ABSTRACT
Th e safety director of a large urban medical center recently remarked, “I have trouble sleeping at night. I am living on the jagged edge of fear. I am so severely understaff ed that I can’t possibly inspect the entire facility let alone make sure any problems I fi nd are corrected!” Many hospitals are drastically understaff ed in light of the need for compliance with a wide variety of regulations. Th e number and severity of potential hazards to employees, visitors, and patients are comparable to some of the most hazardous industries.
