OSHA Inspection: EAST ORANGE GENERAL HOSPITAL

Issued

Aug 25, 1994

Abate by

Oct 27, 1994

Penalty

Initial $2,625 · Current $1,625 Reduced

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
infected with Mycobacterium tuberculosis through contact with
patients who were or may be infected with tuberculosis in that:
a)  Nurses and other health care providers were exposed to the
hazard of being infected with tuberculosis through contact with
active or suspect TB patients who were not placed in negative
pressure isolation rooms.  On or about 4/22/94, 5/12/94, and
5/25/94 on the fourth, first, and ground floors of East Orange
General Hospital, Room #14 of the Family Center, 86 So. Harrison
Street.
Isolation rooms found not to be under negative pressure include,
but are not limited to:
Rooms 410,416,408 - 4th floor.
Aerosolized pentamidine treatment room- 4th floor(main)
GYN Room - designated isolation room, in Emergency Department, on
ground floor
Special Procedures Room, ground floor
Room # 1, x-ray department.,first floor
Room # 14 Family Center, 86 South Harrison Street
Hemodialysis Department Isolation Room
b)Hospital and Family Center; Nurses, social workers, X-ray
technicians, transporters, and other health care workers, who
enter TB isolation rooms or are involved in TB related high
hazard procedures, were not provided the Mantoux Skin Test every
six months, as recommended by the Centers for Disease Control
(CDC). On or about 4/22/94
Feasible and useful abatement methods for reducing this hazard,
as recommended by the Centers for Disease Control, among others
are:
1)  Placement of individuals with suspected or confirmed TB
disease in an AFB (acid fast bacilli) isolation room.  AFB
isolation rooms for persons with suspected or confirmed
infectious TB areas in which high hazard procedures are performed
on such individuals must be maintained under negative pressure
and appropriately exhausted (either directly to the outside away
from intake vents or through properly designed, installed, and
maintained HEPA filters).
2)  Provide medical surveillance (at no cost to employees)
including pre-placement evaluation, administration and
interpretation of TB Mantoux skin tests, and periodic
evaluations.  The frequency of the tests must be in accordancewith current
CDC guidelines.
3)  Screen patients suspected of having TB so that active TB
patients may be quickly placed in AFB isolation. Provide a rapid
diagnostic service.
4)  Provide training to employees on the hazard and control of
tuberculosis.  The training must include the epidemiology,
transmission, treatment and pathogenesis of tuberculosis.

Issued

Aug 25, 1994

Abate by

Sep 27, 1994

Penalty

Initial $2,625 · Current $1,625 Reduced

Issued

Aug 25, 1994

Abate by

Aug 30, 1994

Penalty

Initial $1,600 · Current $600 Reduced