Industrial Hygiene

Hospital Cited for Hazardous Exposures to Formaldehyde

April 6, 2008

 

The Washington State Department of Labor and Industries announced April 3 it has fined a Clark County hospital $255,800 in proposed penalties for numerous violations of hygiene standards for failing to protect workers from hazardous exposures to formaldehyde. The Department notes that formaldehyde is a carcinogen that can cause irreversible respiratory illness, as well as irritation and severe burns and sensitization.

L&I cited the Legacy Salmon Creek Hospital in Vancouver for four "willful," seven "serious," and one general violation of workplace hygiene rules involving training, handling, air sampling and monitoring, spill prevention and cleanup of formaldehyde, and medical evaluations of employees who were exposed. The inspection began in September 2007, when an L&I inspector conducting an inspection at a pathology lab located in the hospital observed a hospital employee working with formaldehyde under circumstances indicating a possible overexposure, which was later confirmed.

The hospital was cited for failure to:

  • Provide training and information to employees who may work with formaldehyde.
  • Conduct airborne exposure evaluations, when required.
  • Control employee exposure to formaldehyde.
  • Include formaldehyde protection in the hospital's respiratory protection program.
  • Ensure that formaldehyde spills were properly and safely cleaned up.
  • Provide an emergency eye wash in areas where formaldehyde was used or dispensed.
  • Provide medical evaluations to all employees who have been or will be exposed.
  • Establish exposure-control areas as required.
  • Develop a comprehensive chemical exposure plan to protect employees.
  • Develop an emergency response plan for chemical spills.
  • Train employees in emergency response to spills.

The hospital has 15 business days to appeal the citation.



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