CHFM exam updated to align with 2012 NFPA codes

ASHE updates Certified Healthcare Facility Manager exam to align with 2012 NFPA codes

The American Society for Healthcare Engineering (ASHE) updated the Certified Healthcare Facility Manager (CHFM) exam and coursework to reflect the 2012 edition of the National Fire Protection Association’s (NFPA's) Health Care Facilities Code 99.

The CHFM designation covers five areas: compliance; planning design and construction; maintenance and operations; finance; and administration. ASHE updated the certification following the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services’ adoption of the 2012 edition of NFPA 99. The code also has been adopted by the Joint Commission.  

AAMI taking action to prevent battery-triggered fires on medical carts

Following a report from the Food and Drug Administration detailing that lithium-powered medical carts are catching fire at hospitals, the Association for the Advancement of Medical Instrumentation (AAMI) has developed three priorities to help hospitals address this issue.

• Conduct failure analyses for high-capacity batteries in the health care setting and develop a feedback loop with device and battery manufacturers so this information can be incorporated into future designs.
• Develop new or update existing battery design standards to reflect the best practices found in UL’s Safety Issues for Lithium-Ion Batteries, AdvaMed’s Successful Practices for Battery-Powered Medical Devices, and other published documents.
• Train health care technology management professionals about safe battery management practices.

AAMI is putting together three work groups, one to focus on each priority. Those interested in joining can contact the organization.

OSHA to launch electronic injury, illness tracker Aug. 1

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) will launch its Injury Tracking Application on Aug. 1 so that employers can begin electronically submitting required injury and illness data.

Although OSHA is launching the program in August, it has proposed delaying the compliance date to Dec. 1.

The data submission process involves four steps:

• Creating an establishment
• Adding summary data
• Submitting data to OSHA
• Reviewing the confirmation email

The secure website offers three options for data submission. One option will enable users to manually enter data into a web form. Another option will give users the ability to upload a CSV file to process single or multiple establishments at the same time. A third option will allow users of automated record-keeping systems to transmit data electronically via an application programming interface.

NIOSH studies how organizational culture affects PPE best practices among nurses

Use of engineering controls and personal protective equipment (PPE) fares better in nonprofit and government-owned health care settings vs. nonprofit settings, according to a study conducted by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH).

The NIOSH study involved analyzing 1,814 nurses who handle cancer drugs to determine if organizational structure had any effect on PPE best practices and the safe handling of drugs. The researchers said that better use of engineering controls and PPE occurred in settings where employees were more familiar with safe-handling guidelines, when specific safe-handling procedures were present and when perceived management commitment to safety was higher. 

The researchers said that the results point to the value of implementing a comprehensive health and safety program that uses available hazard controls and communicates the importance of safe-handling practices.