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OSHA Standards for the Construction Industry as of January 2010 
This book contains the occupational safety and health standards for the construction industry promulgated by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), effective January 2010.
Hospital workers are asking the same questions about the safety and necessity of flu vaccines as the general public, according to a survey conducted by the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists (ASHP). The survey of pharmacy directors at 341 hospitals across the country raise troubling concerns about whether healthcare workers will choose to get vaccinated against H1N1 and seasonal flu.
ASHP advocates that all health care workers should receive an annual influenza vaccination. "It is extremely important that healthcare workers, as well as all hospital staff, get vaccinated for both H1N1 and seasonal flu," said ASHP President Lynnae Mahaney, M.B.A., FASHP. "Healthcare workers come into contact with so many people, it is vital that they are vaccinated to minimize the risk to patients."
The survey finds that both patients and hospital staff are asking pharmacists the following questions: Is the H1N1 vaccine safe? Do I need to get the H1N1 vaccine? Will there be enough H1N1 vaccine to around?
"The H1N1 vaccine is prepared using the same methods as the seasonal flu vaccine," said Mahaney. "Clinical testing shows this vaccine is safe and should definitely be used by people who are at most risk." The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends that the following groups of people should be vaccinated for H1N1 as soon as possible:
Once the above groups have been vaccinated, the CDC recommends vaccinating everyone between 25 and 64 years of age.
Hospitals are preparing for absenteeism. The survey finds that hospitals are preparing for possible staffing shortages caused by the pandemic by identifying minimum staffing levels, differentiating between critical and non-essential services, and planning to reassign job responsibilities. In addition, the survey reveals that nearly all pharmacy departments surveyed are collaborating with local and state health departments to coordinate H1N1 response efforts in the community.
While pharmacists are authorized to administer vaccinations to adults, the survey also finds that most hospitals are not planning to utilize pharmacists for this service. "ASHP encourages hospitals and health systems to consider using pharmacists to administer vaccines in order to help increase vaccination rates," said Mahaney. "Especially in light of reports of cuts in public health budgets at the state and local level that may leave communities understaffed for these important efforts."
Hospital vaccination rates are low. The survey also shows gaps in seasonal flu vaccination rates for healthcare workers, with only 37 percent of respondents reporting vaccination rates over 70 percent at their hospitals. "That's too low," said Mahaney, who cautioned this finding suggests there may be a similar gap in H1N1 vaccinations for healthcare workers.
ASHP has online resources for healthcare workers about seasonal and H1N1 flu. At www.YouCanStopTheFlu.com, pharmacists can find numerous resources to help their efforts to improve seasonal influenza immunization rates among healthcare workers. Pharmacists can find specific resources and information about H1N1 at www.ashp.org/H1N1.
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