Which agency governs safe working conditions and disposal practices in healthcare facilities?

• A. CDC
• B. OSHA
• C. EPA
• D. FDA

Answer: (B)

Exposure to bloodborne pathogens, chemicals, and other hazards in healthcare requires formal rules for protecting workers and handling waste. That’s what OSHA provides: it establishes and enforces standards for safe working conditions, requiring programs like exposure control plans, training, and the use of PPE, along with engineering and work-practice controls to prevent injuries and exposures. It also governs proper handling and disposal of regulated medical waste and hazardous materials to keep the workplace safe. While the CDC offers infection-control guidelines and the EPA oversees environmental protection and broader waste regulations, enforcement of day-to-day worker safety and disposal practices in healthcare facilities falls under OSHA. The FDA focuses on products rather than workplace safety.