We all have a chosen staff member in our offices that is our OSHA representative. God bless her! She goes to the OSHA classes, takes very thorough notes and then comes back to give us the “CRASH” course on all the changes. Some may ask, “Do we have to sit through this again?” while others state, “Well, at least we are getting lunch brought in today.” After the meeting, we realize that we DID need to hear these changes so that we stay up to date with what is required! Safety in the dental practice is always our primary concern.
Truly, we all know the fundamentals of what we should be doing. Washing our hands for 30 sec as soon as you enter the operatory, Washing them again in between each patient and after de-gloving. Spray, wipe, spray. Always wear your face shields/loops, mask, long sleeves. Hopefully, we are doing these things and more. Yes, these tasks are mundane. Yes, we do these procedures involuntarily, without thinking about them. But let’s always be open to listen- even if these are topics we already think we know. That CRASH course is for our safety and the patient’s safety. And honestly, there are always subtle changes made to them each year.
Which leads me to my office’s last OSHA meeting! We had to make a few changes this year. Sometimes when you mention change, you can ruffle a few feathers. Manditory jackets over our cute new, long sleeve scrubs was one of the changes. Of course, we ended up buying cute new fans to go with them for our operatories because it’s now never cool enough. Nothing like feeling hot and sweaty during your hygiene appointment with long sleeves and lab jackets.
One other really important change that we made for our dental office was in sterilization. Did you know that OSHA requires you to carry dental instruments from your operatory to sterilization, after the dental appointment is complete, in a closed cassette/container? The reason? Haven’t we at least once collided into someone while dashing out of our rooms? The Hu-Friedy IMS stainless steel cassette is a solutions that OSHA recommends. These stainless steel cassettes are the safest mode for transporting “dirty” instruments from the room to sterilization. Also, with the IMS cassettes, there is less potential for accidents during the sterilizing process. Once in sterilization, the cassette is placed in the ultrasonic bath. The instruments are not all tangled in a basket because they are securely positioned in individual slots and therefore will be able to be cleaned more thoroughly. Other reasons why I love these cassettes are:
1)Our sterilization is more organized
2) Instruments last longer. Nothing worse than a scratchy mirror and a bent probe!
3)Other staff members are less likely to take instruments out of my wrapped cassette. No one would EVER steal my air water tip out of my kit. (air water tips must disappear to the same place with all of the missing socks in the world!)
4) Wrapped cassettes give patients the confidence that instruments are sterilized and that OSHA guidelines are being followed
Let Saving Graceys help you convert your hygiene department to be more OSHA compliant with these stainless steel IMS cassettes from Hu-Friedy. The cassette holds 14 instruments and its retail price is $141.00. However, we offer the student-owned cassettes for only $75.00! Visit us at www.savinggracey.com. to see all that we have to supply your hygiene needs. Saving Graceys can help your office reduce cost not QUALITY!!
-Saving Graceys
