OSHA Inspection: MADONNA MANOR, INCORPORATED

Issued

Aug 26, 2003

Abate by

Dec 31, 2003

Penalty

Initial $3,500 · Current $1,750 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 serious physical harm to employees, in
that employees were
required to perform lifting tasks resulting in stressors that have caused
or were likely to cause
musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs):
(a) On or about July 28, 2003 and at times prior thereto, employees,
including Certified Nursing
Assistants who work at Madonna Manor, Incorporated, on North Washington
Street, North
Attleboro, Massachusetts, performed repeated lifting/lowering, pushing,
pulling, bending,
reaching, twisting, and other tasks associated with resident transfers and
repositioning.  These
actions, which required employees to manually transfer and reposition
partial-weight bearing
residents and non-bearing-residents, exposed employees to hazards which
had
caused, are
causing, or likely to cause, musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) involving
the back and shoulders.
Abatement:  Although some ergonomic-related risk factors may be reduced or
eliminated by
implementing a single means of abatement, in most cases a process that
includes analysis of the
worksite, prevention and control, medical management, and training and
education of employees
(in both recognition of hazard and injury and of avoidance of injury) will
provide the most
effective method of addressing the risk factors.  The employer may adopt
any measures that are
effective in substantially reducing or eliminating the hazard.
Abatement controls include engineering, training and education, and
administrative and work
practice controls.
Engineering controls:
Some examples of engineering controls include:
1. The use of an adequate number of appropriate mechanical lift-assist
devices and
repositioning devices to significantly reduce or eliminate manual
transferring and
repositioning of residents.  These devices include, but are not limited
to, lift-assist
devices, sit-to-stand devices, and overhead lift-assist devices which can
be installed in
rooms and areas where the use of mobile, wheeled lift-assist devices would
be unwieldy.
2. The use of other transfer and repositioning assistive devices, which
include but are not
limited to low-friction slip sheets, pivot transfer devices, slide boards,
and double-
handled gait belts.
3. The use of equipment to assist with Activities of Daily Living (ADLs),
such as
toilet/shower chairs, transfer boards, and height-adjustable bathtubs with
easier access
and egress.
4. Replacement on an accelerated schedule of the facility's
manually-cranked adjustable
beds with electric height-adjustable beds.
Training and Education:Examples of training and education include:
Providing training and retraining to employees who are responsible for
transferring and
repositioning residents in hazard recognition and control, and in the use
of mechanical
lift-assist, transfer, and repositioning devices.
Administrative controls:
An example of administrative controls that may apply to this facility
include:
Ensuring that all mechanical lift-assist devices, transfer devices, and
repositioning
assistive devices are properly maintained.
Work practice controls:
Some examples of work practice controls that may apply to this workplace
include:
1. Proper use of mechanical lift-assist devices and repositioning devices
including work
methods that improve posture and reduce stress and strain on the low back
and
extremities.
2. Monitoring the use of all mechanical lift-assist devices and transfer
and repositioning
devices to ensure that they are being used when needed and in the manner
intended by
the manufacturer.

Issued

Aug 26, 2003

Abate by

Sep 28, 2003

Penalty

Initial $1,125 · Current $563 Reduced

Issued

Aug 26, 2003

Abate by

Sep 28, 2003

Penalty

Initial $1,125 · Current $563 Reduced