OSHA Inspection: SIMONETTI REALTY, INC

Issued

2014-06-09 00:00:00

Abate by

2014-07-12 00:00:00

Penalty

Initial $7000.00 · Current $4600.00 Reduced

General-duty citation text

OSH ACT of 1970 Section (5)(a)(1): 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 tasks resulting in physical stressors that have caused or were likely to cause musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs):     At Marshall Lane Manor, owned by Simonetti Realty, Inc., located at 101 Marshall Lane, Derby, Connecticut, Certified Nursing Assistants manually lift, transfer, and reposition non-weight bearing and partial weight bearing, residents exposing them on a near constant basis to the physical hazards of these tasks which cause MSD injuries.        Feasible and useful method to correct the hazard - Fully implementing a comprehensive Safe Patient Handling Program which includes a lifting and transferring policy and related procedures with guidance on the reduction and/or the elimination of manual resident handling tasks by increasing the use of appropriate equipment and mechanical devices, improving the methods for assessing the needs of each non-weight bearing  resident, and partial and full weight bearing resident to determine the safest method to lift, transfer, ambulate or reposition each resident by the staff.  The Safe Patient Handling Program should ensure that staffing levels are consistent with industry guidelines.        The program should include:      1.  Resident Assessment:        The facility should continue assessing the lifting, transferring, and repositioning needs of each resident, but in addition the assessment should take employee safety into consideration by selection of the most appropriate lifting, transferring and repositioning devices based on the resident?s ability to bear weight, follow directions, assist with bed mobility, ability to ambulate, and the rehabilitation goals.  The resident assessment will eliminate all manual physical assists by three persons and minimize in all cases and eliminate when feasible the manual physical assist by one or two persons to lift, transfer and reposition the resident.  The assessment criteria such as, but not limited to, Algorithms, the Minimum Data Set, or the Functional Independence Measure should be used to determine a resident?s movement needs and identify the most appropriate methods to move and ambulate the resident while minimizing in all cases and eliminating when feasible the manual physical assistance required by the staff.  The assessment should take into consideration the recommended weight limit of 35 pounds for resident handlers.  The facility should continue to convey to all staff responsible for the resident care through formal shift change meetings, care plan documentation, and training with the mind set of keeping the resident as independent as possible but at the same time addressing the actions that may cause resident handler injury.       2.  Equipment:        A sufficient amount of appropriate equipment will be provided with the variety of appropriate slings for the tasks to enable mechanical lift, transfer, ambulation and repositioning for the residents and protect the staff.  The number of lifts to ensure safety of the direct care provider depends on the resident?s physical dependency.  One full dependency lift is needed for every 8 to 10 non-weight bearing residents and one sit/stand lift should be provided for every 8 to 10 partial weight bearing residents to eliminate manually lifting more than 35 pounds of the resident?s body weight.  Ambulation aids are needed for every resident with balance, strength or endurance limitations.  Repositioning devices with friction?reducing aids or slip sheets should be available to assist with any repositioning needs to eliminate manually lifting more than 35 pounds of the resident?s body weight.  The equipment footprint will be considered for the bedroom and bathroom configurations.      3.  Workplace Assessment:        The resident?s rooms, bathrooms, bathing areas and floor transitions should be assessed to identify factors that might contribute to resident handling incidents. This includes bedroom space constraints, furniture that might interfere with transfers or repositioning, the bathroom configuration, the shower room constraints, the distance from the resident?s room or dining room to the shower/toilet room, bed height adjustability, the battery storage area, the equipment storage locations and other physical barriers that might restrict movement of lifting equipment.  Assess staffing levels to ensure consistency with industry guidelines.      4.  Training:        Training will be provided to all staff on all shifts responsible for implementing the comprehensive system-wide approach to safe resident handling which includes administrators, nursing staff, maintenance staff and the direct care providers to include the concept that resident handling will minimize in all cases, and eliminate when feasible, the manual physical assist by one or two persons to lift, transfer and reposition the resident.  The staff will be trained and demonstrate competence in the equipment and device use and procedures to follow for resident lifting, transferring, repositioning, and ambulating equipment.       5.  Staff Responsibilities:        a.       Nursing Home Administrator:  Will support the implementation of the new Ergonomics Program policies and procedures and ensure that all staff affected by the policy are trained by providing appropriate and sufficient equipment and repositioning aids for all the patient handling tasks in the facility, and identifying acceptable storage locations for the patient handling equipment. As well as providing the resources necessary for the medical management program and patient handling program.  Ensure staffing levels are consistent with State and/or industry guidelines..       b.      Physical Therapy:  Provide the appropriate assessment of each resident to determine lifting and transferring methods that are consistent with the resident?s needs and rehabilitation goals that minimize in all cases (eliminate when feasible) the manual assist by one or two persons to lift, transfer and reposition the resident.  All residents will be quickly reassessed if their condition changes.          c.       Direct Care Providers (CNAs, DON, RNs, LPNs):  Ensure that all direct care providers are trained and competent in the procedures when transferring or moving the residents.  That they use appropriate mechanical lifting devices, equipment and repositioning aids when performing high-risk resident handling tasks.  They continue to notify nursing management about change in resident?s condition, notify the need for retraining on devices or equipment, and notify maintenance or nursing management if mechanical devices, slings, or equipment needs repair.  They report any patient handling injury to management.      6.  Medical Management Program:        All injuries should be reported promptly to the unit manager.  Each injury should be investigated so that the root cause can be addressed and preventive measures can be implemented.  Ensure that musculoskeletal disorder injuries which have occurred are tracked and trended on a regular basis using data from the past three years

Issued

2014-06-09 00:00:00

Abate by

2014-06-26 00:00:00

Penalty

Initial $0.00 · Current $0.00

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.304(g)(5): Grounding path. The path to ground from circuits, equipment, and enclosures shall be permanent, continuous, and effective.  Location - Central hallway, 101 Marshall  Lane Derby, CT.   The electrical plug for the Master Craft 1506 Floor Buffer was missing it's ground pin resulting in the path to ground not being continuous and effective.

Issued

2014-06-09 00:00:00

Abate by

2014-07-03 00:00:00

Penalty

Initial $0.00 · Current $0.00

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.1030(f)(2)(i): Hepatitis B vaccination was not made available within 10 working days of initial assignment to all employee(s) with occupational exposure:Note:  Does not apply to employees who have previously received the complete hepatitis B vaccination series, for whom antibody testing has indicated immunity, or for whom the vaccine is contraindicated for medical reasons.    Location - 101 Marshal Lane, Derby Ct.   Employees who have occupational exposure Hepatitis B were not offered the hepatitis B vaccination series within 10 working days of initial assignment to all employee(s) with occupational exposure.