CHICAGO, March 30 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- For the fourth time in the past year, a Resurrection Health Care hospital has been cited for violations and fined by the federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). The new citations, issued on March 23, stem from an October incident at St. Mary of Nazareth Hospital in which formaldehyde was spilled.
OSHA fined St. Mary of Nazareth, one of eight Chicago-area hospitals operated by Resurrection Health Care (RHC), for failure to contain the spill, decontaminate the work area, and dispose of the waste. Among other violations, the hospital was also cited for failure to provide acceptable emergency wash facilities within the immediate work area of employees at risk for chemical exposure.
OSHA determined "the employer did not ensure that appropriate procedures were adopted to minimize injury and loss of life and implemented in the event of an emergency." As a result of the findings, the hospital received six serious citations and was fined $13,000.
The health and safety violations at St. Mary of Nazareth Hospital are just the latest in a recurring pattern at Resurrection Health Care facilities. St. Francis Hospital, St. Elizabeth Hospital, Westlake Hospital, and the chain's flagship Resurrection Medical Center have all been cited and fined by OSHA since 2003.
"The irresponsibility of administrators at St. Mary's and its corporate parent, Resurrection Health Care, endangers both patients and employees," said Henry Bayer, executive director of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) Council 31.
"It is extremely disturbing that Resurrection did not ensure that these minimal protective measures were in place," Bayer said, "particularly in light of the fact that the health care chain had been cited previously by OSHA for similar negligence regarding chemical safety at one of its other hospitals."
In findings issued January 19th of this year, St. Francis Hospital, another RHC facility, received six serious citations and was fined $25,000 for its inadequate emergency response plan and failure to notify workers of potential health hazards after a mercury spill incident. In May 2006, St. Francis received eight serious citations and nearly $10,000 in fines for failing to properly train laundry employees who were exposed to infectious materials and hazardous chemicals.
The investigations were prompted by workers who filed OSHA complaints anonymously, for fear of retaliation by Resurrection Health Care.
"We commend the employees who came forward as whistleblowers to alert OSHA in hopes of preventing future unsafe practices by St. Mary's and Resurrection management," Bayer said.
Seeking to improve their working conditions and enhance the quality of patient care, employees at Resurrection hospitals are working to form a union with AFSCME Council 31.
HEART/AFSCME
CONTACT: Lisa Sciolaro of HEART-AFSCME, +1-312-641-6060
