OSHA Inspection: CAPITAL DISTRICT TRANSPORTATION AUTHORITY (CDTA)

Issued

Feb 28, 2009

Abate by

Feb 28, 2009

General-duty citation text

NYSLL Article 2, Section 27(a)(3a)(1): Employer did not furnish to each of
its employees
employment and a place of employment which was free from recognized
hazards that were
causing or were likely to cause death or serious physical harm to its
employees and which
will provide reasonable and adequate protection to the lives, safety or
health of its
employees. In applying this paragraph, fundamental distinctions between
private and public
sector employment have been recognized:
a.) Employees of Capital District Transportation Authority( CDTA), 40
Hoosick Street,
Troy,NY  were exposed to the hazard of being infected  with bacteria,
viruses and other
pathologic entities while washing buses and  servicing bus wash and  other
equipment known to contain pathogens. Such equipment that were reported to
contain high
bacterial counts included troughs used for the collection of spent water
and filter housing
equipment ( associated with dirty water loops). Aerosolized pathogens
could infect employees
washing buses and performing maintenance work on bus wash equipment.
Reasonable and adequate abatement methods for reducing this hazard, among
others are:
1 The employer had not developed  maintenance procedures for servicing
and disinfecting
bus wash equipment. The latter procedure would include disinfection or
replacement of
recycled or dirty water.
2. The employer had not trained  employees in the hazards, including
microbiologic hazards,
associated with the bus wash process. Such training would include the
nature  and
pathenogenicity of recycled or dirty water, service procedures for bus
wash equipment, and
hygiene measures to reduce exposure.