Infectious Disease and Workplace Liability

Working at a dental office, the likelihood of coming into direct contact with infectious blood or bodily fluids is elevated. Dental professionals must take additional precautions to lower the risk of spreading infectious diseases.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends that healthcare personnel be vaccinated in order to prevent spreading diseases, according to the recommendations of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices.

Under the Occupational Safety and Health Act, or OSHA, the employer has a general legal obligation to provide a safe workplace. Several different laws address workplace safety. Several OSHA standards and directives apply to protecting healthcare workers from infectious diseases. State laws may apply as well.

There are several CDC resources to assist in assessing and reducing occupational exposure risks to infectious diseases:

Additional information can be found here:

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