OSHA Inspection: MERCY MEDICAL CENTER

Issued

Mar 7, 1991

Abate by

Apr 10, 1991

Penalty

Initial $800 · Current $800

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 EMPLOYEES WERE EXPOSED TO:
A) HEALTH CARE WORKERS SUCH AS SURGERY DEPARTMENT EMPLOYEES WERE EXPOSED
TO THE HAZARD OF BEING INFECTED BY BLOODBORNE PATHOGENS SUCH AS THE
HEPATITIS B VIRUS (HBV) AND THE HUMAN IMMUNODEFICIENCY VIRUS (HIV)
THROUGH POSSIBLE DIRECT CONTACT WITH BLOOD OR OTHER BODY FLUIDS.
CLOTHING WHICH HAD BEEN SOAKED THROUGH TO THE SKIN BY PATIENT BLOOD
OR OTHER POTENTIALLY INFECTIOUS FLUIDS HAS BEEN TRANSPORTED IN
EMPLOYEE CARS AND RESIDENCE FOR LAUNDERING, WITHOUT PRIOR TREATMENT
OF THE CLOTHING WITH A DISINFECTING AGENT AT THE WORKSITE.
FEASIBLE AND USEFUL ABATEMENT METHODS FOR REDUCING THIS HAZARD INCLUDE
INSTITUTION OF A PROGRAM WHICH WILL ENSURE THAT PERMEABLE BLOOD-
CONTAMINATED CLOTHING IS:
1) REMOVED AS SOON AS PRACTICABLE;
2) PLACED INTO LEAK-PROOF BIOHAZARD BAGS; AND
3) IS EITHER LAUNDERED BY THE EMPLOYER; OR IS RENDERD NON-INFECTIOUS BY
A DISINFECTING AGENT AT THE WORK SITE BEFORE THAT CLOTHING IS TAKEN
HOME BY EMPLOYEES.

Issued

Feb 25, 1991

Abate by

Mar 28, 1991

Penalty

Initial $800 · Current $500 Reduced

Issued

Feb 25, 1991

Abate by

Mar 4, 1991

Penalty

Initial $800 · Current $800

Issued

Feb 25, 1991

Abate by

Mar 1, 1991

Penalty

Initial $800 · Current $800

Issued

Feb 25, 1991

Abate by

Apr 5, 1991

Penalty

Initial $1,000 · Current $1,000

Issued

Feb 25, 1991

Abate by

Mar 28, 1991

Penalty

Initial $600 · Current $300 Reduced

Issued

Feb 25, 1991

Abate by

Mar 28, 1991

Penalty

Initial $600 · Current $300 Reduced

Issued

Feb 25, 1991

Abate by

Mar 28, 1991

Penalty

Initial $700 · Current $300 Reduced

Issued

Feb 25, 1991

Abate by

Mar 4, 1991

Penalty

Initial $800 · Current $800

Issued

Feb 25, 1991

Abate by

Mar 4, 1991

Issued

Feb 25, 1991

Abate by

Mar 28, 1991

Penalty

Initial $600 · Current $600

Issued

Feb 25, 1991

Abate by

Mar 20, 1991

Penalty

Initial $100 · Current $100