OSHA Inspection: OHIO VALLEY HOSPITAL

Issued

Jul 22, 1994

Abate by

Nov 13, 1994

Penalty

Initial $4,500 · Current $2,250 Reduced

General-duty citation text

Section 5(a)(1) of the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970:  The
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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:
a.  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 such as, but not limited to, nurses, ward helpers, house
keepers,
respiratory therapists, and laboratory personnel were exposed to the
hazard of being
infected with microbacterium tuberculosis through contact with patients
who were or may
be infected with tuberculosis in that:
a.  Mantoux skin testing was not provided in accordance with the most
current
recommendations of the Center for Disease Control (CDC).
b.  A room on the fifth floor ICU unit, used as a n isolation room (room
509)
was not provided with ventilation to assure negative pressure with respect
to the
hall area of the ICU as recommended by CDC.
c.  A room on the fifth floor ICU unit used as an isolation room (room
509) was
not ventilated directly to the outside as recommended by CDC.
The hospital did not ensure that rooms used for isolation of suspected or
diagnosed tuberculosis patients was properly ventilated either directly to
the
outside or through HEPA filters.
d.  There was no written protocol for the early identification of
individuals with
active tuberculosis used by the hospital.
The hospital did not have a written protocol for the identification of
tuberculosis
nor the procedures to be followed with a suspected or diagnosed
tuberculosis
patient.
e.  Employees were not given training on the issues of tuberculosis, nor
site
specific protocol that was to be followed.
The hospital did not provide the employees with training on tuberculosis,
its
symptoms, and the protocol to be followed with suspected or diagnosed
tuberculosis patients.
Feasible and useful abatement methods for reducing these hazards, as
recommended by the
Centers for Disease Control, among others are:  A written protocol for the
early identification
of individuals with suspected or diagnosed tuberculosis.  Medical
surveillance (at no cost to the
employees) to include testing of employees exposed to potentially
infectious patients for whom
the infection control procedures outlined by CDC were not taken (unless
the employees were
tested in the last three months.)  Placement of individuals with suspected
or
confirmed TB
disease in an AFB (acid fast bacilli) isolation room.  AFB isolation rooms
for persons withsuspected or confirmed infectious TB and areas in which
high hazard procedures are performed
on such individuals must be maintained under negative pressure and
approximately exhausted
(either directly to the outside away from intake vents or through properly
designed, installed,
and maintained HEPA filters).  Training and information to ensure employee
knowledge of such
issues as the hazard of TB transmission, its signs and symptoms, medical
surveillance and
therapy, and site-specific protocols including the purpose and proper use
of

Issued

Jul 22, 1994

Abate by

Sep 13, 1994

Penalty

Initial $1,125 · Current $1,125

Issued

Jul 22, 1994

Abate by

Sep 13, 1994

Penalty

Initial $1,125

Issued

Jul 22, 1994

Abate by

Sep 13, 1994

Penalty

Initial $1,125

Issued

Jul 22, 1994

Abate by

Sep 13, 1994

Penalty

Initial $1,125

Issued

May 26, 1994

Abate by

Jul 11, 1994

Penalty

Initial $1,500 · Current $1,050 Reduced

Issued

May 26, 1994

Abate by

Jul 11, 1994

Penalty

Initial $1,125 · Current $788 Reduced

Issued

May 26, 1994

Abate by

Jul 11, 1994

Penalty

Initial $1,500 · Current $1,050 Reduced

Issued

May 26, 1994

Abate by

Jul 11, 1994

Penalty

Initial $1,500 · Current $1,050 Reduced

Issued

May 26, 1994

Abate by

Aug 13, 1994

Penalty

Initial $1,500 · Current $1,050 Reduced

Issued

May 26, 1994

Abate by

Aug 14, 1994

Penalty

Initial $1,500 · Current $1,050 Reduced

Issued

May 26, 1994

Abate by

Jul 13, 1994

Penalty

Initial $750 · Current $525 Reduced

Issued

May 26, 1994

Abate by

Jul 13, 1994

Penalty

Initial $750 · Current $525 Reduced

Issued

May 26, 1994

Abate by

Jul 13, 1994

Penalty

Initial $750 · Current $525 Reduced

Issued

May 26, 1994

Abate by

Jun 28, 1994

Issued

May 26, 1994

Abate by

Jun 28, 1994

Issued

May 26, 1994

Abate by

Jun 28, 1994

Issued

May 26, 1994

Abate by

Jun 28, 1994