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 the agency not to finalize its emergency temporary standard for occupational exposure to COVID-19. 鈥淭he slow and deliberate speed at which regulations change makes it impossible to incorporate emerging scientific evidence,鈥 said Nancy Foster, AHA鈥檚 vice president for quality and patient safety policy. 鈥淭hat鈥檚 why AHA strongly supports the continued reliance on CDC鈥檚 [Centers for Disease Control and Prevention鈥檚] guidance as we continue to deal with the evolving pandemic.鈥 A from AHA to the assistant secretary in charge of OSHA further clarifies AHA鈥檚 concerns.