OSHA Inspection: ASSOCIATED DENTAL CARE, LLC

Issued

Feb 16, 2021

Abate by

Apr 2, 2021

Penalty

Initial $4,096 · Current $1,500 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.134(c)(1): A written respiratory protection program that included the provisions in 29 CFR 1910.134(c)(1)(i) - (ix) with worksite specific procedures was not established and implemented for required respirator use:  a) Associated Dental Care, LLC located at 935 Main Street, Level A, Manchester, CT 06040:  On or about August 21, 2020, the employer did not develop and implement a written respiratory protection program with worksite-specific procedures for respirator use that included all provisions in 29 CFR 1910.134(c)(1)(i) - (ix).  The employer required employees to wear N95 filtering facepiece respirators to protect against the SARS-CoV-2 virus while providing direct patient care, including, but not limited to aerosol generating procedures.

Issued

Feb 16, 2021

Abate by

Apr 2, 2021

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR  1910.134(e)(1):The employer did not provide a medical evaluation to determine the employee's ability to use a respirator, before the employee was fit tested or required to use the respirator in the workplace:  a) Associated Dental Care, LLC located at 935 Main Street, Level A, Manchester, CT 06040:  On or about August 21, 2020, the employer did not provide a medical evaluation to determine each employee's ability to use a respirator before requiring the use.  The employer required employees to wear N95 filtering facepiece respirators to protect against the SARS-CoV-2 virus while providing direct patient care, including, but not limited to aerosol generating procedures.

Issued

Feb 16, 2021

Abate by

Apr 2, 2021

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR  1910.134(f)(2):Employee(s) using tight-fitting facepiece respirators were not fit tested prior to initial use of the respirator:  Associated Dental Care, LLC located at 935 Main St. Level A, Manchester, CT, 06040:  On or about August 21, 2020, the employer did not provide a fit test to all employees required to wear respirators.  The employer required employees to wear N95 filtering facepiece respirators to protect against the SARS-CoV-2 virus while providing direct patient care, including, but not limited to aerosol generating procedures.

Issued

Feb 16, 2021

Abate by

Apr 2, 2021

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.134(h)(1): Respirators were not cleaned and disinfected using the procedures in Appendix B-2 of 29 CFR 1910.134 or equivalent procedures recommended by the respirator manufacturer:  (a) Associated Dental Care, LLC located at 935 Main St. Level A, Manchester, CT, 06040;  On or about August 21, 2020, the employer did not ensure respirators were cleaned and disinfected using procedures recommended by the respirator manufacturer.  The employer required employees to wear N95 filtering facepiece respirators to protect against the SARS-CoV-2 virus while providing direct patient care, including, but not limited to aerosol generating procedures.

Issued

Feb 16, 2021

Abate by

Apr 2, 2021

Penalty

Initial $4,096 · Current $1,500 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.1096(i)(2): All individuals working in or frequenting any portion of radiation area(s) were not instructed in the safety problems associated with exposure to radioactive materials or radiation and in precautions or devices to minimize exposure:  a) Associated Dental Care, LLC located at 935 Main Street, Level A, Manchester, CT 06040:  On or about August 21, 2020, and on an ongoing-basis, employees performing dental X-Ray procedures are not trained on the operation or hazards associated with radiation exposures.

Issued

Feb 16, 2021

Abate by

Apr 2, 2021

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.1096(d)(1): The employer did not make such surveys as necessary to evaluate the radiation hazards incident to the production, use, release, disposal or presence of radioactive materials or other sources of radiation under a specific set of conditions:  a) Associated Dental Care, LLC located at 935 Main Street, Level A, Manchester, CT 06040:  On or about August 21, 2020, and on an ongoing-basis, the employer had not performed a survey of radiation exposures for employees who frequently work with X-ray machines in rooms 4 and 5, which are used daily, and in the Dr.'s operatory area room 1 and 2, which is used twice a week.

Issued

Feb 16, 2021

Abate by

Apr 2, 2021

Penalty

Initial $2,926 · Current $500 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.1030(c)(1)(i): The employer having employee(s) with occupational exposure did not establish a written Exposure Control Plan designed to eliminate or minimize employee exposure:  a) Associated Dental Care, LLC located at 935 Main Street, Level A, Manchester, CT 06040:  On or about and at times prior to August 21, 2020, the employer had not developed a written exposure control plan to describe how employees would be protected from exposure to bloodborne pathogens and other potentially infectious material.

Issued

Feb 16, 2021

Abate by

Apr 2, 2021

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

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) Associated Dental Care, LLC located at 935 Main Street, Level A, Manchester, CT 06040:On or about and at times prior to August 21, 2020, the employer had not initiated the use of engineering and work practice controls to minimize employee exposure to bloodborne pathogens in that:  A. Employees remove needles from syringes by hand after dental procedures were complete. After the needle is disassembled, it is walked from the treatment room in a tray to the sterilization area where the needle tip and carpule are discarded in the sharps container and the syringe holder is sterilized for reuse.  B. Employees handled contaminated reusable sharps with their hands using latex gloves when transferring it to and from the ultrasonic cleaner.

Issued

Feb 16, 2021

Abate by

Apr 2, 2021

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.1030(d)(4)(iv)(A)(2): Contaminated laundry was not placed and/or transported in bags or containers which were labeled or color-coded in accordance with 29 CFR 1910.1030(g)(1)(i):  a) Associated Dental Care, LLC located at 935 Main Street, Level A, Manchester, CT 06040:  On or about, and at times prior to, August 21, 2020 gowns are placed in unlabeled trash bags and transported to a designated employee's home where it is washed and dried not in accordance with manufacture instructions. The laundered gowns are brought back in an unlabeled bag without proper tracking of who each gown belongs to.