OSHA will be hosting a symposium on protecting healthcare workers from the deadly Ebola virus. The Ebola and Infectious Diseases Symposium will take place on March 12th at the University of Texas Arlington. Representatives from OSHA, municipal service agencies, and first responders will be presenting information on how to protect hospital workers and first responders from exposure to the Ebola virus and other infectious diseases.  The symposium is free, and you can register online at the symposium website.

This comes on the heels of the announcement that Nina Pham, the nurse who was the first to contract Ebola in the U.S., has filed a lawsuit against Texas Health Resources. Texas Health Resources (THR) is the parent company of Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital Dallas, where Pham worked. The lawsuit alleges that THR failed to provide proper training to workers to handle Ebola. She is seeking damages for past and future physical pain, mental anguish, physical impairment, loss of enjoyment of life, medical expenses, loss of earning capacity and loss of reputation.  There is no set dollar figure for damages sought.

Both Nina Pham, and another nurse who was caring for the same patient at Texas Health Presbyterian contracted the Ebola virus while at work. Hospital workers and first responders are at high risk for contracting infectious diseases. Proper training and equipment are essential to help reduce the hazards these workers face.  The Ebola and Infectious Diseases Symposium will include discussions of how Dallas/Fort Worth will respond to patients with infectious diseases, reviews existing federal regulations like the OSHA Bloodborne Pathogen Standard, and will demonstrate new CDC methods for healthcare workers’ protective equipment use and more.

Can’t get to Arlington, TX for the symposium? We can provide Ebola training and OSHA Bloodborne Pathogens at your workplace in NY, MA, NH, RI or CT. Please call (877) 399-1698