28 OSHA, Laboratory Screening, and Office-Based Surgery

Ruel A. Adajar

Summary

This chapter covers the topics that create a safe working environment in a hair transplant practice. Among the many regulations that Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) imposes, the blood-borne pathogen standards prove to be integral to ensure workplace safety, especially in the hair transplant setting due to the likelihood of constant and unavoidable exposure during surgery. These standards can be found in the OSHA website or their training manual. While blood-borne transmission of selected pathogens is briefly discussed in this chapter, the reader is referred to infectious disease texts for a more thorough discussion. Preoperative laboratory workup can be requested to screen for these pathogens and also to assess the general health of the patient when performed along with a thorough history and physical examination. There are opposing schools of thought as to the validity and need for such laboratory screening in hair restoration surgery. To further promote patient safety, in recent years, state governments have required that offices be accredited before they can perform procedures that require general anesthesia or moderate or deep sedation when the procedure is performed in an office setting. With these measures in place, the practice can ensure the general safety and well-being of the patient undergoing hair transplant surgery. Each practice should refer to their own state’s laws and regulations to assure compliance and avoid sanctions.

Key words

OSHA - hair transplantation - blood-borne pathogens - hepatitis B - hepatitis C - human immunodeficiency virus - office-based surgery

• 1 The Guardian, OSHA and HIPAA Compliance for Healthcare. 1st quarter 2016

• 2 OSHA. 2015 OSHA Compliance Manual for Healthcare Facilities. Version 142 rev. 2014, Clearwater, FL: Oshaguard; c 1992, 2014:4

• 3 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Hepatitis C FAQs for Healthcare Professionals. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Division of Viral Hepatitis Website. Available at: www.cdc.gov/hepC/HCV/HCVfaq.htm

• 4 Fauci AS, Clifford LH. Human immunodeficiency virus disease: AIDS and related disorders. In: Braunwald E, Fauci AS et al. eds. Harrison’s Principle of Internal Medicine. 16th ed. New York, NY: McGraw Hill; 2005:1136–1137

• 5 2015 OSHA Compliance Manual for Healthcare Facilities. Version 142 rev. Clearwater, FL: Oshaguard; c 1992, 2014:5

• 6 Occupational Safety and Health Administration. OSHA FactSheet. OSHA’s Bloodborne Pathogens Standard. Available at: https://www.osha.gov/OshDoc/data_BloodborneFacts/bbfact01.htm

• 7 Department of Health. Office Based Surgery (OBS) Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ’s) for Practitioners. Available at: https://www.health.ny.gov/professionals/office-based_surgery/obs_faq.htm