OSHA finds violations at McDowell federal prison

WELCH, W.Va. — Investigators with the U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration have found ten serious violations at the Federal Correctional Institution in McDowell County — violations that reportedly lead to prison workers being exposed to bloodborne pathogens.

According to OSHA, investigators determined the operators of the medium-security facility did not do the following:

-Train employees on the bloodborne pathogens policy and limitations of personal protective equipment.

– Ensure the person conducting training was knowledgeable about the subject.

– Use puncture-resistant containers to transport contaminated shanks and other sharps.

– Provide health care professionals, who evaluate an employee following an exposure, a copy of the bloodborne pathogens regulation, the exposed employee’s duties, documentation of the route of exposure or its circumstances, and medical records relevant to treatment of the employee.

– Select and require puncture-resistant gloves while conducting pat-down operations.

Those with the prison facility have 15 days to respond to the findings from investigators with OSHA’s Charleston office. The investigation was conducted in January of this year.





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