Pennsylvania hospital workers exposed to violence, bloodborne hazards

Employer name: Universal Health Services of Doylestown Inc.
833 East Butler Ave.
Doylestown, Pennsylvania

Corporate Headquarters: Universal Health Services Inc.
367 South Gulph Road
King of Prussia, Pennsylvania

Citations issued: On Nov. 10, 2016, the U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration issued Universal Health Services of Doylestown Inc., doing business as Foundations Behavioral Health, citations for four serious violations.

Investigation findings: OSHA’s inspection began on May 13, 2016, after the Allentown area office received a complaint alleging problems related to workplace violence at the facility.

The agency cited the serious violations for the company’s failure to:

• Protect workers from the hazard of workplace violence such as physical assaults by patients (e.g., by ensuring workers used protective arm guards to protect against injuries from incidents of biting.)
• Conduct an annual review of its bloodborne pathogen program.
• Provide annual bloodborne pathogen training to registered nurses and mental health technicians.

Quote: “Hospitals and other healthcare settings pose significant safety and health risks to workers. OSHA standards prevent these employees from exposure to bloodborne pathogens and other common dangers. Foundations Behavioral Health failed to provide a safe and healthful workplace, which is unacceptable,” said Jean Kulp, director of OSHA’s Allentown Area Office.

Proposed penalties: $36,701

The citations can be viewed at: https://www.osha.gov/ooc/citations/UHSofDoylestownLLC_1147891.pdf.

The employer has 15 business days from receipt of its citations and proposed penalties to comply, request a conference with OSHA’s area director or contest the findings before the independent Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission. To ask questions; obtain compliance assistance; file a complaint; or report amputations, eye loss, workplace hospitalizations, fatalities or situations posing imminent danger to workers, the public should call OSHA’s toll-free hotline at 800-321-OSHA (6742) or the agency’s Allentown area office at 267-429-7542.