OSHA Inspection: ST. LUKE'S HOSPITAL

Issued

Nov 6, 1991

Abate by

Dec 24, 1991

Penalty

Initial $1,875 · Current $1,875

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 the hazard of being potentially infected by HBV and/or HIV
through direct contact with blood or other body fluids:
(a)  Health care workers were required to launder their own
uniforms thus exposing them to the potential of contracting HIV
and/or HBV.  Laundering and adequacy of uniforms should be the
responsibility of the company.
While ultimate responsibility for correcting the hazard rests with
the employer, given his superior knowledge of the workplace,
feasible and acceptable methods to correct this hazard, among
others are:
(1)  The IC program shall have identified all laundry opera-
tions involving substantial risk of direct exposure to body
fluids.  Linen soiled with body fluids shall be handled as
little as possible and with minimum agitation to prevent
contamination of the person handling the linen.  All soiled
linen shall be bagged at the location where it was used; it
shall not be sorted or rinsed in patient-care areas.  Soiled
linen shall be placed and transported in bags that prevent
leakage.