OSHA Inspection: CENTURA HEALTH CORPORATION

Issued

Feb 26, 2020

Abate by

Mar 9, 2020

Penalty

Initial $134,937 · Current $100,000 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.1048(g)(1)(iii): The employer did not provide required respirators and ensure their use by employees in work situations where feasible engineering and work-practice controls were not yet sufficient to reduce exposure to or below the permissible exposure limits:    (a) On or about September 10, 2019, and at times prior, the employer did not ensure that employees working with formalin in a pathology lab who were overexposed to formaldehyde, a carcinogen, were protected from subsequent exposures in that they did not require respiratory protection during the period of time where engineering and work practice controls were insufficient to reduce exposures below OSHA limits.     Abatement note: Abatement certification and documentation are required for this item.  See Certification of Corrective Action Worksheet.

Issued

Feb 26, 2020

Abate by

Mar 23, 2020

Penalty

Initial $13,494 · Current $10,000 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.1048(c)(1): Employees were exposed to an airborne concentration of formaldehyde which exceeded 0.75 parts per million (ppm), as an 8-hour time weighted average:    (a) On or about September 10, 2019, and at times prior, the employer did not ensure that employees working in the pathology lab at Littleton Adventist Hospital were protected from the harmful effects of overexposure to formaldehyde, a carcinogen, where an exposure exceeded OSHA's permissible exposure limit (PEL) during grossing and other laboratory operations.   Between September 6, 2018, and September 5, 2019, the employer measured employee exposure to formaldehyde and recorded exceedances of the PEL of 0.75 ppm with results between 1.2 ppm to 1.9 ppm.  OSHA measured employee exposure on September 10, 2019, with results of 1.3 ppm.        Abatement note: Abatement certification and documentation is required for this item.  See Certification of Corrective Action Worksheet.

Issued

Feb 26, 2020

Abate by

Mar 23, 2020

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.1048(c)(2): Employees were exposed to an airborne concentration of formaldehyde which exceeded two parts per million as a 15-minute short term exposure limit (STEL):  (a) On or about September 10, 2019, and at times prior, the employer did not ensure that the pathologist grossing specimens preserved in formalin was protected from the harmful effects of exposure to formaldehyde, a carcinogen, where short term exposures exceeded the OSHA STEL.  Between September 6, 2018, and September 5, 2019, the employer measured employee exposure to formaldehyde and recorded exceedances of the STEL of 2.0 ppm with two results of greater than the upper limit of quantitation of 10 ppm.  OSHA measured employee exposure on September 10, 2019, with results of 2.99 ppm and 13.77 ppm.    (b) On or about September 10, 2019, and at times prior, the employer did not ensure that a pathology assistant handling cartridges and samples preserved in formalin was protected from the harmful effects of exposure to formaldehyde, a carcinogen, where short term exposures exceeded the OSHA STEL.  Between September 6, 2018, and September 5, 2019, the employer measured employee exposure to formaldehyde and recorded exceedances of the STEL of 2.0 ppm with results between 2.1 ppm to a result listed as greater than the upper limit of quantitation of 10 ppm.  OSHA measured employee exposure on September 10, 2019, with results of 2.57 ppm and 8.59 ppm.    Abatement note: Abatement certification is required for this item.  See Certification of Corrective Action Worksheet.

Issued

Feb 26, 2020

Abate by

Mar 23, 2020

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.1048(f)(1): Engineering controls and work practices were not instituted to reduce and maintain employee exposures to formaldehyde at or below the TWA and the STEL:  (a) On or about September 10, 2019, and at times prior, the employer did not ensure that employees were protected from the hazards of overexposure to formaldehyde, a carcinogen, where air sample results showed overexposures to the PEL and STEL and ventilation and work practices were not evaluated, modified, or improved to decrease exposures.   Abatement note: Abatement certification and documentation are required for this item.  See Certification of Corrective Action Worksheet.

Issued

Feb 26, 2020

Abate by

Mar 9, 2020

Penalty

Initial $5,783 · Current $0 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.1048(e)(1)(i): The employer did not establish regulated areas where the concentration of airborne formaldehyde exceeded either the TWA or the STEL and post all entrances and access ways with signs bearing the following legend:      DANGER   FORMALDEHYDE   MAY CAUSE CANCER   CAUSES SKIN, EYE, AND RESPIRATORY IRRITATION   AUTHORIZED PERSONNEL ONLY    (a) On or about September 10, 2019, and at times prior, the employer did not ensure employees were protected from the hazardous effects of overexposure to formaldehyde, a carcinogen, where they did not post signs and restrict access to areas where concentrations exceeded the PEL or STEL.      Abatement note: Abatement certification is required for this item.  See Certification of Corrective Action Worksheet.

Issued

Feb 26, 2020

Abate by

Mar 9, 2020

Penalty

Initial $9,639 · Current $5,000 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.1048(j)(4): Formaldehyde-contaminated waste and debris resulting from leaks or spills was not placed for disposal in sealed containers bearing a label warning of formaldehyde's presence and of the hazards associated with formaldehyde:    (a) On or about September 10, 2019, and at times prior, the employer did not ensure that employees working in the pathology lab were protected from exposure to formaldehyde, a carcinogen, where absorption pads, gloves, containers, and other formaldehyde-contaminated waste was disposed of in biohazard waste receptacles and trash bins instead of sealed containers with appropriate warning labels.        Abatement note: Abatement certification is required for this item.  See Certification of Corrective Action Worksheet.

Issued

Feb 26, 2020

Abate by

Mar 9, 2020

Penalty

Initial $13,494 · Current $10,000 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.1048(l)(1)(i): The employer did not institute medical surveillance programs for all employees exposed to formaldehyde at concentrations at or exceeding the action level or exceeding the STEL:    (a) On or about September 10, 2019, and at times prior, the employer did not ensure that employees whose measured exposures to formaldehyde continuously exceeded the OSHA Action Level, PEL, and STEL were placed into a medical surveillance program to monitor for the effects of overexposure, including respiratory irritation or sensitization, dermal irritation or sensitization, and eye and mucous membrane irritation.    Abatement note: Abatement certification and documentation are required for this item.  See Certification of Corrective Action Worksheet.

Issued

Feb 26, 2020

Abate by

Mar 9, 2020

Penalty

Initial $5,783 · Current $5,000 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.1048(n)(1): The employer did not ensure that all employees who were assigned to workplaces where there was exposure to formaldehyde participated in a training program:    (a) On or about September 10, 2019, and at times prior, the employer did not ensure that employees exposed to formaldehyde where airborne exposures exceeded the OSHA PEL and STEL were provided training that included the topics required by the standard.      Abatement note: Abatement certification and documentation are required for this item.  See Certification of Corrective Action Worksheet.