OSHA Inspection: VIRTUA MEMORIAL HOSPITAL BURLINGTON COUNTY

Issued

Aug 12, 1999

Abate by

Aug 30, 1999

Penalty

Initial $2,625 · Current $1,312 Reduced

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 being infected with Mycobacterium
tuberculosis through
unprotected contact with a patient who was infectious or suspected to be
infectious with
tuberculosis in that:
a)  Physicians, nurses and other health care workers were exposed to the
hazard off being
infected with tuberculosis through contact with a patient with active
tuberculosis who was
admitted to room 362 from 5/21/99 to 5/22/99.  Room 362 was not a negative
pressure
AFB isolation room.
Feasible and useful abatement methods for reducing this hazard, as
recommended by the
Centers for Disease Control include, but are not limited to:
1)  Placement of individuals with suspected or confirmed TB disease in an
AFB (Acid
Fast Bacilli) isolation room.  AFB isolation rooms for persons with
suspected or
confirmed infectious TB must be maintained under negative pressure and
appropriately
exhausted (either directly to the outside away from intake vents or
through properly
designed, installed, and maintained HEPA filters).

Issued

Aug 12, 1999

Abate by

Aug 17, 1999

Penalty

Initial $1,500 · Current $750 Reduced