OSHA fines USPS $342K after inspectors find workers exposed to bloodborne pathogen hazards at Brooklyn, Maryland, annex
Employer name: U.S. Postal Service LLC, doing business as Brooklyn South Carrier Annex
Inspection site: 1500 Cherry Hill Road, Brooklyn, Maryland
Citations issued: On Nov. 22, 2016, the U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration issued citations to the postal service for one serious, two willful, and three repeat health violations.
Investigation findings: OSHA began the inspection on May 24, 2016, in response to a complaint alleging employee exposure to blood and other potentially infectious bodily fluids while handling packages labeled as containing biological infectious materials.
The willful violations relate to the employer’s failure to have an implemented written bloodborne pathogens exposure control plan, including performing an exposure determination and offering exposed employees the Hepatitis B vaccine. Additionally, the USPS failed to implement a hazard communication program. The employer did not properly train workers for bloodborne pathogen protection or provide them with properly-sized gloves, resulting in the other violations.
Quote: “Exposure to bloodborne pathogen hazards can result in serious or life-threatening illnesses. To reduce or eliminate these hazards at USPS’s Brooklyn facility, an exposure control plan must be implemented to protect employees and provide a safe and healthy workplace,” said Nadira Janack, director at OSHA’s Baltimore Area Office.
Proposed penalties: $342,059
The citation can be viewed at: https://www.osha.gov/ooc/citations/USPostalService_1150333.pdf
The employer has 15 business days from receipt of its citations and proposed penalties to comply, request a conference with OSHA’s area director or contest the findings before the independent Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission.
To ask questions; obtain compliance assistance; file a complaint; or report amputations, eye loss, workplace hospitalizations, fatalities or situations posing imminent danger to workers, the public should call OSHA’s toll-free hotline at 800-321-OSHA (6742) or the agency’s Baltimore Area Office at 410-865-2055.
Under the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970, employers are responsible for providing safe and healthful workplaces for their employees. OSHA’s role is to ensure these conditions for America’s working men and women by setting and enforcing standards, and providing training, education and assistance. For more information, visit http://www.osha.gov.
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FIRE ALL THE TOOLBAGS ESPECIALLY THE TURD PO VICE
PRESIDENT OF NOT PAYING OSHA FINES. UNQUALIFIED,
UNETHICAL, IMMORAL TOOLBAGS LIKE HIM ARE RUINING
THE PO.
OSHA you will never see one thin dime……that’s how we roll!
Maybe OSHA is slowly trying to get the $5 billion retiree prepayment for the Treasury Dept the USPS reneged on!
After much soul searching, Postal management has decided to give much deserved bonuses to the stupidvisors involved! Now if management had just used a scanner on the parcels, every thing could have been avoided. Now reach out and discipline the janitor at fault!
I worked at the usps for 32 years. Every week we had safety talks. Blood borne pathogens was on the list several times throughout the year, employees have access to several different gloves small, medium and large some even came in extra large. Yes blood does go through the mail and has for quite some time, it usually is packaged very well, I never seen them open. We had a separate hazmat and spill/leak area where packages were bagged and sealed. There were gloves, goggles, aprons, bags, tape and log sheets. This area was checked periodically by someone from the health and safety committee to make sure things were handled right. There was also a special training for the employees that worked in the area.
Please let me know where you had this fantasy dream of the perfect office, I too have been working for the PO for 40 years and also a safety coordinator. I have been to countless meetings with other offices and we all share the same problems, not enough equipment, supplies etc… I have written more Form 1767’s than I can think of. All kidding aside if you can let me know how your office is getting their act together concerning safety please let me know by replying.
Where does that money go?
USPS workers put their well being on the line every work day. The least they should
expect from their employer is that they would not add additional risk that is above
what is already expected.