OSHA Inspection: LABORATORY ALLIANCE OF CENTRAL NEW YORK, LLC

Issued

Jun 22, 2016

Penalty

Initial $5,000 · Current $3,750 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.1030(d)(2)(i): Engineering and work practice controls were not used to eliminate or minimize employees exposure:  a) Morgue at Upstate University Hospital on Broad Road, on or about 3/26/16: Dieners assisting in an autopsy used scalpels that were not equipped with engineered sharps injury protection.  b) Morgue at Upstate University Hospital on Broad Road, on or about 3/26/16: Dieners assisting in an autopsy used C-shaped needles, an unfamiliar work practice, instead of the S-shaped needles on which they were trained.

Issued

Jun 22, 2016

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.1030(g)(2)(i): The employer did not ensure that each employee with occupational exposure participated in a training program:    a) Morgue at Upstate University Hospital on Broad Road, on or about 3/26/15: A pathology assistant directing employees of Laboratory Alliance of Central New York that assist in performing autopsies was not trained on blood borne pathogens including, but not limited to Laboratory Alliance of Central New York's exposure control plan, steps to take following an exposure incident and work practice controls that would reduce the likelihood of needlesticks.

Issued

Jun 22, 2016

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.1030(g)(2)(vii)(F): The bloodborne pathogens training program did not contain an explanation of the use or limitations of methods that would prevent or reduce exposure including appropriate engineering controls, work practices or personal protective equipment:  a) Morgue at Upstate University Hospital on Broad Road, on or about 3/26/15 Employees performing autopsies were not trained on the effective use of half circle (C-shaped)  needles so as to avoid sharps' sticks.   b) Morgue at Upstate University Hospital on Broad Road, on or about 3/26/15 Employees performing autopsies were not trained to use scalpels with engineered sharps injury protection so as to avoid sharps' sticks.

Issued

Jun 22, 2016

Penalty

Initial $4,000 · Current $3,000 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.1030(f)(4)(ii): The employer did not ensure that the healthcare professional evaluating an employee after an exposure incident is provided the following information:  (A) A copy of this regulation; (B) A description of the exposed employee's duties as they relate to the exposure incident; (C) Documentation of the route(s) of exposure and circumstances under which exposure occurred; (D) Results of the source individual's blood testing, if available; and (E) All medical records relevant to the appropriate treatment of the employee including vaccination status which are the employer's responsibility to maintain:  a) Morgue at Upstate University Hospital on Broad Road, on or about 3/26/16: An employee incurring a needlestick during an autopsy and sent to the emergency room was not provided with  Body Fluid Exposure Packet and the documentation contained therein including, but not limited to the route of exposure, information on source individual's blood testing and medical records related to hepatitis B vaccination status.

Issued

Jun 22, 2016

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.1030(h)(1)(ii)(B): The medical record for an employee with occupational exposure did not include a copy of the employee's hepatitis B vaccination status, including the dates of all the hepatitis B vaccinations or any medical records relative to the employee's ability to receive vacination as required by 29 CFR 1910.1030(f)(2):    a) Morgue at Upstate University Hospital on Broad Road, 3/26/16: Up- to- date hepatitis B information was not available for a diener exposed to blood and other potentially infectious materials while assisting with autopsies. Information on immunity to hepatitis B surface antigen was not available.

Issued

Jun 22, 2016

Abate by

Jul 27, 2016

Penalty

Initial $3,000 · Current $2,250 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.1048(d)(2)(i): A representative sampling strategy was not developed and sufficient formaldehyde exposures within each job classification for each work shift  were not measured to correctly characterize and not underestimate the exposure of any employee within each exposure group:.   a) Morgue at Upstate University Hospital on Broad Road, On or about 3/26/16: Air monitoring, performed by Laboratory Alliance of Central New York, for formaldehyde exposure while working with 10% formalin solutions was not performed for pathology assistants from Onondaga Hill Pathology P.C. Group Practice that supervise and direct dieners of Laboratory Alliance of Central New York during performance of autopsies.  Abatement certification must be submitted for this item.

Issued

Jun 22, 2016

Abate by

Jul 27, 2016

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.1048(n)(4)(i): The employer did not inform all affected employees of the location of written training materials on formaldehyde and did not make these materials readily available, without cost, to the affected employees:   a) Morgue at Upstate University Hospital on Broad Road, On or about 3/26/16: Training materials, maintained by Laboratory Alliance of Central New York (LACNY), including written chemical hygiene plan, formaldehyde sampling results and material safety data sheets were not provided for pathology assistants from Onondaga Hill Pathology P.C. Group Practice that supervise and direct dieners of LACNY during performance of autopsies.  Abatement certification must be submitted for this item.

Issued

Jun 22, 2016

Abate by

Jul 27, 2016

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.1450(e)(3)(iii): The employer's Chemical Hygiene Plan did not include a requirement that fume hoods and other protective equipment functioned properly and did not include specific measures that would be taken to ensure proper and adequate performance of such equipment:   a) Morgue at Upstate University Hospital on Broad Road, on or about 3/26/16: The chemical hygiene plan developed by Laboratory Alliance of Central New York,,  did not include specific measures to ensure that the ventilation system in the morgue function properly for employees working with formalin while performing ands assisting in autopsies.  Abatement certification must be submitted for this item.

Issued

Jun 22, 2016

Abate by

Jul 27, 2016

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.1450(e)(4): The employer did not review and evaluate the effectiveness of the Chemical Hygiene Plan at least annually and update it as necessary:  a) Morgue at Upstate University Hospital on Broad Road, on or about 3/26/16: The chemical hygiene plan developed by Laboratory Alliance of Central New York (LACNY), was not updated annually to include coverage of employees other than those of LACNY such as pathology assistants, and  specific measures to ensure that the ventilation system in the morgue function properly for employees working with formalin.  Abatement certification must be submitted for this item.

Issued

Jun 22, 2016

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.1450(f)(1): The employer did not provide employees with information and training to ensure that they are apprised of the hazards  of the chemicals present in their work area:   a) Morgue at Upstate University Hospital on Broad Road, on or about 3/26/16: A pathology assistant from Onondaga Hill Pathology P.C Group Practice supervising employees of Laboratory Alliance of Central New York (LACNY) while working with 10 % formalin solutions during autopsies was not trained on nor informed of information contained in the written chemical hygiene plan developed by LACNY, including, but not limited to, provisions for providing on-site employees access to reference materials such as Safety Data Sheets, precautionary measures for protection from hazardous chemicals and the labeling system for chemicals used in the work place.