Every nursing home, assisted living facility and specialty care assisted living facility in Alabama will soon receive a free respiratory protection plan.
This is made possible by the Alabama Nursing Home Association’s (ANHA) partnership with UAB’s Alabama Regional Center for Infection Prevention and Control (ARC IPC). The ARC IPC grant will provide a free, three-year subscription to the “OSHA Respiratory Protection Plan: Training and Compliance Resources” from the American Health Care Association/National Center for Assisted Living (AHCA/NCAL).
“I can’t overstate how important it is for long-term care facilities to have a respiratory protection plan,” said Katrina Magdon, Vice-President of Operations & Regulatory Affairs for the ANHA. “These plans help keep residents and staff members safe and are required by OSHA. Having this grant means every facility will have the tools they need to comply with the federal regulations and provide better care for Alabamians. We’re especially proud that this resource is available to all facilities even if they are not members of the ANHA.”
The Occupational Safety & Health Administration (OSHA) requires skilled nursing facilities, assisted living facilities and ID/DD centers to meeting its Respiratory Protection Standard (29 CFR 1910.134). The standard requires facilities to establish and maintain a respiratory protection program when employees are exposed to airborne hazards including infectious agents like COVID-19. This mandate includes performing medical evaluations, conducting fit testing, providing appropriate respirators, and ensuring proper training for all employees who are at risk. Failure to comply can result in substantial fines, penalties, increased liability and serious health risks to employees.
Resources the protection plan include:
- Access to OSHA-mandated forms for program documentation
- Step-by-step fit testing instructions to ensure proper respirator use
- Customizable templates tailored to your facility’s specific needs
- Practical guides and tools for straightforward implementation
- Video training for managerial staff and program administrators on respiratory protection requirements
- Video training for employees, meeting all annual OSHA training requirements
According to AHCA/NCAL, the contents of plan would cost more than $4,000 if a facility purchased them separately from a consulting firm. This all-in-one resource contains everything needed for full compliance with OSHA’s Respiratory Protection Standard, including a customizable template plan, essential forms, training videos and detailed reference guides.
The grant will benefit long-term care facilities in every Alabama county. According to the Alabama Department of Public Health, there are 229 nursing homes, 196 assisted living facilities and 110 specialty care assisted living facilities in the state. The grant from ARC IPC ensures that each will have access to the respiratory protection plan resources.
The AHCA/NCAL “OSHA Respiratory Protection Plan: Training and Compliance Resources” was developed thanks for significant contributions from ANHA Associate Member MCA Consulting, LLC.
