Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA)

An agency that was created by Congress and signed by President Richard M. Nixon on December 29, 1970, OSHA works towards preventing injuries, illnesses and deaths at workplace. Its statutory authority is extended to most non-governmental workplaces. It suffered huge criticisms during its early years for confusing, burdensome regulations and its expensive training requirements.

There was much controversy with OSHA regulations and enforcement policies particularly with the ineffectiveness of criminal penalties. It can pursue a criminal penalty when a willful violation of an OSHA standard results in the death of a worker. OSHA pursued several other high-profile criminal prosecutions for violations under the Act.

Regulatory Changes
OSHA brought about changes in the industrial safety regulation where guards were everywhere to prevent inadvertent contact with most moving parts that were reachable during operation. The need for protective equipments when handling hazardous chemicals was considered. It also maintained the need for locking out energy sources in an ‘off’ condition when in the repairing process. The development of communicating information on the hazards of chemical products used in the work place is also set, besides issuing a standard to prevent health care workers from getting the exposure to bloodborne diseases like Hepatitis B and HIV.

Training Requirements

OSHA requires all employees in many industries to be competently trained on safety and health related issues. While his training can be expensive, the resulting reduction in workplace injuries and deaths are far more advantageous. Online safety training is one means of providing workers and supervisors with the tools and information they need to work safely and productively. OSHA recognizes some online training providers and will accept the cards and certificates issued by them to prove the training was completed.

Diseases Transmitted By Contact with Blood

The rise of immense development in the fields of medicine has also increased the number of people affected by various diseases. Blood borne diseases caused by microorganisms like viruses and bacteria carried in the blood have affected so many lives. While malaria, syphilis, brucellosis are also part of the blood borne pathogen, Hepatitis B(HBV) and Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) seem to have the worst consequences.

Hepatitis B (HBV)
Hepatitis B infects the liver. It is primarily caused by the transmission of blood contact. This disease causes inflammation of the liver but could even lead to cirrhosis and liver cancer. Hepatitis B has no particular treatment but there are antibodies that can help infected people and keep them from getting it again. Hepatitis B survives for up to seven days so housekeepers, custodians, laundry personnel and other employees should be extremely careful to protect themselves.

Its symptoms are mild “flu”, fatigue, stomach pain, loss of appetite and nausea. During its course, jaundice is also developed and darkened urine occurs frequently.

Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV)
AIDS have taken grip of many people’s lives. It is caused by HIV which attacks the body’s immune system, weakens it and makes it impossible for the infected person to fight other deadly diseases. Treatment improves it but there is no cure to it. HIV symptoms are weakness, fever, sore throat, nausea, headaches, diarrhea, a white coating on the tongue, weight loss and swollen glands.

Bloodborne Pathogen Education

If you work in a profession where contact with blood is a real possibility, you should learn to protect yourself. There are a number of courses available to educate you on this topic. The most convenient courses offer training online. Online courses are convenient and affordable. They provide you with the information you need to protect yourself from these bloodborne diseases.