Virtua Memorial Hospital in Mount Holly, N.J., has reached a settlement with the Occupational Safety and Health Administration to resolve allegations the hospital failed to help nurses lift heavy patients, according to a report on NJ.com.
As part of the settlement, Virtua agreed to make improvements, including instituting a comprehensive safe patient handling program within one year and paying a fine of $12,471, the Health Professionals and Allied Employees union said. Additionally, the union said, Virtua agreed to consult a certified ergonomist to assist with implementing the comprehensive safe patient handling program, and that OSHA will conduct at least two "monitoring inspections" at the hospital next year to monitor compliance.
The issue dates back to last May, when Virtua nurses, represented by HPAE, first reported what they deemed were dangerous working conditions to the New Jersey Department of Health, according to the union. HPAE said the health department recommended filing a complaint with OSHA, which ultimately cited the hospital last month for failure to provide "a place of employment which was free from hazards that were causing or likely to cause death or serious physical harm to employees"by requiring employees to perform unsafe patient handling tasks.
"Despite repeated discussions with the employer regarding a dangerous work environment that puts healthcare workers at risk for back, neck and other injury, the employer refused to address our concerns," Debbie White, president of HPAE Local 5105 said in a news release. "We called OSHA to investigate and we are pleased with the settlement. Our hope is that it will force Virtua to make changes in safe patient handling and thus reduce injuries to all direct caregivers."
In response to the settlement, the hospital provided a statement, which was cited in the report on NJ.com.
"Although we disputed the allegations, Virtua worked cooperatively with OSHA to achieve a resolution that builds upon our Safe Patient Handling Program, which began 10 years ago and involves direct employee participation," the statement reads. "That program, which includes, among other things, patient handling equipment for caregivers and ergonomics training for all employees, will be enhanced further by the collaborative relationship we developed with OSHA."
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