Final answer:
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) is the government agency that requires employers to protect healthcare workers from bloodborne diseases through protective clothing and vaccinations.
Step-by-step explanation:
The government agency responsible for establishing guidelines requiring employers to provide healthcare workers with protective clothing, vaccinations, and protection against bloodborne diseases like AIDS and hepatitis B is the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). OSHA is authorized to create and enforce safety standards to protect workers from various hazards. It requires a substantial process involving public engagement, comments, and demonstrations of significant risks and feasible protective measures before issuing a standard.
OSHA's regulations are designed to prevent workplace injuries and illnesses by requiring employers to provide essential safety equipment, such as fall protection, and to prevent exposure to infectious diseases and harmful chemicals among other things. Personal protective clothing, for example, is critical for those working on the front lines of healthcare, especially when entering infection zones.
The requirements set by OSHA can influence labor demands in the healthcare industry significantly. For instance, regulations might mean that only qualified nurses are permitted to perform certain medical procedures, while less-trained healthcare workers might be restricted from these tasks, impacting workforce dynamics.