As one might imagine, I’ve had the chance to review a lot of different risk assessments over the course of the last little while (OK, maybe more than a little while…unless 20-plus years is a little while). One of the interesting dynamics I’ve encountered relates to the surveillance of construction areas, etc. and how those types of activities are administered.

Review Emergency Medical Treatment & Active Labor Act (EMTALA) requirements with your emergency departments, especially as the season for flu, COVID-19, and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) has the potential to flood hospital beds again.

Check whether smoke detectors are at least 36 inches from heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) vents to ensure they detect smoke right away.

It’s a new year, but the lab safety work continues, says Dan Scungio MT(ASCP), SLS, a laboratory safety officer for multihospital system Sentara Healthcare in Virginia. It’s the time of year when staff should look back at their successes and challenges from the past year, while also setting goals for the new one. And while some issues remain evergreen, there are always ways to improve upon them. Scungio shared his thoughts on what he thinks might be next for laboratory safety and the progress the field has made—or needs to make.