OSHA Inspection: VAN ORSDEL MORTUARIES INC. DBA VAN ORSDEL FUNERAL

Issued

Apr 25, 1991

Abate by

May 26, 1991

Issued

Apr 24, 1991

Abate by

May 26, 1991

Penalty

Initial $640 · Current $320 Reduced

General-duty citation text

The alleged violations below have been grouped because they involve
similar or related hazards that may increase the potential for illness.
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:
a) On or about January 3, 1991, funeral service employees
performing embalming and removals of remains were exposed
to hazards of being infected by Hepatitis B virus and/or
human immunodeficiency virus through possible direct contact
with blood or other potentially infectious materials.
Feasible abatement methods for reducing this hazard include:
1) Establishment of a Hepatitis B vaccination policy and program which
addresses all circumstances warranting such vaccinations and
identifies all employees at substantial risk of directly contacting
blood or other potentially infectious materials, and offer all such
employees Hepatitis B vaccinations in amounts and at times prescribed
by standard medical pracatice.
Reference: Centers for Disease Control Immunization Practices Advisory
Committee: Recommendations for Protection Against Viral Hepatitis. MMWR
1990:39 (No.S2).
2) Establishment of a training policy and program for employees (as
above) which includes training about Hepatitis B vaccination program
and procedures to be followed and provided if they are exposed to a
needle stick or other direct contact with blood or other potentially
infectious material.

Issued

Apr 24, 1991

Abate by

May 26, 1991

General-duty citation text

SECTION 5(A)(1) OF THE OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND HEALTH ACT OF 1970: THE
EMPLOYER DID NTO 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:
A) ON OR ABOUT JANUARY 3. 1991, APPROPRIATE POST-EXPOSURE
MEDICAL EVALUATION AND FOLLOW-UP PROCEDURES WERE NOT ESTABLISHED
FOR EMBALMERS AND OTHER EMPLOYEE(S) EXPOSED TO THE HAZARD OF
BEING INFECTED WITH HBV AND/OR HIV THROUGH DIRECT CONTACT WITH
BLOOD OR OTHER POTENTIALLY INFECTIOUS MATERIALS, I.E., INCIDENTS
OF PERCUTANEOUS (NEEDLE STICK OR CUT) OR MUCOUS MEMBRANE (SPASH
TO EYE, NASAL MUCOSA, OR MOUTH) EXPOSURE, OR TO CUTANEOUS EXPOSURE
OF CHAPPED, ABRADED, OR OTHERWISE NON-INTACT SKIN.
FEASIBLE ABATEMENT METHODS FOR REDUCING THIS HAZARD INCLUDE:
A CONFIDENTIAL MEDICAL EXAMINATION AND FOLLOW-UP INCLUDING THE FOLLOWING
1) DOCUMENTATION OF THE HBV INFECTION STATUS OF THE SOURCE PATIENT
(IF KNOWN) AND,
2) FOLLOW-UP OF THE EXPOSED EMPLOYEES INCLUDING ANTIGEN AND/OR ANTIBODY
TESTING (HBV/HIV), COUNSELING, ILLNESS REPORTING, AND SAFE AND
EFFECTIVE POST-EXPOSURE PROPHYLAXIS AS INDICATED ACCORDING TO
STANDARD RECOMMENDATIONS FOR MEDICAL PRACTICE.
REFERENCE: CENTERS FOR DISEASE CONTROL. RECOMMENDATIONS FOR PREVENTION
OF HIV TRANSMISSION IN HEALTH-CARE SETTINGS. MMWR 1987;36 (SUPPL. 2S).
REFERENCE: CENTERS FOR DISEASE CONTROL, IMMUNIZATION PRACTICES ADVISORY
COMMITTEE, RECOMMENDATIONS FOR PROTECTION AGAINST VIRAL HEPATITIS. MMWR
1990:39: (NO.S.2).
NOTE: IT IS RECOMMENDED THAT THE FACILITY DEVELOP POLICIES FOR
DOCUMENTATION AND TRACKING OF POST-EXPOSURE EVALUATIONS AND FOLLOW-UP
PROCEDURES (RE: HBV/HIV) WHICH ADDRESS OR SPECIFY REQUIREMENTS FOR:
1) DOCUMENTATION OF SOURCE PATIENT IDENTIFICATION AND CIRCUMSTANCES
UNDERWHICH EXPOSURE OCCURRED.
2) DETERMINATION OF SOURCE HIV STATUS AND/OR TESTING OR SOURCE
PATIENTS WHERE FEASIBLE.
3) DOCUMENTATION OF SERONEGATIVE SOURCE PATIENTS "RISK-FACTORS"
EVALUATION.
4) DEVELOPMENT OF A CHRONOLOGICAL TRACKING SYSTEM TO ASSURE TIMELY
ADMINISTRATION OF VACCINES AND PROCEDURES (E.G., HB VACCINE, SERIAL
HIV TESTING) AND NOTIFICATION TO EXPOSED EMPLOYEES OF RESULTS OF
TESTS AND EVALUATION, AND DATES OF FUTURE VACCINATIONS/INNOCULATIONS
AND, TESTS OR PROCEDURES THAT MAY BE REQUIRED.

Issued

Apr 24, 1991

Abate by

May 26, 1991

Penalty

Initial $640 · Current $320 Reduced

Issued

Apr 24, 1991

Abate by

May 26, 1991

Issued

Apr 24, 1991

Abate by

Jul 24, 1991

Issued

Apr 24, 1991

Abate by

May 26, 1991

Issued

Apr 24, 1991

Abate by

May 3, 1991

Penalty

Initial $640 · Current $320 Reduced

Issued

Apr 24, 1991

Abate by

May 3, 1991

Issued

Apr 24, 1991

Abate by

May 3, 1991

Issued

Apr 24, 1991

Abate by

May 26, 1991

Penalty

Initial $600 · Current $300 Reduced

Issued

Apr 24, 1991

Abate by

May 26, 1991

Issued

Apr 24, 1991

Abate by

May 26, 1991

Issued

Apr 24, 1991

Abate by

May 26, 1991

Hazardous substances 1290

Issued

Apr 24, 1991

Abate by

Apr 27, 1991

Penalty

Initial $80 · Current $40 Reduced

Issued

Apr 24, 1991

Abate by

Jun 17, 1991

Issued

Apr 24, 1991

Abate by

Jun 17, 1991