Help Shape the Future of Veterinary Education
News|Videos|November 6, 2019

ACVC 2019: What to do if OSHA comes for you

Find out the most common violations cited in an OSHA safety inspection

Is your veterinary clinic Occupational Safety & Health Administration (OSHA) compliant? Does your practice have an OHSA compliance plan in place? "Yes" or "no," you can benefit from learning more about some of the most common OSHA violations.

At this year's Atlantic Coast Veterinary Conference (ACVC), Brandon Hess, CVPM, CCFP, associate consultant at practice management consulting company VetSupport, told dvm360 that the No. 1 reason for an OSHA inspection is a disgruntled employee who's filed a complaint. Next in line are excessive injuries and excessive violations. But surprisingly, food and drink violations rank at the top of the list, he explained.

“Food should never be consumed in any area that an animal is in, sick or healthy...because even healthy animals can carry zoonotic things on their paws," Hess said.

In this video, he also explains that drinking stations should be placed far away from any potential hazards.


Related to this article

Q&A: Caregiver burden can begin early in pet illness. Are veterinary teams equipped to support clients, and how can veterinary social workers help both parties?
Caroline Cox, LSW, MSW, and Erika Krick, VMD, DACVIM (Oncology), discuss the role of veterinary social workers in supporting clients, communicating with veterinary teams, and helping practices address the human side of veterinary care in this Q&A from an interview at the 2026 Fetch National Harbor Veterinary Conference.
Inside veterinary social work
In a slideshow drawn from an on-site dvm360 interview at the 2026 Fetch National Harbor Veterinary Conference, a veterinary oncologist and a veterinary social worker walk through how the role supports owners and staff across a pet's cancer diagnosis, treatment, and end-of-life care.