OSHA Inspection: NEW ENGLAND DENTAL ASSOCIATION

Issued

1991-12-18 00:00:00

Abate by

1992-03-16 00:00:00

Penalty

Initial $1500.00 · Current $1000.00 Reduced

General-duty citation text

Section 5(a)(1) of the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970:  The
employer did not furnish employment and a place of employment which were
free from recognized hazards that were causing or likely to cause death
or serious plysical harm to employees in that health care workers,
including dental assistants, dental hygienists and dentists in the
establishment, were exposed to the hazard of being infected by HBV
and/or HIV through possible direct contact with blood or other body
fluids:
THE EMPLOYER DID NOT ENSURE THAT ALL EMPLOYEES WHO HAD DIRECT CONTACT
WITH BLOOD OR BODY FLUIDS WERE FORMALLY TRAINED IN PRECAUTIONARY
MEASURES, EPIDEMIOLOGY, MODES OF TRANSMISSION AND PREVENTION OF HBV/HIV.
AMONG OTHER METHODS, ONE FEASIBLE AND ACCEPTABLE ABATEMENT METHOD TO
CORRECT THIS HAZARD WOULD BE THE IMPLEMENTATION OF A WORKER SAFETY AND
HEALTH TRAINING PROGRAM WHICH INCLUDES INTENSIVE EMPLOYEE TRAINING
EMPHASIZING THE RISKS, SEVERITY AND APPROPRIATE PERSONAL, PROTECTIVE
EQUIPMENT ASSOCIATED WITH DISEASES CONTACTED FROM BODY FLUIDS,
PARTICULARLY THE HEPATITIS B AND HUMAN IMMUNE DEFICIENCY VIRUSES, SUCH
A PROGRAM SHOULD INCLUDE THOSE MEASURES OUTLINED IN 'JOINT ADVISORY
NOTICE:  DEPARTMENT OF LABOR/DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES:
"PROTECTION AGAINST OCCUPATIONAL EXPOSURE TO HBV AND HIV", PRINTED IN
THE FEDERAL REGISTER, VOLUME 52, NUMBER 210, OCTOBER 30, 1987: AND THE
CDC"S "RECOMMENDATIONS FOR PREVENTION OF HIV TRANSMISSION IN HEALTH CARE
SETTING" (MMWR, 1987: 36).

Issued

1991-12-18 00:00:00

Abate by

1992-01-06 00:00:00

General-duty citation text

Section 5(a)(1) of the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970:  The
employer did not furnish employment and a place of employment which were
free from recognized hazards that were causing or likely to cause death
or serious physical harm to employees in that health care workers,
including dental assistants, dental hygienists and dentists in the
establishment, were not adequately protected from potential infections
by HBV through possible direct contact with blood or other body fluids;
THE EMPLOYER DID NOT HAVE AN INFECTION CONTROL POLICY REGARDING
HEPATITIS B VACCINATIONS WHICH ADDRESSED CIRCUMSTANCES WARRANTIING
VACCINATIONS AND IDENTIFYING EMPLOYEES AT RISK OF CONTACTING BODY
FLUIDS.  EMPLOYEES, INCLUDING DENTISTS, DENTAL ASSISTANTS AND DENTAL
HYGIENISTS, WERE NOT OFFERED HEPATITIS B VACCINATIONS FREE OF CHARGE IN
AMOUNTS AND AT TIMES PRESCRIBED BY STANDARD MEDICAL PRACTICE.
AMONG OTHER METHODS, ONE FEASIBLE AND ACCEPTABLE ABATEMENT METHOD WOULD
BE IMPLEMENTATION OF A INFECTION CONTROL PROGRAM TO ADDRESS DELIVERY OF
HBV IMMUNIZATIONS.

Issued

1991-12-18 00:00:00

Abate by

1992-03-16 00:00:00

General-duty citation text

Section 5(a)91) of the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970:  The
employer did not furnish employment and a place of employment which were
free from recognized hazards that were causing or likely to cause death
or serious physical harm to employees in that health care workers,
including dental assistants, dental hygienists and dentists in the
establishment, who had direct contact with blood or body fluids were not
adequately protected from potential infections due to HBV or a
possible immuno deficiency from a saro conversion:
THE EMPLOYER DID NOT ENSURE THAT EMPLOYEES, INCLUDING DENTISTS AND
DENTAL ASSISTANTS, WHO HAD BEEN DIRECTLY EXPOSED TO BLOOD AND/OR
BODY FLUIDS WERE EVALUATED CLINICALLY AND SEROLOSICALLY AS SOON AS
POSSIBLE AND ON A PERIODIC BASIC THEREAFTER.
AMONG OTHER METHODS, ONE FEASIBLE AND ACCEPTABLE ABATEMENT METHOD WOULD
BE INMPLEMENTATION OF FOLLOWUP PROCEDURES AFTER POSSIBLE EXPOSURE TO
HIV OR HBV, INCLUDING THOSE MEASURES OUTLINED IN MANAGEMENT OF
EXPOSURES IN THE CDC'S "RECOMMENDATIONS FOR PREVENTION OF HIV
TRANSMISSION
IN HEALTH CRE SETTINGS".

Issued

1991-12-18 00:00:00

Abate by

1992-01-06 00:00:00

General-duty citation text

Section 5(a)(1) of the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970:  The
employer did not furnish employment and a place of employment which were
free from recognized hazards that were causing or likely to cause death
or serious physical harm to employees in that health care workers,
including dental assistants, dental hygienists and dentists in the
establishment, were exposed to the hazard of being infected by HBV and/
or HIV through possible direct contact with blood or other body fluids:
EMPLOYEES WERE EXPOSED TO IMPROPERLY DISINFECTED REUSEABLE DENTAL
INSTRUMENTS IN THAT THE MANUFACTURER'S INSTRUCTIONS FOR THE USE OF
DISINFECTANTS, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO, BIOCIDE, WHICH REQUIRES
THAT SURFACES BE KEPT MOIST FOR A LEAST 10 MINUTES, WERE NOT FOLLOWED.
FEASIBLE AND ACCEPTABLE ABATEMENT METHOD WOULD BE TO FOLLOW THE
MANUFACTURER'S RECOMMENDED DISINFECTANT USE PROCEDURE.

Issued

1991-12-18 00:00:00

Abate by

1992-01-06 00:00:00

Penalty

Initial $600.00 · Current $400.00 Reduced

Issued

1991-12-18 00:00:00

Abate by

1992-01-06 00:00:00

Penalty

Initial $600.00 · Current $400.00 Reduced

Issued

1991-12-18 00:00:00

Abate by

1992-01-06 00:00:00

Issued

1991-12-18 00:00:00

Abate by

1992-01-06 00:00:00

Penalty

Initial $600.00 · Current $400.00 Reduced

Issued

1991-12-18 00:00:00

Abate by

1991-12-24 00:00:00

Penalty

Initial $300.00 · Current $300.00