OSHA Pushes Safe Patient Handling, Raises Issue Of Potential Ergo Enforcement

OSHA has renewed its emphasis on safe patient handling in nursing homes by publishing a new brochure aimed at curbing what it describes as a persistent problem of musculoskeletal injury incidence rates throughout the industry, leading to raised eyebrows in the business community about the possibility that OSHA intends to use its enforcement functions and the increased publicity to cite employers for alleged ergonomic hazards even though it lacks a specific federal standard on the issue.