Summary Abstracts
Winter 2017 Journal

Staying Current on Government Affairs
In this Journal column, Stephen Burt, MFA, BS, AOHP Government Affairs Committee Chair, provides analysis of recent government affairs activities. For this issue, he examines OSHA's guidance on the new electronic injury recordkeeping rule, which creates additional employer obligations and prohibitions related to internal employee injury reporting procedures. 

Editor’s Column
This standard feature provides commentary from the current Journal Editor, Kim Stanchfield, RN, COHN-S. In this issue, she shares her article from the January 2005 issue of the Journal which reflects on the challenges of that year's critical shortage of flu vaccine and how hospitals consistently rely on their occupational health professionals to "Survive, Lead and Stay Cool".

Association Community Liaison Report
Through this regular Journal article, MaryAnn Gruden, MSN, CRNP, NP-C, COHN-S/CM, details how AOHP is gaining visibility as an expert regarding occupational health issues. In this edition, she reviews OSHA's revised Recommendations for Safety and Health Programs, the launch of its Hazard Identification Training Tool and a variety of other educational resources. Also included are updates on NIOSH's fentanyl page for emergency responders, Staying Safe at Work publication, and information on work-related musculoskeletal disorders, safe sound levels, respiratory protection and the effects of sleep deprivation on cognitive function.

Perspectives in Healthcare Safety
Cory Worden, MS, CSHM, CSP, CHSP, ARM, REM, CESCO, is the Manager of System Safety for the Memorial Hermann Healthcare System in Houston, TX. In his standing Journal column, Worden shares his insights on safety in healthcare. This issue's feature - Safety Program Development: Going Full Circle - explores the importance of mitigating unsafe behaviors and conditions in the workplace to promote accident prevention and drive a culture of safety through a comprehensive safety program.

Achieve Safety Excellence Through Informal Leaders
While formal leaders play an important role in forming the strategic vision, setting organizational goals and creating a safety culture, informal leaders hold the respect and credibility to influence change. Melissa Greshem, MS, CSP, CPSI, examines why informal leaders are the lifeblood to sustainable change and how safety leaders should integrate these professionals into successful safety program development efforts. 

EXPO-S.T.O.P. Update 
Co-authors Terry Grimmond, FASM, BAgrSc, GrDpAdEd and Linda Good, PhD, RN, COHN-S, provide an update of EXPO-S.T.O.P., AOHP's national survey of sharps injuries and mucocutaneous blood exposures among workers in U.S. hospitals. This analysis of 2015 data, the largest in the study's five-year history, strives to qualitatively determine strategies that might be effective to reduce blood and body fluid exposures due to sharps injuries. The update includes an extensive list of exposure-reducing best practices, along with innovative ideas to promote a culture of safety. 

Special Report: OSHA Stakeholders Meeting on Workplace Violence
At its Workplace Violence Stakeholders Meeting, held January 10, 2017, OSHA continued the process to develop a standard to protect healthcare workers from violence on the job. While OSHA first provided guidance on this topic in 1996, the General Duty Clause continues to be used to address issues of workplace violence in the absence of a formal standard. Region 4 Director Bobbi Jo Hurst, MBA, BSN, RN, COHN-S, SGE, represented AOHP at this meeting and provides a summary of key discussion points.