OSHA Inspection: MELVILLE BIOLOGICS, DIV. OF NEW YORK BLOOD CENTER

Issued

Apr 2, 1991

Abate by

Dec 10, 1991

Penalty

Initial $800 · Current $300 Reduced

Issued

Apr 2, 1991

Abate by

Dec 10, 1991

Penalty

Initial $800 · Current $300 Reduced

Issued

Apr 2, 1991

Abate by

Apr 17, 1991

Penalty

Initial $800 · Current $300 Reduced

Issued

Apr 2, 1991

Abate by

Dec 10, 1991

Penalty

Initial $800 · Current $200 Reduced

Issued

Apr 2, 1991

Abate by

Dec 10, 1991

Penalty

Initial $10,000 · Current $4,000 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 physical harm to employees in that employee(s) were exposed
to the hazard of becoming infected with Hepatitis B Virus (HBV) and/or
Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) through possible direct contact with
blood or other body fluids.
a) Long Island Blood Services and Melville Biologics, Divisions of New
York Blood Center, Inc.: Employees with job titles of Phlebotomists,
Laboratory Technicians, Fractionation Technicians, Maintenace
Personnel and Engineering staff who were subject of an exposure
incident resulting from either a skin puncture from a sharp
contaminated with blood or other body fluids or splashes to the eyes
and face of blood or other body fluids were not provided with
training and information concerning the hazards of such an exposure
incident. The employer had not implemented the CDC HIV Follow-Up
Procedures necessary when employees are involved in a blood or other
body fluid exposure incident. Such employees were not adivised of nor
did they have the opportunity to participate in the HIV Follow-Up
Procedures, established by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC),
when such an exposure occurs; On or about 10/30/90.
b) Long Island Blood Services and Melville Biologics, Divisions of New
York Blood Center, Inc.; Employees with job titles of Phlebotomist,
Laboratory Technicians, Fractionation Technicians, Maintenance
Personnel and Engineering staff received no training and education in
Universal Precautions and Infection Control as outlined in the 1988
CDC Guidelines.
The employers training program only addressed Hepatitis B Vaccination
as outlined by the 1985 CDC Guidlines. Employees were not instructed
nor did they receive training or an explanation of work practices
that will prevent or reduce exposure to blood or other body fluids,
including engineering controls, administrative controls and
appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE); On or about 10/3/90.
c) Long Island Blood Services and Melville Biologics, Divisions ofNew
York Blood Center, Inc.; Employees with the job title of Laboratory
Technician and Fractionation Technician were required to use a
container equipped with a hypodermic clipping device to dispose of
contaminated sharpts. This mechanical process exposed employees to
skin punctures from contaminated sharps and aerosals of blood or
other body fluids; On or about 10/30/90.
d) Long Island Blood Services and Melville Biologics, Divisions of New
York Blood Center, Inc.; Employees with the job title of Phlebotomist
were required to cut needles by hand from the plastic tubing
connected to blood donor bags which exposed them to skin punctures
from contaminated needles and aerosals of blood or other body fluids;
On or about 10/30/90.
e) Long Island Blood Services and Melville Biologics, Divisions of New
York Blood Center, Inc.; Employees with the job title of Phlebotomist
and Laboratory Technicians were exposed to aerosolization of blood
or other body fluids while performing snip-n-clip procedures and
while hematroning the segments on blood bags and were not protected
by plastic barriers or shields; On or about 10/30/90.
The hazards of such exposure include, but are not limited to, the
onset of clinical symptoms of acute Hepatitis B, anorexia, abdominal
pain, jaundice and the potential for becoming a chronic carrier of
the Hepatitis B and/or Human Immunodeficiency Virus.
ABATEMENT NOTES:
Among other methods, one feasible abatement method to reduce this hazard
is to establish and enforce adequate procedures regarding exposure to
and handling of blood or other body fluids, such as those stipulated by
the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) Guidelines published in the
Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, June 24, 1988, Volume 37, Number
24. Elements essential to an Infection Control Program include at a
minimum:
TRAINING AND EDUCATION
Training and education of employee(s) such as, but not limited to,
Phlebotomists, Fractionation Technicians, Laboratory Technicians,
Maintenance Personnel and Engineering Staff.
Such training and education shall be at the time of initial
employment and at least annually thereafter. The training materials
used shall be appropriate in content and vocabulary to educational
level, literacy, and language background of the employees being
trained.
The Training and Education Program shall contain, as a minimum, the
following elements:
i) An explanation of the employer's Infection Control Program;
ii) An explanation of the use and limitations of work practices that
will prevent or reduce employee exposure, including appropriate
engineering controls, work practices and personal protective
equipment.
iii) An explanation of the basis for selection of personal protective
equipment;
iv) An explanation of the procedures to be followed if an exposure
incident occurs, including the method of reporting the incident
and the medical follow-up that will be made available;
v) An explanation of the signs and labels and/or color coding used in
the workplace; and
vi) A copy of the Center for Disease Control (CDC) Guidelines.
WRITTEN INFECTION CONTROL PROGRAM
The employer's written Infection Control Program shall be designed
and implemented to minimize or eliminate employee exposure. This
Infection Control Program shall be reviewed and updated as necessary
to reflect significan changes in tasks or procedures. This program
shall contain, as a minimum, the following:
i) A determination of the exposure potential of all employees;
ii) The schedule and method of implementation of the Infection Control
Program.
iii) All the items related to the identifcation, evaluation and control
of bloodborne pathogens and exposure to blood and body fluids
contained in the employer's Infection Control Training and
Information Program must be incorporated in the establishment's
overall written Infection Control Program.
The written Infection Control Program shal be made available to all
employees during the training program.
ENGINEERING, ADMINISTRATIVE AND WORKPRACTICE CONTROL
i) Notify and person who handles, transports, cleans or launders
protective clothing in writing of the potential harmful effects of
the exposure to blood and body fluids.
ii) Provide platic barriers or shields when Phlebotomists and
Laboratory Technicians are performing the snip-n-clip procedures
and the hematroning of segments on blood bags.
iii) Provide Phlebotomists, Fractionation Technicians and Laboratory
Technicians with puncture resistant/fluid resistant sharps
containers to prevent bending or breaking of sharps:
FOLLOW-UP PROCEDURES AFTER POSSIBLE EXPOSURE TO HIV/HBV:
Follow-up procedures shall be taken for employees exposed or
potentially exposed to HIV/HBV. The type of procedures depends on
the immunization status of the worker (i.e., whether HBV vaccination
has been received and antibody response is adequate) and the HBV
serologic status of the source patient. The CDC Immunization
Practices Advisory Committee has published its recommendations
regarding HBV post-exposure prophylaxis in table format in the
June 5, 1985, Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.
If an employee refuses to submit to the procedures when such
procedures are medically indicated, no adverse action can be taken
on that ground alone since the procedures are designed for the
benefit of the exposed employee.
HANDLING OF LINEN?REUSABLE PERSONAL PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT (PPE)
The Infection Control Program shall have identified all laundry
operations involving substantial risk of direct exposure to blood or
body fluids. Linen or reusable Personal Protective Equipment soiled
with blood or body fluids shall be handles as little as possible and
with minimum agitation to prevent contamination of the person
handling the linen/reusable Personal Protective Equipment.
All soiled linen or reusable Personal Protective Equipment shall be
bagged at the location where it was used. Soiled linen or reusable
Personal Protective Equipment shall be placed and transported in
bags that prevent leakage.