AHA testifies at OSHA hearing on COVID-19 temporary standard

Testifying this week at an Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) hearing, American Hospital Association (AHA) policy staff urged the agency not to finalize its emergency temporary standard for occupational exposure to COVID-19. “The slow and deliberate speed at which regulations change makes it impossible to incorporate emerging scientific evidence,” said Nancy Foster, AHA’s vice president for quality and patient safety policy. “That’s why AHA strongly supports the continued reliance on CDC’s [Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s] guidance as we continue to deal with the evolving pandemic.” A comment letter from AHA to the assistant secretary in charge of OSHA further clarifies AHA’s concerns.