OSHA Inspection: CORRECTIONAL MEDICAL SERVICES

Issued

Jun 29, 1998

Abate by

Jul 27, 1998

Penalty

Initial $750 · Current $100 Reduced

General-duty citation text

KRS 338.031(1)(a): The employer did not furnish to each of his employees
employment and
a place of employment which are free from recognized hazards that are
causing or likely to
cause death or serious physical harm in that:
a.Employees were exposed to the hazard of being infected with mycobacterium
tuberculosis through unprotected contact with inmates who were infectious
or
suspected to be infectious with tuberculosis.  CMS personnel worked with
and
were in the areas where inmates as well as correctional officers of the
Fayette
County Detention Center were suspected to be infectious with tuberculosis.
The second floor of the facility was equipped with a containment room which
suspect TB inmates were kept until verification was established.  However,
even though not normal policy, inmates during the waiting period to read
the
PPD skin tests were placed in general population.  These inmates were
suspect
to being (or becoming) in the active stages of TB and precautions for
personnel should be as if they were exposed to inmates in the active
stages of
TB.
Feasible and Useful abatement methods are, but not limited to the
following:
1. Individuals with suspected or confirmed infectious TB disease must be
placed in a
respiratory acid-fast bacilli (AFB) isolation room.  high hazard
procedures on individuals
with suspected or confirmed infectious TB disease must be performed in AFB
treatment
rooms, AFB isolation rooms, booths, pressure room or an area that exhausts
room air
directly outside or through HEPA filters if recirculation is unavoidable.
2. Isolation and treatment rooms in use by individuals with suspected or
confirmed
infectious TB disease shall be kept under negative pressure to induce
airflow into the room
from all surrounding areas (e.g., corridors, ceiling plenums, plumbing
chases, etc.).
3. Air exhausted from AFB isolation or treatment rooms must be safely
exhausted
directly outside and not recirculated into the general ventilation system.
Or if recirculation is
necessary, the recirculated air must pass through HEPA filters.
4. In order to avoid leakage, all potentially contaminated air which is
ducted through
the facility must be kept under negative pressure until it is discharged
safely outside.
NOTE:  CDC guidelines should be followed for abatement assistance.