February 3, 2025 We’ve already seen that 2025 will be a year of major healthcare compliance changes, with the OCR releasing the long-awaited updates to the Security Rule proposal. Similar to how HIPAA laws are being updated, OSHA will likely update key legislation for healthcare workers. Healthcare workers experience the highest rates of workplace injuries, with an average of 3.6 injuries for every 100 employees. Healthcare environments can present many hazards, so it is essential that your staff knows how to prevent and mitigate dangerous situations. While some OSHA initiatives have not been finalized, OSHA has already started the year with legislation that impacts healthcare workers. Increased Penalty Costs As seen in previous years, OSHA has once again increased its fine cost. OSHA has increased the penalty for serious and other-than-serious violations from $16,131 to $16,550 per violation due to inflation. The maximum penalty for repeated and willful violations also has been increased from $161,323 to $165,514 per violation. This highlights that OSHA is dedicated to setting an example with monetary punishment. It’s safe to say that this adjustment will continue to be an annual increase. Consolidating COVID-19 Regulations It’s an understatement to say that COVID-19 devastated and transformed healthcare. Nearly five years since it was classified as a pandemic, proposed healthcare OSHA COVID-19 regulations were officially scrapped as of early January. Over the past years, COVID-19 regulations have been altered. Emergency Temporary Standards required distinctive protocols to follow, which expired. A proposed rule for COVID-19 mitigation in healthcare settings was waiting to be passed for years. Now, specific OSHA COVID-19 legislation in healthcare will be rolled into a broader infectious disease rule, which is expected to be finalized in 2025. This comprehensive rule is expected to require COVID-19 recordkeeping log, but not much else focused on specifically COVID-19. The anticipated comprehensive rule will likely mandate a COVID-19 recordkeeping log. Federal Workplace Violence Legislation Healthcare workers are five times more likely to be attacked at work than workers in any other industry. We’ve seen state-level legislation announced requiring specific logs, training, heightened penalties, and more to mitigate workplace violence in healthcare, but federal legislation is still being drafted. Currently, workplace violence falls under OSHA’s General Duty Clause, requiring organizations to maintain “a place of employment which are free from recognized hazards.” This federal legislation is expected to be announced in 2025. It will likely mirror what state legislation requires, so please review your state’s legislation regarding workplace violence prevention in your practice. What’s Next? As new legislation is announced, it’s vital for your practice to maintain an organized OSHA program. New laws, especially focused on workplace violence prevention, will require additional training, logs, and more. Turning to smart software can allow for your practice to simplify and streamline compliance. Cloud-based software automatically updates with the latest legislation, providing your practice with a clear path to compliance. To learn more about how your practice can achieve OSHA compliance, meet with our experts today.
