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

29 CFR 1910.134(e)(1): The employer did not provide a medical evaluation to determine the employee's ability to use a respirator, before the employee is fit tested or required to use the respirator in the workplace: 165 Fairfield Ave., West Caldwell, NJ, Covid-19 patient units including 1 East, 1 South, 2 East, 2 South a) Employees, including nurses and CNAs, were provided with and required to use N-95 filtering facepiece respirators during care and treatment of patients including those under investigation and/or confirmed as Covid-19 positive. The employer did not provide these employees with a medical evaluation to ensure that they were capable of safely wearing such respirators. b) Employees, including housekeepers, were provided with and required to use N-95 filtering facepiece respirators while cleaning and sanitizing rooms including patient equipment such as bedrails and overbed tables of patients under investigation and/or confirmed as Covid-19 positive. The employer did not provide these employees with a medical evaluation to ensure that they were capable of safely wearing such respirators. Violation occurred on or about March 25, 2020 and thereafter.