OSHA Inspection: BROOKDALE SENIOR LIVING INC.

Issued

Jan 24, 2012

Abate by

Feb 23, 2012

Penalty

Initial $2,550 · Current $1,785 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.151(c): Where the eyes or body of any person may be exposed to injurious corrosive materials, suitable facilities for quick drenching or flushing of the eyes and body were not provided within the work area for immediate emergency use:    (a) Brookdale Senior Living Inc. DBA Sterling House at 1002 Rule Dr. in Fort Collins, CO 80525: On and before December 5, 2011 suitable facilities for quick drenching or flushing of the eyes and body were not provided within the work area for immediate use in that there was no plumbed eyewash station installed in the building.  Corrosive chemicals were observed in the laundry room, housekeeping closet, and kitchen. This condition exposed employees using corrosive cleaning chemicals to an eye hazard.    Abatement Note:  Abatement certification is required for this item (see enclosed "Certification of Corrective Action Worksheet").

Issued

Jan 24, 2012

Abate by

Feb 23, 2012

Penalty

Initial $2,550 · Current $1,785 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.1030(c)(1)(iv): The Exposure Control Plan was not reviewed and updated at least annually and whenever necessary to reflect new or modified tasks and procedures which affect occupational exposure and to reflect new or revised employee positions with occupational exposure:    (a) Brookdale Senior Living Inc. DBA Sterling House at 1002 Rule Dr. in Fort Collins, CO 80525: The employer did not review and update the Exposure Control Plan at least annually.  The Plan provided during the inspection was dated December 2009.  The employer did not document annual consideration and implementation of safer medical devices.  The employer did not solicit non-managerial employees' input to identify, evaluate, and select effective engineering and work practice controls. This condition exposed employees to sharps injuries.    Abatement Note: The review and update of such plans shall:  �Reflect changes in technology that eliminate or reduce exposure to bloodborne pathogens; and  �Document annually consideration and implementation of appropriate commercially available and effective safer medical devices designed to eliminate or minimize occupational exposure.  �An employer, who is required to establish an Exposure Control Plan, shall solicit input from non-managerial employees responsible for direct patient care who are potentially exposed to injuries from contaminated sharps in the identification, evaluation, and selection of effective engineering and work practice controls and shall document the solicitation in the Exposure Control Plan.    Abatement Note: The standard does not specify the level of detail that must be included in this documentation; however, sufficient information must be provided to substantiate the facility's judgment. As discussed in the preamble of the Final Rule, consideration and implementation of safer medical devices could be documented in the Exposure Control Plan by describing the safer devices identified as candidates for adoption; the method or methods used to evaluate devices and the results of the evaluations; and justification for selection decisions. (Excerpt from a Letter of Interpretation to Dr. Hyman on May 5, 2008)    Abatement Note:  Abatement certification is required for this item (see enclosed "Certification of Corrective Action Worksheet").

Issued

Jan 24, 2012

Abate by

Feb 23, 2012

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1904.7(b)(4): When an injury or illness involved restricted work or job transfer the employer did not record the injury or illness on the OSHA 300 Log by placing a check mark in the space for job transfer or restriction and an entry of the number of restricted or transferred days in the restricted work days column:    (a) Brookdale Senior Living Inc. DBA Sterling House at 1002 Rule Dr. in Fort Collins, CO 80525:  The employer incorrectly recorded injuries involving restricted work or job transfer in that in 2009 the number of restricted days were not recorded on the log for each injury classified as a job transfer or restricted case.  This condition materially impaired the accuracy of the OSHA 300 Log.     Abatement Note:  Abatement certification is required for this item (see enclosed "Certification of Corrective Action Worksheet")

Issued

Jan 24, 2012

Abate by

Feb 23, 2012

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1904.29(b)(7)(v): The employer did not consider needlestick injuries and cuts from sharp objects that were contaminated with another person's blood or other potentially infectious material to be privacy case concerns:    (a) Brookdale Senior Living Inc. DBA Sterling House at 1002 Rule Dr. in Fort Collins, CO 80525:  The employer recorded an employee's name, rather than the words "privacy case", when the injury involved a needlestick. This condition compromised the employee's privacy.     Abatement Note:  Abatement certification is not required for this item.

Issued

Jan 24, 2012

Abate by

Feb 23, 2012

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.1030(g)(2)(vii)(F): The training program did not contain an explanation of the use and limitations of methods that will prevent or reduce exposure including appropriate engineering controls, work practices, and personal protective equipment:    (a) Brookdale Senior Living Inc. DBA Sterling House at 1002 Rule Dr. in Fort Collins, CO 80525: On and before December 5, 2011 employees' bloodborne pathogen exposure control plan training did not include specific information on the contact time required to effectively disinfect surfaces for each disinfectant used at the facility.  Employees were not aware of the contact time for Oasis 531, the primary disinfectant used at the facility.  This condition exposed employees to a bloodborne pathogens hazard.    Abatement Note:  Abatement certification is required for this item (see enclosed "Certification of Corrective Action Worksheet").

Issued

Jan 24, 2012

Abate by

Feb 23, 2012

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.1030(h)(5)(i)(A): The sharps injury log did not contain the type and brand of device involved in the incident:     (a) Brookdale Senior Living Inc. DBA Sterling House at 1002 Rule Dr. in Fort Collins, CO 80525: The employer did not record the type and brand of device associated with a needlestick recorded in 2009. This condition prevented the employer from identifying trends associated with sharps injuries.    Abatement Note: The sharps injury log shall contain, at a minimum:  �	The type and brand of device involved in the incident,  �	The department or work area where the exposure incident occurred, and  �	An explanation of how the incident occurred.     Abatement Note:  Abatement certification is required for this item (see enclosed "Certification of Corrective Action Worksheet").