OSHA Inspection: SIDNEY HILLMAN HEALTH CENTER

Issued

Jan 17, 1992

Abate by

Feb 20, 1992

Penalty

Initial $2,500 · Current $2,500

General-duty citation text

Section 5(a)(1) Provides:
"Each employer shall furnish to each of his employees employment and a
place of employment which are free from recognized hazards that are causing
or are likely to cause death or serious physical harm to his employees;"
a.  In the blood drawing laboratory on the fifth floor and the examination
rooms on the fourth floor, nurses and medical laboratory technicians were
exposed to the hazard of being infected by HBV and/or HIV through possible
direct contact with blood or other body fluids.  Feasible and useful
abatement methods for reducing this hazard, among others, are:
(1)  Hepatitis B Vaccination.  The facility's IC policy regarding hepatitis
B vaccinations shall address all circumstances warranting such vaccinations
and shall identify employees at substantial risk directly contacting body
fluids.  All such employees shall be offered hepatitis B vaccinations free
of charge in amounts and at times prescribed by standard medical practices.
(2)  Reusable Equipment.  Standard sterilization and disinfection
procedures currently recommended for hepatitis B in a variety of health
care settings are adequate to sterilize or disinfect instruments, devices,
or other items contaminated with body fluids.
A recommended source of information is the CDC's Guidelines for Hospital
Environmental Control:  Cleaning, Disinfection and Sterilization of
Hospital Equipment.
(3)  Handwashing.  After removing gloves, hands or other skin surfaces
shall be washed thoroughly and immediately after contact with body fluids.
(4)  Training and Education of Health Care Workers.  The employer's
training program shall be evaluated in accordance with Appendix C.
(a)  All high risk health care workers such as those listed in H.1
shall receive education on precautionary measures, epidemiology, modes
of transmission and prevention of HIV/HBV.  Health care workers shall be
counseled regarding possible risks to the fetus from HIV/HBV and other
associated infectious agents.
(b)  In addition, such high risk workers must receive training
regarding the location and proper use of personal protective equipment.
They shall be trained concerning proper work practices and, if the facility
has implemented them, shall understand the concept of "universal
precautions" as it applies to their work practices.  They shall be trained
about the meaning of color coding or other methods (except tags) used to
designate contaminated articles or infectious waste.  Where tags are used,
training about tags and precautions to be used in handling contaminated
articles or infectious waste is governed by 29 CFR 1910.145(f).  (See
section M.4.)  Workers shall receive training about procedures to be used
if they are exposed to needlestick or to body fluids.

Issued

Jan 17, 1992

Abate by

Jan 24, 1992

Penalty

Initial $1,250 · Current $1,250