Safety
Security
Hazardous Materials and Waste
Fire Safety
Medical Equipment
Utilities
Emergency Management
Infection Control
Toolkit
Listed below are voluntary guidelines, accepted industry practices, policies, and guidance intended to reflect the best available knowledge and research on the physical environment.
The environment of care is made up of the following three basic elements:
- The building or space, including how it is arranged and special features that protect patients, visitors, and staff
- Equipment used to support patient care or to safely operate the building or space
- People, including those who work within the organization, patients, and anyone else who enters the environment, all of whom have a role in minimizing risks
The risks in the environment of care include those associated with safety and security, hazardous materials and waste, fire safety, medical equipment, and utilities.
When staff is educated about the elements of a safe environment, they are more likely to follow processes for identifying, reporting, and taking action on environmental risks.
Safety
Guidance to help healthcare organizations implement strategies to prevent injuries and illnesses using a multi-component prevention plan.
New: Safety, Health, and Wellness: A New Frontier for Safety Professionals
Government:
CDC Total Worker Health 
OPM Work/Life Health and Wellness
Non-Government:
Government:
o 
CDC Workbook for Designing, Implementing, and Evaluating a Sharps Injury Prevention Program
o NIOSH Does It Really Work? How to Evaluate Safety and Health Changes in the Workplace
o NIOSH Exposure to Stress: Occupational Hazards in Hospitals
o OSHA Personal Protective Equipment
o VHA Patient Safety Center Safe Bariatric Patient Handling Toolkit
Non-Government:
o IOM Report: Preventing Transmission of Pandemic Influenza and Other Viral Respiratory Diseases: Personal Protective Equipment for Healthcare Personnel Update 2010
o NAP Keeping Patients Safe: Transforming the Work Environment of Nurses
o NAP Safe Work in the 21st Century: Education and Training Needs for the Next Decade's Occupational Safety and Health Personnel
o NAP To Err is Human: Building a Safer Health System
o NFPHS Design Guide for the Built Environment of Behavioral Health Facilities
Security
Guidance to assist healthcare organizations in assessing the vulnerabilities of their facilities and implementing appropriate physical security measures.
Government:
o NIOSH Guidance for Protecting Building Environments from Airborne Chemical, Biological, or Radiological Attacks
o NIOSH Violence: Occupational Hazards in Hospitals
o OSHA Guidelines for Preventing Workplace Violence for Health Care and Social Service Workers
Non-Government:
o ENA Toolkit: Workplace Violence
o National Center for Missing and Exploited Children: For Healthcare Professionals: Guidelines on Prevention of and Response to Infant Abductions, 9th ed. and Self-Assessment
Hazardous Materials and Waste
Guidance to help healthcare organizations prevent occupational exposures to hazardous gases and vapors, radioactive materials and hazardous energy sources, hazardous drugs and chemicals, blood and other potentially infectious materials.
Government:
o CDC Biosafety in Microbiological and Biomedical Laboratories (BMBL) 5th Edition
o DLIS Hazardous Materials Information Resource System
o EPA Medical Waste Publications
o EPA Pharmaceuticals
o NAP Prudent Practices in the Laboratory: Handling and Management of Chemical Hazards, Updated Version
o NIOSH Control of Smoke from Laser/Electric Surgical Procedures
o NIOSH Personal Protective Equipment for Health Care Workers Who Work with Hazardous Drugs
o NIOSH Pocket Guide to Chemical Hazards
o
NIOSH Preventing Occupational Exposure to Antineoplastic and Other Hazardous Drugs in Health Care Settings
o
NIOSH Waste Anesthetic Gases - Occupational Hazards in Hospitals
o OSHA Best Practices for the Safe Use of Glutaraldehyde in Healthcare
o OSHA Hazard Communication Guidelines for Compliance
o OSHA Model Plans and Programs for the OSHA Bloodborne Pathogens and Hazard Communications Standards
Non-Government:
o United States Pharmacopeia 797 Guidebook to Pharmaceutical Compounding— Sterile Preparations
Fire Safety
Guidance to assist healthcare organizations in protecting occupants from fire, smoke, and panic and maintaining fire protection systems, equipment, and means of egress.
Non-Government:
o NFPA Employee Fire and Life Safety
Government:
o FDA Public Health Notification: Safety Tips for Preventing Hospital Bed Fires
o OSHA How to Plan for Workplace Emergencies and Evacuations
o Oregon Fire and Life Safety Practices
Medical Equipment
Guidance to help healthcare organizations manage medical equipment risks from equipment failure and biological contamination.
Government:
o FDA Hospital Bed System Dimensional and Assessment Guidance to Reduce Entrapment
o FDA Public Health Notification from FDA, CDC, EPA and OSHA: Avoiding Hazards with Using Cleaners and Disinfectants on Electronic Medical Equipment
Utilities
Guidance to help healthcare organizations manage risks from utilities system disruptions and biological contamination.
Non-Government:
UPDATE: ASHRAE Standard 188P Prevention of Legionellosis Associated With Building Water Systems, is currently open for a third public review until March 11, 2013.
