Text For Citation: 01 Item/Group: 001 Hazard: BLOODBORNE

Section 5(a)(1) of the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970: The employer did not furnish employment and a place of employment which were free from recognized hazards that were causing or likely to cause death or serious physical harm to employees in that employees were exposed to: ...substantial risk of directly contacting body fluids, potentially contaminated with Hepatitis B virus, in the normal course of their duties. The duties of the nurses included drawing blood and injecting medicines thereby creating a risk of needlesticks. In spite of the substantial risk of contact with body fluids to the nurses and potentially to other employees, the employer had not offered Hepatitis B vaccinations in amounts and at times prescribed by standard medical practice. Additionally, the employer had not addressed all circumstances warranting such vaccinations nor had the employer identified specific employees at substantial risk which included but was not limited to, the nurses assigned to each shift. This requirement for vaccination for Hepatitis B virus is from CDC Guidelines dated June 19, 1987, Vol. 36, No. 23.