The Legislature passed SB 5594 this past session, related to the protection of health care workers and their exposure to what are considered hazardous drugs and which also extends to physical plant (building) requirements. Nursing Homes are included in the list of affected providers/professions. The Dept. of L & I has begun developing rules to implement the legislation, and Aging Services is expressing concern regarding their process, what seems too be a hurried timeline, and draft rule content. The rule is to become effective in July, 2012.
The law requires L & I to develop in rule the standards of the 2004 NIOSH recommendations. (Some of the pharmaceuticals included in these standards are many cancer drugs, Paxil, Risperidone, some Estrogens.) We are in discussions with the Wa. State Pharmacy Association and the Wa. State Hospital Association as they have similar concerns to ours. It is our goal to require the department to revise their proposed rules significantly and in fact refile with new deadlines for comments etc., to allow all of the entities industries time to sufficiently analyze the impacts of such regulation and influence the work ahead.
For additional information, contact Bonnie Blachly or Julie Martin at Aging Services.
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