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 the hazards of tuberculosis through contact with clients who were or may be infected with tuberculosis in that: a) Intake Workers, Substance Abuse Counselors/Social Workers/Coord., Phlebotomist, Nurses, Security Personnel, and Maintenance workers, were not offered evaluation and management at no cost, after a positive skin test conversion, nor was adequate training offered. Feasible and useful abatement methods for reducing this hazard, as recommended by the Centers for Diseases Control(CDC) and National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, among others are:: 1. Provide evaluation and preventive therapy, according to published guidelines, at no cost to employees who have positive tuberculin skin tests or skin-test conversions. 2. Provide specific TB related training and information to employees, particularly those who are required to take preventive therapy. This should include information on the therapy, its side effects, medical monitoring during the therapy, as well as the relationship between immunosuppression and development of active TB disease. 3. Development of an effective tuberculosis control program that requires the early identification and screening of suspected clients. Tuberculin skin tests should be administered and interpreted in accordance with CDC guidelines. The results should be reviewed periodically to estimate the risk of acquiring infection and to evaluate the efficacy of the TB control program. Violation observed on or about 01/05/94