OSHA Inspection: MERCY HOSPITAL

Issued

Nov 4, 1993

Abate by

Dec 7, 1993

Penalty

Initial $2,250 · Current $1,125 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 in that employees,
including but not limited to staff nurses, Radiology personnel,
Environmental Services
personnel, Surgery personnel including Registered Nurses, and Surgical
Technicians and
Surgical Technologists, Laboratory personnel, and respiratory  therapists
were exposed to the
hazard of being infected by tuberculosis through contact with patients
who may be infected with
tuberculosis in that all AFB (acid fast bacilli) isolation rooms were not
maintained under
negative pressure.
a)   On or about 5/4/93 - 9/14/93, isolation rooms used for patients
with suspect or
active TB were not maintained under negative pressure to the
surrounding areas.
Feasible and useful abatement methods for reducing this hazard as
recommended by the CDC
are:
1.   AFB Isolation
AFB isolation rooms for persons with suspected or confirmed
infectious TB and areas
in which high hazard procedures are performed on such individuals
must be maintained
under negative pressure and appropriately exhausted.
2.   Medical Screening
All employees covered in the facility must be offered the Mantoux
skin test free of
charge and at a time and place convenient to the employee.
All test procedures shall be conducted in accordance with standard
medical practice.
Frequency of testing shall be as follows:
-  at time of employment, unless there is a previous positive test
or documented
completion of adequate preventive therapy.
-  every six (6) months for workers with frequent exposure to
patients with TB or are
involved with high hazard procedures.
-  annual testing for other workers.
-  after a TB exposure; that is, if a worker has been exposed to a
potentially infectious
TB patient for whom infection control procedures have not been taken.
This will not be
required when an employee's last skin test was within the previous three
(3) months.  If
negative, the skin test shall be repeated twelve (12) weeks after
exposure.
3.   Early Identification
Establish a protocol for the early identification of individuals
with active tuberculosis.
4.   Work Removal
When an employee is found to have current pulmonary or laryngeal TB,
they shall be
excluded from work until adequate treatment is instituted, their
cough is resolved and
a physician certifies that the person is no longer infectious.
5.   Training and Education
Employees shall be trained regarding the hazards and control of
tuberculosis.  Training
shall 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

