OSHA Inspection: EMERITUS SENIOR LIVING CORP

Issued

Jun 10, 2013

Abate by

Jun 26, 2013

Penalty

Initial $3,000 · Current $2,100 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.132(c): Personal protective equipment was not of safe design and construction for the work to be performed:    a)   Housekeeping staff and resident care workers used examining gloves that are not approved for chemical protection for cleaning or wiping up cleaning materials and disinfectants, including -    Among chemicals in use at this location, are the following:    --Ecolab Virasept containing acetic acid, hydrogen peroxide and peroxyacetic acid, which can cause severe eye irritation or irreversible damage to the eye and skin irritation;  --and, Ecolab Oasis 299 disinfectant containing phosphoric acid and diethylene glycol monobutyl ether, which can cause digestive tract, eye and skin burns, and which can be absorbed through the skin and result in kidney damage, respectively.                               Abatement Certification and Documentation is required.

Issued

Jun 10, 2013

Abate by

Jul 17, 2013

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $1,500

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.1030(c)(1)(v): The employer, who is required to establish an Exposure Control Plan, did not 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 did not document the solicitation in the Exposure Control Plan:    a)  As of 2/15/2013, the employer's Exposure Control Plan did not include the means and documentation for the input of non-managerial employees regarding the evaluation and selection of effective engineering and work practice controls.                                          Abatement Certification and Documentation is required.

Issued

Jun 10, 2013

Abate by

Jul 13, 2013

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.1200(e)(1): The employer did not develop, implement, and/or maintain at the workplace a written hazard communication program which describes how the criteria specified in 29 CFR 1910.1200(f), (g), and (h) will be met:  a)  On 2/15/2013, the company did not maintain a complete and effective written Hazard Communication Program for its Fox River Senior Living site.  The corporate recommended template for the program had not been completed nor followed in the detail described in that responsible parties were not named, written program locations available to all employees were not identified, and date or frequency of training were not given.  b.)  On 2/15/2013, a list of hazardous chemicals in the dietary department was not available upon request during the OSHA inspection.     Among chemicals in use at this site location, are the following:  --Ecolab Gelpro 50 cleaner containing sodium hydroxide and sodium hypochlorite, which can result in severe irritation to eyes and skin; --Ecolab Virasept containing acetic acid, hydrogen peroxide and peroxyacetic acid, which can cause severe eye irritation or irreversible damage to the eye; --Ecolab Greasestrip Plus containing sodium hydroxide as a corrosive cleaner, which can cause digestive tract, eye and skin burns; --and, Ecolab Oasis 299 disinfectant containing phosphoric acid and diethylene glycol monobutyl ether, which can cause digestive tract, eye and skin burns, and which can be absorbed through the skin and result in kidney damage, respectively.                           Abatement Certification and Documentation is required.