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

Section 5(a)(1): The employer did not furnish employment and a place of %% employment which ere 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 hazard of being infected with Mycobacterium tuberculosis through contact with patients who were or may be infected with tuberculosis in that: a) Physicians, nurses, patient transport personnel, and other health care providers were exposed to the hazard of being infected with tuberculosis through contact with active or suspect TB patients who were not place in a negative pressure isolation room: 4th Floor, F-wing, Room 4614. On or about 7/19/94. b) Nurses, patient transport personnel, and other health care providers who enter rooms where suspect or active TB patients are isolated were not offered Mantoux skin tests in accordance with the frequency recommendations of the Centers for Disease Control (CDC). On or about 7/19/94. Feasible and useful abatement methods for reducing this hazard, as recommended by the Centers for Disease Control, among others are: 1) 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 from intake vents or through properly designed, installed, and maintained HEPA filters). 2) Provide medical surveillance (at no cost to employees) including preplacement evaluation, administration and interpretation of TB Mantoux skin tests, and periodic evaluations. The frequency of the tests must be in accordance with current CDC guidelines.