A nursing facility in Bloomingdale, Illinois was fined after violating several OSHA COVID-19 protocols. A follow-up inspection conducted due to the new Emergency Temporary Standard and National Emphasis Program for Coronavirus Disease 2019 found many OSHA violations. The U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) found one repeat and five health violations; therefore, resulting in an $83,675 fine for the West Suburban Nursing and Rehabilitation Center LLC.
OSHA Respirator Violations
The facility required employees to wear N95 respirators while treating coronavirus patients. However, they did not make sure the respirators were being used correctly, resulting in an OSHA violation. Fit testing on the respirators did not occur. Fit testing ensures the mask has an effective seal. Therefore, fit testing is necessary to verify the respirator will protect against transmission of the coronavirus. OSHA Area Director Jake Scott in Naperville stated, “Simply wearing a respirator is not enough. Employers must ensure respirators fit correctly and maintain a face-to-face piece seal to ensure they protect the user from the spread of infectious diseases.”
OSHA Hazard Assessment Violations
West Suburban also failed to carry out a hazard assessment process, yielding an additional OSHA violation. This means the facility did not have a process to evaluate potential COVID-19 exposure or track the vaccination status of their employees. In addition, no process for forming a plan to maintain social distancing between nursing stations and employee entrances or to control who entered quarantine zones was implemented.
These OSHA violations come just one year after a West Suburban employee died from COVID-19. As a result, the facility must pay the fine within 15 days. Scott stated, “After more than a year of fighting this pandemic, employers should know the procedures to minimize workers’ risk of exposure and take every precaution.”
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References:
United States Department of Labor (2021, October 14). US Department of Labor proposes $83K in fines to healthcare
facility for failing to protect workers from coronavirus hazards. Retrieved from https://www.osha.gov/news/newsreleases/region5/10142021
