OSHA Inspection: FINCH PRUYN & COMPANY, INC.

Issued

Jun 1, 1992

Abate by

Jun 19, 1992

Penalty

Initial $2,125 · Current $2,125

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 becoming infected with Hepatitis B Virus
(HBV) and/or Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) through possible
direct contact with blood or other body fluids:
(a)  1/21/92, Nurses working in the plant clinic who provided
first aid care or other types of medical care were not
offered the Hepatitis B vaccination.
(b)  Follow-up procedures after possible exposure to HIV/HBV
were not established for nurses who may be exposed to
blood or other body fluids while administering first aid.
The hazard of such exposure include, but are not limited to, acute
Hepatitis B, cirrhosis, primary liver cancer and becoming a chronic
active carrier of the Hepatitis B and/or Human Immunodeficiency Virus.
Feasible abatement methods to correct this hazard as stipulated in
the Center for Disease Control Guidelines published in Morbidity
and Mortality Weekly Report, June 24,1988, Volume 37 Number 24,
include but are not limited to:
1)  Hepatitis B Vaccination
Finch Pruyn's infection control policy regarding Hepatitis B
vaccinations shall address all circumstances warranting such
vaccinations and shall identify employees of substantial risk
or directly contacting blood and body fluids.
All such employees shall be offered Hepatitis B vaccinations in
amounts and at times prescribed by standard medical practice,
at no cost to employees.
2)  Follow-up Procedures After Possible Exposure to HIV/HBV:
(a)  If a health care worker has a percutaneous (needle-
stick or cut) or mucous membrane (splash to the eye,
nasal mucosa, or mouth) exposure to blood or body
fluids when the cutaneous exposure to blood or body
fluids when the workwer's skin is chapped, abraded, or
otherwise non-intact, the source patient shall be
informed of the incident and tested for HIV and HBV
infections, after consent is obtained.
(b)  If patient consent is refused or if the source patient
tests positive, the health care worker shall be evaluated
clinically 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).
(c)  Follow-up procedures shall be taken for health care
workers exposed or potentially exposed to HBV.  The
type of procedures depends on the immunization status
of the worker (i.e., whether HBV vaccination has been
received and antibody response id adequate) and the HBV
serologic status of the source patient.  The CDC i t
recommendations regarding HBV post-exposure prophylaxis
in table format in the June 5, 1985, morbidity and
mortality Weekly Report.