OSHA Inspection: FOREST HILLS NURSING HOME

Issued

May 25, 1995

Abate by

Jun 27, 1995

Penalty

Initial $1,250 · Current $1,000 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 employmnent 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)Registered nurses, licensed practical nurses, certified aides and other
health care
providers attended to the medical and personal hygiene needs of a resident
with active
TB disease.  Mantoux skin testing was not provided free of charge to the
employees on
a schedule consistent with Centers for Disease Control guidelines.  Some
employees did
not receive TB training.  On or about 11/23/94-11/29/94.
Feasible and useful abatement methods for reducing this hazard, as
recommended by the Centers
for Disease Control, among others are:
1)  Develop a protocol for early identification, isolation, and treatment
of
individuals
with suspect or active tuberculosis.
2)  Provide medical surveillance (at no cost to employees) including
preplacement
evaluation, administration and interpretation of TB Mantoux skin tests,
and periodic
evaluations.  The frequency of the tests must be in accordance with
current CDC
guidelines.
3)  Evaluation and management (at no cost to employees) of workers with a
positive skin
test, or with skin test conversions on repeat testing, or who are
exhibiting symptoms of
TB, including work restrictions for infectious employees.  Workers who
experience a TB
exposure incident (exposure to a resident with infectious TB for whom
infection control
precautions have not been taken) shall also be managed according to CDC
recommendations.
4)  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
sitespecific
protocols including the purpose and proper use of controls.

Issued

May 25, 1995

Abate by

Jun 27, 1995

Penalty

Initial $1,250 · Current $1,000 Reduced

Issued

May 25, 1995

Abate by

Jun 27, 1995

Penalty

Initial $1,250 · Current $500 Reduced

Issued

May 25, 1995

Abate by

May 31, 1995

Issued

May 25, 1995

Abate by

Jun 27, 1995

Issued

May 25, 1995

Abate by

Jul 11, 1995

Issued

May 25, 1995

Abate by

Jun 27, 1995