Colorado Health Care Association (CHCA)

1. Alliance Background

   Date Signed

   September 16, 2015

   Overview

   To provide Colorado Health Care Association (CHCA) members and others in the long term care industry with information, guidance and access to training resources that will help them protect employees’ health and safety, especially hazards related to ergonomics, bloodborne pathogens, slips, trips and falls, workplace violence and other hazards common to the long term care industry.

   Implementation Team Members

   Doug Farmer – President & CEO

   Bonita Jones – CHCA Vice President of Operations

   Shay Winfrey – Office Assistant - Education CHCA

   Herb Gibson – OSHA Denver Area Office Area Director

   Brian Oberbeck – Industrial Hygienist Denver Area Office

   Mallory Neyens – Industrial Hygienist Denver Area Office

   Brenda Yamen – Industrial Hygienist Englewood Area Office

   Chris Lawver – Safety CSHO Denver Area Office (no longer at DAO)

   Dan Holland – Safety CSHO Englewood Area Office

   Contributors

   CHCA Safety and Emergency Preparedness Committee

   Members of the nursing homes and assisted living facilities covered by CHCA

   Evaluation Period

   September 16, 2016- September 16, 2017

   Implementation Team Meetings

   10/21/16 – implementation team meeting held

   1/6/17 – implementation team meeting held

   3/22/17 – implementation team meeting held - in person

   8/11/17 – discussion on the alliance

   9/6/17 – implementation team meeting held to discuss new alliance and signing date

2. Events and Products

   Training and Education

   Events

   11/4/17 – Survival Skills for Nurses presentation to CHCA members Denver

   3/22/17 – Safety and Health for Environmental Services for Residential Care Facilities presentation Denver

   4/11/17 – “Essentials of Safety and Health for Nursing Home Administrators” presentation Denver

   Products

   • N/A

   • Outreach and Communication

     Events

     Attendance at the CHCA Annual Conference in Denver where OSHA had a booth and distributed safety and health materials specifically developed for the Long Term Care Industry.

     The CHCA informs members of OSHA related initiatives through the weekly newsletter. Additionally they include OSHA on email distribution list.

     Products

     N/A

     Promoting the National Dialogue on Workplace Safety and Health

     • Events
       Multiple training events focused on communicating enforcement issues related to OSHA’s emphasis for the Long Term Care Industry. Specifically the CHCA assisted in distributing information about OSHA’s increased emphasis on healthcare. Members were provided copies of the June 25, 2015 memorandum titled Inspection Guidelines for Inpatient Healthcare Settings that focuses on placing emphasis on musculoskeletal disorders, bloodborne pathogens, workplace violence, tuberculosis and slips, trips and falls in healthcare facilities.

     • The DAO provided information on the Regional Emphasis Program (REP) covering Workplace Violence at Residential Intellectual and Development Disability Facilities. Additionally, OSHA has provided training and access to copies of the OSHA Directive: Enforcement Procedures and Scheduling for Occupational Exposure to Workplace Violence CPL 02-01-058. Appendix A of the document provides abatement assistance to enhance a healthcare facility workplace violence program. Specific sections of the directive were covered with the CHCA.

     • The CHCA supported OSHA’s Safe and Sound Week by encouraging members of the CHCA to enhance and focus on safety and health program management during the Safe and Sound Week.

     • OSHA information regarding the Zika virus was provided to the CHA which created a resource on their website.

     • As a result of working on safety and health in healthcare through the alliance the DAO was requested in April to provide a speaker to the national meeting of the Association of Occupational Health Professionals in Healthcare. The topic that will be covered is OSHA’s experience in healthcare as a result of the June 15, 2105 healthcare memo.

     • This organization also represents the assisted living industry and is members of the national associations American Health Care Association and National Center for Assisted Living.

     • Products
       N/A

3. Results

   The alliance raises the awareness level of CHCA members throughout the state of Colorado about OSHA enforcement activity and major hazards in the long term health care industry, as well as compliance assistance resources available at the OSHA area offices. Particular emphasis this year has been placed on communicating information about enforcement and expectations related to OSHA’s emphasis for the Long Term Care industry. Additionally, during enforcement inspections in the nursing home industry in Colorado, OSHA has observed a consistent level of compliance with the standards.

   Type of Activity (Conference, Training, Print and Electronic Distribution, etc.)	Number of Individuals Reached, Effected or Trained
   9/21/16-9/22/16- OSHA booth CHCA annual meeting Colorado Springs	1000
   11/4/16 – Survival Skills presentation	40
   3/22/17 – S&H for Environmental Services	75
   4/11/17 – Safety and health for Nursing Home Administrators presentation	45
   TOTAL	1160

    

4. Upcoming Milestones

   OSHA and the CHCA have numerous joint events already planned for the remainder of 2017 and 2018. The CHCA invited OSHA to participate in the annual meeting in September 2017 which is an excellent opportunity to provide focused safety and health information to the nursing home industry in Colorado. Because healthcare is a focus of OSHA enhanced outreach will be conducted. Additionally, the parties will focus outside the metro area for future outreach. The alliance expires in September 2017 and the parties agree and intend to renew the agreement.