By Healthcare Facilities Today

The U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has cited Orange Medical Care P.C. in Newburgh, N.Y., with fines totaling $44,800 for failing to protect its workers adequately against potential bloodborne pathogen hazards. 

OSHA regulations require employers establish and maintain a written exposure control program outlining the protective measures used to eliminate or minimize workers' exposure to blood and other potentially infectious materials, according to OSHA.

An inspection found that Orange Medical Care lacked such a program to protect its workers, who face exposure when performing daily tasks, such as administering vaccinations and drawing blood, OSHA says. The practice also did not provide its employees with training and properly sized protective clothes, did not offer the Hepatitis B vaccine, allowed sharps disposal containers to routinely overfill and let employees recap contaminated nonengineered needles. These findings resulted in six serious citations.

OSHA also issued the medical practice one willful citation for using nonengineered hypodermic needles instead of safer needle devices, such as needleless systems and sharps with engineered sharp protections.

More information about bloodborne pathogen hazards and safeguards is available at http://www.osha.gov