Hazards in the hospital.

In an earlier article (JAVMA, Jan 15, 1994), the author outlined some of the first steps necessary in establishing a hospital safety program that will comply with current Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) guidelines. One of the main concerns of the OSHA guidelines is that there be written plans for managing hazardous materials, performing dangerous jobs, and dealing with other potential safety problems. In this article, the author discusses potentially hazardous situations commonly found in veterinary practices and provides details on how to minimize the risks associated with those situations and how to implement safety procedures that will comply with the OSHA guidelines.