Download the OSHA manual - Wisconsin Dental Association

ENGINEERING AND WORK PRACTICE CONTROLS CONTINUEDIn this Dental Office/Practice/Facility:C. PROGRAM TO SELECT AND EVALUATE SAFER MEDICAL DEVICESThe revision of OSHA Bloodborne Pathogens Standard “Needlestick Safety and Prevention Act”(PL 106-430) requires employers to identify and make use of effective and safer medical devices for dentaloffices (this largely refers to the review of safer needles or injection devices used in providing dental care)with the intention of reducing or eliminating worker exposure.Several sources of information are available for identifying and evaluating the appropriateness of newdevices with engineering safety features. These include, but are not limited to, searching the Internet,reviewing dental and other literature and reviewing new products at professional meetings.This Dental Office/Practice/Facility solicits input from employees on safety devices as follows: Employees are actively encouraged to solicit and review current information on new safety devicesas it becomes available.Employees meet: quarterly annually as per office calendarto review sharps (needles etc..) and/or sharp instruments with engineered sharps injury protection thathave become available during this time period. If appropriate, recommendations will be made to theemployer as to the selection of the alternative devices.Please note:• Employees are required to meet at least annually.• Small offices may discuss and make recommendations on a moreinformal basis.• A dental office should only consider needlesafe devices that have been firsttested and approved by both the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) andthe American Dental Association (ADA). FDA and ADA approved devicescan then be further evaluated by dentists and staff for potential use withinindividual offices. (Please see page a8 for a list of suggested criteria fordental offices to use when evaluating a needlesafe device.)This exposure control plan is reviewed annually to reflect new instruments and/or equipment now inuse in this dental office/practice/facility as the result of the Needlestick Safety and Prevention Act. Solicitation of input from employees is documented in this exposure control plan by completing theNeedlestick Safety and Prevention Act Form (see page 10-11).OSHA EXPOSURE CONTROL PLAN…a member benefit from the WDA 9