OSHA Inspection: THE GEO GROUP, INC.

Issued

Jun 11, 2012

Abate by

Jul 5, 2012

Penalty

Initial $6,600 · Current $6,600

Issued

Jun 11, 2012

Abate by

Jul 5, 2012

Penalty

Initial $70,000 · Current $7,000 Reduced

General-duty citation text

Section 5(a)(1) of Public Law 91-596, 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 are exposed to the hazard of being assaulted
by violent inmates
causing fatal or serious physical injury.  During routine interactions
with inmates with known
histories of violence, employees were exposed to numerous incidents of
violent behavior by
inmates which have resulted in bites, stabbings, and injuries to the head,
eyes, face, hands, legs,
and body from hits, kicks, punches; exposure to bloodborne pathogens from
human bodily fluids
being thrown at them; and stress from exposure to workplace violence.  The
employer failed to
develop and implement adequate measures to materially reduce or eliminate
the likelihood of
physical assaults by inmates against employees working at the East
Mississippi Correctional
Facility:
(a)On or about December 13 through January 29, 2012, employees were exposed
to physical assaults by prison inmates due to staff shortage. During this
period the
employer failed to meet the employer's minimum staffing requirements.
(b)On or about December 13, 2011, corrections officers were required to
perform
head counts inside of housing pods alone.
(c)The employer's staffing plan required 8 corrections officers in unit 5.
On or about
December 16-19, 2011, there were only three corrections officers present
in housing unit
5.
(d)On or about December 13, 2011 through February 13, 2012, cell doors in
units
5 and 6 were frequently tampered with and unlocked by prison inmates.
Displays in
pickets 5 and 6 indicated that doors were unsecured and when the cell
doors were
manually checked by corrections officers they would not open from the
outside, however
the inmates could open the cell doors from the inside.
(e)On or about December 13, 2011 through February 13, 2012, door lock
status
indicators in pickets throughout the facility at times gave false
readings.  Not all doors
that were indicated as secured on displays in pickets were secured.
(f)On or about December 13, 2011 through April 24, 2012, not all employees
working in areas where they are exposed to contact with prisoners were
trained in basic
self-defense and use of chemical agents.
Among other methods, one feasible and acceptable abatement method to
correct this hazard is
to:
Establish a site specific Workplace Violence Prevention program.  Ensure
the program has the
following elements:
(1)Engineering Controls:
- Repair or replace defective cell door lock systems throughout the
facility.  - Repair or replace defective picket door indicator system in
the housing unit(s).
- Develop and implement a policy that picket door status indicators must
never
be ignored and train officers operating the picket to adhere to the
policy.
-Assure continued maintenance of all door lock systems throughout the
facility.
Institute a policy prohibiting inmates from placing items on cell doors
that
obstruct corrections officers' view into cells.
(2)Administrative Controls:
- Evaluate workplace controls and implement new policies and procedures to
reduce violence in the workplace.
- Assess management of the facility, prison routines, incentives and
disincentives
for inmates, physical constraints, surveillance, and staff deployment.
- Assess staffing periodically and when appropriate, such as when the
number and
security levels of inmates change.  Based on the staffing assessment,
maintain
adequate numbers of corrections officers to safely manage the number of
prisoners under their supervision and to complete their assigned duties.
Enforce
minimum corrections officer requirements of company policy in each housing
unit
on each shift.
-Assess practices and procedures in all areas of the facility where
workplace
violence incidents occur (e.g., the medical unit, housing units and
showers).
Make changes to those practices and procedures when necessary for employee
safety.
- Increase the number of searches for weapons and contraband.
- Enforce work rule requiring a buddy system be used when corrections
officers
enter housing areas.
- Provide counseling to employees when necessary for stress and anxiety.
(3)Personal protective equipment:
- Ensure an adequate communication system is in place for both preventing
and
securing assistance during incidents of workplace violence.
- Provide personal alarm systems for all staff exposed to inmate contact.
- Ensure all corrections officers have an operable two way radio.
(4)Employee Training
- Conduct training specific to the prevention of workplace violence,
including
conflict resolution training for all employees upon hiring.  Emphasize the
importance of stress management, and include it as part of the employees'
training.
- Train all staff members who may be exposed to contact with inmates on
the
use
of chemical agents and basic self-defense.

Issued

Jun 11, 2012

Abate by

Jul 5, 2012