LI Nursing Home Fined Over $15K For OSHA Coronavirus Violations

WEST BABYLON, NY — A West Babylon nursing and rehabilitation center was fined over $15,000 for alleged violations relating to coronavirus guidelines, according to the U.S. Department of Labor Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA).

Earlier this week, OSHA released a statement announcing that from the start of the pandemic through Nov. 12, a total of 232 citations were issued after inspections for violations relating to coronavirus.

According to OSHA, various employers were issued citations for violations such as failing to:

• implement a written respiratory protection program
• provide a medical evaluation, respirator fit test, training on the proper use of a respirator and personal protective equipment
• report an injury, illness or fatality
• record an injury or illness on OSHA recordkeeping forms
• comply with the General Duty Clause of the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970

In West Babylon, the East Neck Nursing and Rehabilitation Center was issued three violations, according to OSHA.

The facility was issued citations for allegedly failing to follow OSHA standards including: providing a medical evaluation to determine the employee's ability to use a respirator before the employee is fit tested or required to use the respirator in the workplace; ensuring that an employee using a tight-fitting facepiece respirator that is fit tested before using the respirator; and keeping records of fatalities, injuries, and illnesses.

As a result of these violations, the facility faces a penalty of $15,422 in fines.

A spokesperson for the facility released the following statement in response:

We have reviewed OSHA's citations and disagree with their findings. The East Neck Nursing Rehabilitation and Dialysis Center has fully complied with all CDC and DOH recommendations. We are currently in discussions with OSHA regarding their findings.