OSHA Inspection: FAYETTEVILLE DERMATOLOGY

Issued

Mar 28, 2014

Penalty

Initial $1,200 · Current $0 Reduced

Hazardous substances 1900

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.138(a): The employer did not select and require employee(s) to use appropriate hand protection when employees' hands were exposed to hazards such as those from skin absorption of harmful substances; severe cuts or lacerations; severe abrasion; punctures; chemical burns; thermal burns; and harmful temperature extremes.  (a) At the facility on or about 2-4-2014: The employer provided inadequate hand protection for the employees who poured and handled liquid nitrogen, where Sperian Perfect-Coat KV-300, gloves for cut/abrasion protection were provided, which were not cryogen safety gloves.  Abatement certification must be submitted.

Issued

Mar 28, 2014

Abate by

May 2, 2014

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.132(d)(2): The employer did not verify that the required workplace hazard assessment has been performed through a written certification that identifies the workplace evaluated, the person certifying that the evaluation has been performed, the date(s) of the hazard assessment, and, which identifies the document as a certification of hazard assessment:  (a) At the facility on or about 2-4-2014: The employer did not complete any workplace hazard assessment or written certification where employees used incorrectly selected Sperian cut protective gloves to pour liquid nitrogen, and the employees had no gloves available that were safe with the cryogenic nitrogen.    Abatement certification must be submitted.

Issued

Mar 28, 2014

Penalty

Initial $1,600 · Current $0 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.1030(c)(1)(iii): The employer did not ensure that a copy of the Exposure Control Plan was accessible to employees, in accordance with 29 CFR 1910.1020(e):  (a) At the dermatology office on or about 2-4-2014:  No Exposure Control Plan was provided to employees, where the employees were exposed daily to blood and other potentially infectious materials and regulated medical waste generated in the medical treatment procedures in exam rooms.

Issued

Mar 28, 2014

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

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 it was necessary to reflect new or modified tasks and procedures which affect occupational exposure:   (a) At the facility on or about 2-4-2014: There had been no review of a Bloodborne Pathogens Exposure Control Plan at this medical office in over three years,  so no annual review or update had occurred to protect employees exposed to blood and other potentially infectious materials generated in medical treatment procedures.

Issued

Mar 28, 2014

Abate by

Apr 23, 2014

Penalty

Initial $1,600 · Current $0 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.1030(d)(2)(viii): Immediately or as soon as possible after use, contaminated reusable sharps were not placed in appropriate containers until properly reprocessed.  (a) At the facility on or about 2-4-2014: When contaminated sharp re-usable instruments such as scissors, probes or tweezers were moved by hand to the decontamination area after treatments, they were wrapped in paper towel only, not in appropriate puncture resistant closed containers which exposed staff to blood and other potentially infectious materials generated in medical treatment procedures.  Abatement certification must be submitted.

Issued

Mar 28, 2014

Abate by

Apr 7, 2014

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.1030(d)(4)(ii)(E): Reusable sharps that were contaminated with blood or other potentially infectious material were not stored or processed in a manner that required employees to reach by hand into the containers where these sharps had been placed:  (a) At the facility on or about 2-4-2014: When contaminated sharp re-usable instruments such as scissors, probes or tweezers were soaked in the first bath in the sterilization process, instruments were then removed by hand which exposed the technician to a sharps injury.  Abatement certification must be submitted.

Issued

Mar 28, 2014

Abate by

May 2, 2014

Penalty

Initial $1,600 · Current $0 Reduced

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)  At the facility, on or about 2-4-2014: Where cryogenic liquid nitrogen, and toxic Cavicide disinfectant and other laboratory chemicals were in use, there was no implementation the required elements of a hazard communication program to protect employees from hazards including but not limited to skin irritation, asphyxiation and frostbite.  Abatement certification must be submitted.