OSHA Faults Hospital for Workplace Violence Violations
DANBURY, Conn.—The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has cited Danbury Hospital for failing to provide its employees with sufficient protection against workplace violence. The hospital has been fined $6,300.
The announcement comes on the heels of the March 2010 attack, when nurse Andy Hull was shot three times by 86-year-old Stanley Lupienski, a patient at the hospital.
OSHA cited the hospital for allowing serious violations of its regulations to happen by “failing to provide a workplace free from recognized hazards likely to cause death or serious injury to workers, in this case the hazard of employees being injured by violent patients,” according to a press release.
Furthermore, OSHA found that in as many as 25 cases, employees were forced to go on restricted duty because of injuries inflicted upon them by violent patients.
The Danbury Nurses Union has complained to hospital officials about workplace violence since January 2009, according to NewsTimes.com. The union believes its complaints helped OSHA to investigate the situation. Additionally, the Department of Public Health has also started an investigation of workplace violence at the hospital.
Hospital officials have until July 23 to respond to the OSHA report.
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