OTHER NEWS - Aug. 6, 1996

OSHA, Accrediting Group in Pact: The Occupational Safety and Health Administration and a health-care accrediting organization, the Joint Commission on the Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations, have signed an agreement designed to make the health-care industry safer for workers. Workplace illness and injury rates are higher in hospitals and long-term-care facilities than in any other type of health-care organization, the commission’s president said. The project will involve cross-education and training of OSHA and commission staffs on requirements relating to management of worker safety and health, and cataloging and evaluating potentially duplicative compliance activities.