Fed-OSHA alleges COVID-19 violations at Connecticut hospital

Fed-OSHA has cited a psychiatric facility in Mansfield, Connecticut for allegedly violating respiratory protection standards for employees or properly record eight cases of COVID-19 among staff. In a May incident on the hospital’s adolescent unit, employees who assisted with admission and care of a patient suspected of having COVID-19 were not provided with N95s and were potentially exposed to the disease, according to the citation. The Day (New London, Conn.)

New Jersey hospital fined for fit-test, training violations

Fed-OSHA has cited a New Jersey medical corporation for two serious violations of respiratory protection standards at its Paramus location, and proposed penalties of more than $9,600 following a coronavirus-related inspection. The medical center allegedly failed to fit test tight-fitting face piece respirators on employees who were required to use them. NJ Today

Iowa OSHA fines beef plant $957 after huge outbreak

IOSH has cited a meatpacking plant following a COVID-19 outbreak for a minor record-keeping violation and fined it $957. The April outbreak resulted in 338 of the plant’s 850 employees testing positive, 80 more than the state previously acknowledged. KXNet

Most N95 masks from China don’t meet US standards: Researchers

Quality assurance researchers with the nonprofit patient safety organization ECRI tested nearly 200 N95-style masks, reflecting 15 different manufacturer models purchased by some of the largest health systems in the United States, and determined that up to 70 percent of N95 masks certified in China do not meet U.S. standards for effectiveness. The organization says non-NIOSH-certified masks should only be used as a “last resort” when treating COVID-19 patients and only when NIOSH-certified N95s or other respirators offering comparable or better protection are not available. WebMD

Fed-OSHA fields thousands of COVID-19 complaints from Colorado

None of the 17 COVID-19 related complaints filed by El Paso County, Colorado employees to Fed-OSHA from February 1 through September 16 drew inspections, but a local union representative says this may be because employees have not been informed of how to file complaints. In one of the complaints, a hotel employee alleged the employer didn’t enforce wearing masks and social distancing. Colorado Springs Business Journal