on safe use of those supplies. You are expected to start using them tomorrow, but you are working to meet an important deadline and can't see how you can get everything done and still attend the training. You are scheduled to attend required OSHA safety training today, but need to meet an important deadline, which you will miss if you attend the training.

What should you do?

You have been assigned to a new workstation, and you see that under the desk is a mass of tangled and frayed wiring. Your desk equipment seems to operate fine, but you are concerned the wiring could start a fire. You have reported to a new workstation and notice a mass of tangled and frayed wiring nearby. You are concerned that the wiring could cause a fire.

What should you do?

It has been too long since you cleaned out the gutters and they are full of leaves...

You have started a new job as a hospital lab assistant. You work with chemicals on a daily basis.

Action 1 of 5: During your first day on the job, you attend required safety training.

Action 2 of 5: Before you start work for the day, you locate required safety goggles and gloves and put them on.

Action 3 of 5: While on the job, you use a copy of the lab's safety procedures to determine how to correctly label and dispose of hazardous waste.

Action 4 of 5: During a safety inspection, the inspector asks you about the logbook entry for an accidental spill. You explain in detail what happened.

Action 5 of 5: While working, you accidentally spill some caustic liquid in the lav. You notify your supervisor about this immediately.