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

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: (a) On 12/21/93 Employees including but not limited to staff nurses were exposed to the hazard of being infected with tuberculosis through contact with hospital patients who were infected with tuberculosis in that: (a) Room 204 - isolation room used for patients with active TB were not provided with ventilation to assure negative pressure with respect to the hallway. Abatement Note: feasible and useful abatement methods for reducing this hazard as recommemded by tbe CDC includes: Respiratory Isolation; Placement of individuals with suspected or confirmed TB disease in an AFB (acid fast bacilli) isolation room. AFB isolation rooms for persons with suspected or confirmed infectious TB and areas in which high hazard procedures are performed on such individuals must be maintained under negative pressure and appropriately exhausted (either directly to the outside away form the intake vents or through properly designed, installed and maintained HEPA filters).