Over the holidays I came across this “letter” from OSHA to an employer regarding how the facility was “managing” their “1st Aid cases” using on-site EMTs who were not actually state certified EMT’s, nor had they been trained to identify and assess musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs). In reading the letter, OSHA was clearly implying that these 1st aid stations were merely an attempt to keep OSHA rates down by having these “EMTs” provide the medical screening. OSHA made several KEY POINTS in how the facility was managing their OSHA rates rather than managing safety and health! There is a LOT we can and should learn from this letter! I will let you draw your own conclusions…
SPECIAL NOTE: This case mentions a breach of medical confidentiality because the EMTs did not speak the language of the patient and used other workers to translate the medical concerns!