Nashua, NH Dental Office Faces $75k OSHA fine

"Whopper of a fine!

OSHA cites Allcare Dental Nashua office for allegedly violating occupational health standards after an employee suffered a needlestick injury. The office faces $76,500 in proposed fines.
The OSHA inspection, conducted by OSHA's Concord area office, found that the Allcare office did not provide the injured employee with no-cost, post-exposure medical evaluation and follow-up and did not have the blood of the source individual tested, as required under OSHA's bloodborne pathogens standard.

Although the alleged needle stick incident took place back in November 2007, OSHA did not become aware of it until about 31 1/2 months later when they received a complaint. [So, where do you think that OSHA received a complaint from? It is important to follow guidelines to protect your healthcare workers for their sake and for the sake of your business!]

Allcare was cited with one willful citation, with a proposed $63,000 fine because the source individual's blood was not tested, although required. In addition six serious citations, with $13,500 in proposed fines, were issued for not providing the post-exposure evaluation and follow-up; not annually reviewing and updating the exposure control program; training deficiencies; and not using sharps with engineered sharps protection."

ref. International Sharps Injury Prevention Society Newsletter, Sept. 26, 2008

It is incredible that there are about 1 million needlestick and other sharps injuries that continue to occur each year among healthcare workers in the United States. This is unacceptable! Healthcare employers are obligated to provide a safe workplace for their employees and provide annual bloodborne pathogens training and implemention of sharps safety devices.

For information on how to comply with OSHA Standards and compliance to sharps safety, please contact safetyDRs, tel. (888) 669 - 8846, x703