Government:
o OSHA Control of Hazardous Energy Lockout/Tagout
o OSHA Controlling Electrical Hazards
o OSHA Hand and Power Tools
o OSHA Preventing Mold-Related Problems in the Indoor Workplace
Emergency Management
Emergency Management is another chapter related to the Physical Environment.
Organizations need to plan to respond to the effects of potential emergencies.
Listed below is guidance to help healthcare organizations manage emergencies by assessing threats, developing a comprehensive emergency response plan, and evaluating the effectiveness of emergency response strategies.
Government:
o ATSDR Managing Hazardous Materials Incidents 
o CA EMSA Hospital Incident Command System (HICS)
o CDC Agents, Diseases, and Other Threats (A to Z)
o CDC Laboratory Information
o CDC Mass Casualty Event Preparedness and Response
o CDC Recent Outbreaks and Incidents
o CDC Trauma and Disaster Mental Health Resources
o DOT 2012 Emergency Response Guidebook
o NIOSH Guidance on Emergency Responder Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) for Response to CBRN Terrorism Incidents
o NIOSH Protecting Emergency Responders, Volume 3
o NIOSH Recommendations for the Selection and Use of Respirators and Protective Clothing for Protection Against Biological Agents
o OSHA Best Practices for Hospital-Based First Receivers of Victims from Mass Casualty Incidents Involving the Release of Hazardous Substances
o OSHA Best Practices for Protecting EMS Responders During Treatment and Transport of Victims of Hazardous Substance Releases
o OSHA Fire and Explosion Planning Matrix
o OSHA Pandemic Influenza Preparedness and Response Guidance for Healthcare Workers and Healthcare Employers
Non-Government:
o University of Florida National Disaster Handbook
Infection Control
The infection prevention and control chapter helps healthcare organizations reduce the number of health care-associated infections linked to failures in the environment of care.
Listed below is guidance to help healthcare organizations implement infection control measures to prevent the transmission of infectious agents.
Government:
o CDC Guidelines for Environmental Infection Control in Healthcare Facilities
o CDC Guidelines for Preventing Transmission of mycobacterium tuberculosis in Healthcare Settings
o CDC Healthcare-Associated Infections (HAI)
o EPA's Registered Sterilizers, Tuberculocides, and Antimicrobial Products Against Certain Human Public Health Bacteria and Viruses
o FDA-Cleared Sterilants and High Level Disinfectants with General Claims for Processing Reusable Medical and Dental Devices
o NIOSH Environmental Control for Tuberculosis: Basic Upper-Room Ultraviolet Germicidal Irradiation Guidelines for Healthcare Settings
Non-Government:
o HLAC Accreditation Standards for Processing Reusable Textiles for Use in Healthcare Facilities
Toolkit
Local Policy Templates
o 
Sample Product Notices and Recall Policy Letter
o Sample Fire and Smoke Barrier Penetration Policy
o Sample Interim Life Safety Measure Policy
o Sample Reporting Utility Problems and Failures Policy
o Sample Infection Control Risk Assessment Policy
o Sample Holiday Decoration Policy
o Sample Non Smoking Policy
EC Checklists
o Fire Safety Inspection Checklist
o Holiday Decoration Checklist
o Laboratory Inspection Checklist
o Missing Patient Search Checklist
o 
Security Program Checklist
Staff Competence
o Medical Maintenance Repairer Competency Assessment
o New Employee Safety Orientation
o Safety Orientation and Training Record
o Security Military Police Information Sheet
o Staff Physical Environment Competency Assessment
o Utility Maintainer Competency Assessment
Other Physical Environment Resources
o Business Fire Incident Response Evaluation Report
o EC Document Review Worksheet
o Emergency Codes and Staff Response
o Emergency Operations Annual Evaluation Outline - Hospital
o Emergency Operations Plan - Hospital
o Fire Drill Observer's Report
o Fire Drill Schedule FY11
o Fire Smoke Barrier Penetration Permit
o Global Risk Assessment Tool
o 
Hazard Vulnerability Analysis (Detailed)
o Hazard Vulnerability Analysis (Simple)
o 
Hazardous Chemical Inventory
o Hazard Vulnerability Analysis Tool
o HAZMAT Waste Tracer
o Holiday Decoration Inspection Log
o Hospital Fire Incident Response Evaluation Report
o Interim Life Safety Measures Documentation Worksheet
o Interim Life Safety Measures Selection Matrix
o Medical Equipment Clinical Alarm Audit
o Medical Equipment Customer Evaluation
o Medical Equipment Tracer
o Preparation for the EC Interview Session
o Safety/EC Committee Issue Tracking Log
o Safety Committee Minutes Template
o Safety Committee Reports Tracking Log
o Safety Inspection Schedule FY11
o Safety Tracer
o Security Incident Response Evaluation
o Security Tracer
o Summary of Security Incidents Report for the Safety/EC Committee
o Utility System Failure and Staff Response Guide