The Occupational Safety and Health Administration has proposed $9,639 in penalties for a New Jersey hospital that allegedly violated respiratory protection standards.
In a Sept. 11 news release, federal regulators said the hospital did not fit test tight-fitting face piece respirators on employees, train workers on proper respirator use and ensure workers knew when to wear a respirator. The hospital, Paramus-based Bergen New Bridge Medical Center, is operated and managed by Care Plus Bergen.
Bergen New Bridge says it has not received the OSHA report but will respond accordingly once it does.
"It is important to note that we have been in lockstep with state and CDC issued guidance for employee safety protocols regarding COVID-19 and ahead of the curve when it came to universal masking and testing," the hospital said in a statement shared with Becker's Hospital Review. "The safety of our staff, patients and long-term care residents has always been our priority and we have aggressive respiratory protection protocols, including fit testing, which we have heightened throughout this pandemic."
Bergen New Bridge has 15 business days from receipt of the citations and penalties to respond to OSHA'S report.