OSHA Inspection: NURSEFINDERS

Issued

May 4, 1990

Abate by

May 23, 1990

Penalty

Initial $720 · Current $720

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 employed by nursefinders were exposed to the
hazards of exposure to and contraction of Hepatitis B Virus (HBV)
and/or Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) through possible direct
contact with infectious blood or other body fluids. Health care
workers potentially exposed include Registered Nurses, Licensed
Practical nurses and Certified Nursing Assistants.
Feasible abatement methods for reducing this hazard, include but are not
limited to:
1) Hepatitis B Vaccination:
a) Implementation of a policy regarding Hepatitis B vaccinations to
address all circumstances warranting such vaccinations.
b) Employees indentified at a substantial risk of directly contacting
body fluids shall be offered Hepatitis B Vaccinations free of charge
in amounts and at times prescribed by standard medical practices.
2) Follow-up procedures after possible exposure to HBV and HIV shall
include:
a) HIV testing for the source patient. If patient consent is refused or
if the source patient tests possitive, the health care worker shall
be evaluated clinically and by HIV antibody testing as soon as
possible and advised to report and seek medical evaluation of any
acute febrile illness that occurs within 12 weeks after exposure.
HIV seronegative workers shall be retested 6 weeks post-exposure and
on a periodic basis thereafter (12 weeks and 6 months after
exposure).
b) The follow-up procedures for health care workers exposed or
potentially exposed to HBV shall depend 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; in accordance with the Center of Disease Control
(CDC) Immunization Practices Advisory Committee recommendations
regarding HBV post-exposure prophylaxis.