OSHA Inspection: CONCORDIA CARE CENTER

Issued

Mar 9, 1992

Abate by

Apr 2, 1992

Penalty

Initial $5,000 · Current $5,000

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:
At the establishment, health care workers such as but not
limited to nurses, nurses aids, housekeepers, laundry workers
and others whose work may involve direct contact with body
fluids were exposed to the hazard of being infected by Hepatitis
B Virus (HBV) through possible direct contact with blood or other
body fluids.
Feasible and useful abatement method(s) for reducing this hazard,
among others, are:  Offering all such employees Hepatitis B
vaccinations free of charge in amounts and at times prescribed
by standard medical practices.
The employer is not limited to abatement methods suggested by OSHA;
i.e., methods explained are general and may not be effective in all
cases.  Other methods of abatement may be equally or more appropriate.
Ultimate responsibility for determining the most appropriate abatement
method rests with the employer, given its superior knowledge of the
specific conditions on its worksite.