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

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 hazardous concentrations of dangerous drugs such as morphine sulfate. On April 28, 2005, the CFM 1000 Operator in the morphine room was exposed to high concentration of airborne levels of morphine sulfate which causes serious illnesses. Surfaces were also contaminated with high levels of morphine sulfate at 813 micrograms at the left side of the table in the morphine room and also on the key balance of the scale in the morphine room at 9,358 micrograms. Hazards to morphine sulfate include, but are not limited to dermatologic and respiratory symptoms including shortness of breath, and occupational asthma. "AMONG OTHER METHODS, ONE FEASIBLE AND ACCEPTABLE ABATEMENT METHOD TO ABATE THIS HAZARD IS..." 1.Install engineering controls with local exhaust ventilation connected to high efficiency air purifying filters. The process should be totally enclosed preventing employees from lifting the lid of the CFM machine causing leakage into the work area. 2.Implementation of work practice and administrative controls. Work area access should be controlled minimizing exposure. Dry sweeping of work area prohibited. 3.Development and implementation of decontamination procedures following "dusty" procedures. 4.Implementation of good hygiene practices and prohibition of eating, drinking, smoking and applying cosmetics in work area. 5.Development and implementation of cleaning procedures for contaminated (or potentially contaminated) work surfaces.