TOSHA Program Gets Global Award

Wednesday, January 09, 2008 | 06:00pm

NASHVILLE – The Tennessee Occupational Safety and Health Administration (TOSHA) put a medical sharps injury reduction program in place in 2005.  Recent statistics document the program has been successful.  Since the program’s inception, hospitals have seen a 3.2 percent reduction, and ambulatory surgical centers have seen a 5.9 percent reduction.  The program’s goal is to have an overall reduction of 10 percent by the year 2010.

Jan Cothron, Health Compliance Manager for Tennessee Occupational Safety and Health Administration (TOSHA), received the 2007 International Sharps Injury Prevention Award from the International Sharps Injury Prevention Society. Cothron received this award for her efforts in developing the five-year sharps injury targeting initiative.

“The International Sharps Injury Prevention Award is a prestigious award given to only a few individuals each year,” said Ron Stoker, Executive Director, International Sharps Injury Prevention Society.  “We thank those individuals who have made a difference in getting the message of sharps injury prevention out to healthcare workers and employers around the globe.”

“Having played a critical role myself in passing this legislation and being one of the first states to adopt these guidelines, I know how important this program is and what a difference it is making,” said Labor and Workforce Development Commissioner James Neeley.  “Jan and the TOSHA division should all be congratulated for their dedication to preventing injuries and keeping Tennessee healthcare workers safe.”

Since the start of TOSHA’s targeting initiative in the fall of 2005, 12 free seminars have been conducted by the TOSHA training division on Sharps Injury Prevention requirements. These seminars had more than 600 health care workers and employers in attendance. This initiative will continue to collect sharps injury data and target hospitals and ambulatory surgical treatment centers through consultation and compliance inspections.

For questions or to schedule a consultation visit call TOSHA’s consultation division at 1-800-325-9901. For more information on attending one of TOSHA’s Sharps Injury Prevention seminars listed below, please contact TOSHA’S training division at 615-253-4006.

 

UPCOMING SHARPS INJURY PREVENTION SEMINARS

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