Nov 4, 1993

Abate by

Nov 17, 1993

Penalty

Initial $2,250 · Current $1,125 Reduced

Issued

Sep 22, 1993

Abate by

Sep 30, 1993

Penalty

Initial $1,350 · Current $815 Reduced

Issued

Sep 22, 1993

Abate by

Oct 12, 1993

Penalty

Initial $1,800 · Current $1,085 Reduced

Issued

Sep 22, 1993

Abate by

Oct 25, 1993

Penalty

Initial $2,250 · Current $1,350 Reduced

Issued

Sep 22, 1993

Abate by

Oct 25, 1993

Penalty

Initial $1,350 · Current $815 Reduced

Issued

Sep 22, 1993

Abate by

Oct 12, 1993

Penalty

Initial $1,800 · Current $1,085 Reduced

Issued

Sep 22, 1993

Abate by

Oct 12, 1993

Penalty

Initial $1,800 · Current $1,085 Reduced

Issued

Sep 22, 1993

Abate by

Sep 30, 1993

Penalty

Initial $1,350 · Current $815 Reduced

Issued

Sep 22, 1993

Abate by

Oct 5, 1993

Issued

Sep 22, 1993

Abate by

Oct 14, 1993

Penalty

Initial $2,250 · Current $1,350 Reduced

Issued

Sep 22, 1993

Abate by

Oct 5, 1993

Penalty

Initial $2,250 · Current $1,350 Reduced

Issued

Sep 22, 1993

Abate by

Oct 5, 1993

Penalty

Initial $2,250 · Current $1,350 Reduced

Issued

Sep 22, 1993

Abate by

Oct 25, 1993

Penalty

Initial $2,250 · Current $1,350 Reduced

Issued

Sep 22, 1993

Abate by

Oct 25, 1993

Penalty

Initial $3,150 · Current $1,895 Reduced

Issued

Sep 22, 1993

Abate by

Sep 30, 1993

Penalty

Initial $3,150 · Current $1,895 Reduced

Issued

Sep 22, 1993

Abate by

Oct 25, 1993

Penalty

Initial $3,150 · Current $1,895 Reduced

Issued

Sep 22, 1993

Abate by

Oct 25, 1993

Penalty

Initial $3,150 · Current $1,895 Reduced

Issued

Sep 22, 1993

Abate by

Mar 1, 1994

Penalty

Initial $2,250 · Current $1,350 Reduced

Issued

Sep 22, 1993

Abate by

Mar 1, 1994

Issued

Sep 22, 1993

Abate by

Sep 27, 1993

Penalty

Initial $2,250 · Current $1,350 Reduced

Issued

Sep 22, 1993

Abate by

Sep 30, 1993

Penalty

Initial $2,250 · Current $1,350 Reduced

Issued

Sep 22, 1993

Abate by

Sep 30, 1993

Penalty

Initial $2,250 · Current $1,350 Reduced

Issued

Sep 22, 1993

Abate by

Oct 25, 1993

Penalty

Initial $2,250 · Current $1,350 Reduced

Issued

Sep 22, 1993

Abate by

Oct 5, 1993

Penalty

Initial $2,250 · Current $1,350 Reduced

Issued

Sep 22, 1993

Abate by

Sep 30, 1993

Penalty

Initial $1,800 · Current $1,085 Reduced

Issued

Sep 22, 1993

Abate by

Oct 25, 1993

Penalty

Initial $1,350 · Current $815 Reduced

Issued

Sep 22, 1993

Abate by

Oct 25, 1993

Penalty

Initial $1,800 · Current $1,085 Reduced

Issued

Sep 22, 1993

Abate by

Sep 30, 1993

Penalty

Initial $1,800 · Current $1,085 Reduced

Issued

Sep 22, 1993

Abate by

Jan 31, 1994

Penalty

Initial $1,800 · Current $1,085 Reduced

Issued

Sep 22, 1993

Abate by

Sep 27, 1993

Penalty

Initial $1,350 · Current $815 Reduced

Issued

Sep 22, 1993

Abate by

Sep 30, 1993

Penalty

Initial $1,350 · Current $815 Reduced

Issued

Sep 22, 1993

Abate by

Feb 28, 1994

Penalty

Initial $1,800 · Current $1,085 Reduced

Issued

Sep 22, 1993

Abate by

Sep 30, 1993

Issued

Sep 22, 1993

Abate by

Oct 5, 1993

Issued

Sep 22, 1993

Abate by

Sep 30, 1993

Issued

Sep 22, 1993

Abate by

Sep 27, 1993

Issued

Sep 22, 1993

Abate by

Oct 25, 1993

Issued

Sep 22, 1993

Abate by

Sep 30, 1993

Issued

Sep 22, 1993

Abate by

Sep 30, 1993

Issued

Sep 22, 1993

Abate by

Sep 30, 1993

Issued

Sep 22, 1993

Abate by

Sep 30, 1993

Issued

Sep 22, 1993

Abate by

Sep 30, 1993

Issued

Sep 22, 1993

Abate by

Sep 30, 1993

Issued

Sep 22, 1993

Abate by

Sep 30, 1993

Issued

Sep 22, 1993

Abate by

Sep 30, 1993

Issued

Sep 22, 1993

Abate by

Oct 14, 1993

Issued

Sep 22, 1993

Abate by

Sep 30, 1993

Issued

Sep 22, 1993

Abate by

Sep 30, 1993

Issued

Sep 22, 1993

Abate by

Sep 27, 1993

Issued

Sep 22, 1993

Abate by

Sep 27, 1993