Final answer:
The Joint Commission, along with OSHA, ensures compliance with safety practices in healthcare facilities, including adherence to detailed checklists and guidelines similar to those by the WHO. Personnel must know the location of safety equipment and be familiar with procedures for handling hazardous materials. OSHA standards and the General Duty Clause also play a role in maintaining workplace safety.
Step-by-step explanation:
The Joint Commission is an organization that ensures health care facilities uphold safety standards and protocols, including those related to workplace hazards. In a healthcare setting, procedures and checklists akin to those developed by the World Health Organization (WHO) for surgical safety are employed. Enforcement of these procedures is crucial, a role carried out, for example, by OSHA (Occupational Safety and Health Administration), which conducts inspections without advance notice to confirm compliance with safety guidelines.
Laboratories, too, are places where safety measures are vital, with the need for ready access to safety equipment like fire extinguishers and eyewash stations. Personnel must be knowledgeable of rules regarding the handling of sharp objects, chemicals, heat, and electricity, and follow detailed safety guidelines to prevent accidents.
Finally, establishments must adhere to OSHA's Construction, General Industry, Maritime, and Agriculture standards to avoid a range of hazards and are expected to maintain workplaces free of serious recognized hazards under the General Duty Clause of the OSH Act. Thus, routine checks ensure all team members are briefed and all equipment is verified for functionality and safety, essential in safeguarding patient care and worker well-being in medical facilities.