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Reduce Hazardous Chemical Spills and Exposure—Meeting JCAHO Standards with Pollution Prevention

Pollution prevention (P2) activities make great performance improvement initiatives. They can help you achieve JCAHO standards included in the Comprehensive Accreditation Manual for Hospitals (CAMH) and meet rules, regulations and Hospitals for a Healthy Environment (H2E) goals. They also promote the health of the public-keeping in line with the basic premise of health care.

Reducing spills minimizes exposure to potentially hazardous chemicals, minimizes the potential for falls, and cuts waste disposal and labor costs due to cleanup.

Reduce chemical use in the organization to lower the risk of spills, minimizing employee and patient exposure.

H2E’s Chemical Minimization and Mercury Elimination Plans can help.

 

  



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Achieve JCAHO CAMH Standards Meet Rules, Regulations and Goals
EC.2, EC.2.2: The organization plans for employee safety and implements its plan.
  Reducing hazardous chemical use improves employee safety by lowering the risk of spills and risk to employees associated with hazardous chemical spills and exposure.

EC.2.8: Personnel have appropriate knowledge and skills regarding the proper management and disposal of hazardous materials.
  All personnel that handle potentially hazardous chemical spills should be trained to appropriately identify, segregate and manage them.

EC.4: The organization improves conditions in the environment.
  Reducing hazardous chemical spills improves conditions in the environment by lowering the risk of employee, patient and visitor exposure, and reducing pollution in the community.

GO.2: Performance improvement is financially sound.
  Reducing hazardous chemical spills and exposure reduces costs associated with cleanup and liability.

PI.1.2: Performance improvement is consistent with the organization’s mission as it relates to community health.
  Reducing hazardous chemical spills improves community health by reducing pollution to the air, water and land.

PI.2: Improved and new processes are well designed and consider patient safety.
  Reducing hazardous chemical spills improves patient safety by reducing the risk of patient exposure.
Clean Water Act, National Pollution Discharge Elimination System (NPDES), 40 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) 122 and 403
• Hospital wastewater, 40 CFR 460
• Local wastewater permits. Restrict discharge of certain chemicals, heavy metals and high biological loads to sanitary sewer.

Community Right to Know, 40 CFR 302-304, 311, 312. Plan for and report to local emergency planning committee extremely hazardous substances and certain hazardous materials.

Hazardous Spill Response (HAZWOPER), 29 CFR 1910.120. Standards for safety and health protection of employees engaged in hazardous waste operations and emergency response.

Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) Hazard Communication/Employee Right to Know, 29 CFR 1910.1200

Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA), 40 CFR 261-263
• Requirements for hazardous waste management
• Spill residues
• Waste minimization sec 3002(b)

Spill Prevention Control Countermeasure (SPCC) Plans, 40 CFR 112. Requires spill prevention plans for storing certain quantities of oil.

 

Pollution prevention activities that make great performance improvement initiatives:

mercury | solid waste | infectious waste | chemicals and waste | hazardous waste spills and exposure | ignitable chemicals | pest management | pharmaceutical management | patient safety | environmentally preferable purchasing

JCAHO introduction page

 
 
 
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