New Cal OSHA Regulation Targets Aerosol Transmissible Diseases


Cal/OSHA recently adopted a new regulation to prevent the transmission of aerosol transmissible diseases (ATDs) at health care facilities, including nursing homes, correctional facilities, homeless shelters, drug treatment programs, and among specific service providers, such as emergency responders.  Aerosol transmissible diseases include influenza--all types, chicken pox, tuberculosis, and several more listed in the regulation’s appendix.  Most dental practices and many specialty medical practices will be exempt from the regulation, as long as the practices comply with specific conditions. 

CDA worked with agency staff early in the regulation’s development, starting in 2006, and proposed the use of CDC’s infection control recommendations for dentistry as a guide for Cal/OSHA.  The agency also worked with other groups to gather information before releasing a draft regulation last year.  A public hearing on the draft regulation was held in the fall and the final language was approved in May.  The regulation is effective August 5.  It can be found in Title 8 of the California Code of Regulations Section 5199.

To be exempt from the regulation, dental practices must comply with all of the following conditions:

The CDA Practice Support Center has updated its sample Injury and Ilness Prevention Plan to help your practice comply with the new requirements.  Members can download the free sample plan from cdacompass.com.  User registration and log-in is required on this Web site.  After log-in, use the Search box for the term “injury and illness.”