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

NYSLL Art 2 (27a)(3a)(1): Employer did not furnish to each of its employees employment and a place which were free from recognized hazards that were causing or were likely to cause death or serious physical harm to its employees and which will provide reasonable and adequate protection to the lives, safety or health of its employees. In applying this paragraph fundamental distinctions between private and public section employment have been recognized. a) Employees at the City of Utica DPW, 11 Wurz Ave., Utica, NY were exposed to the hazard of being infected with the rabies virus through possible direct contact with saliva of potentially rabid animals (eg, raccoons, deer, cats, dogs and others) being introducted into open cuts or wounds in the skin via mucous membranes which can occur when workers pick up and remove dead animals. Reasonable and adequate abatement methods for reducing this hazard, among others, are: 1) Training: The employer had not developed and implemented an effective rabies control training program dealing with, but not necessarily limited to, the proper handling practices of removing dead animals, the personal protective equipment needed, the etiology and modes of transmission of the disease, decontamination of equipment and personal hygiene (eg, hand washing), avoidance of animal/saliva contact and follow-up procedures in the event of exposure incident.