OSHA focuses inspections on hospitals, nursing care facilities treating COVID-19 patients

On March 7, OSHA announced an enforcement memorandum for a short-term increase in highly focused inspections directed at hospitals and skilled nursing care facilities that treat or handle COVID-19 patients. The agency intends to expand its presence in targeted high-hazard healthcare facilities during a three-month period from March 9 to June 9, 2022.

Through this focused enforcement initiative, OSHA says it will verify and assess hospital and skilled nursing care employers’ compliance actions taken, including their readiness to address any ongoing or future COVID-19 surges.

Follow-up inspections will be conducted at sites that were previously issued citations, as well as where complaints were received but the agency did not conduct in-person inspections.