OSHA Assesses $110,000 in Fines Against Falls Medical Center

By Melissa Repko
June 18, 2006

Niagara Falls Memorial Medical Center is facing $110,000 in federal fines for its alleged improper handling and disposal of asbestos during a renovation project.

The U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration said that in December 2007, when part of the hospital was closed for renovation work, no safeguards were taken when disposing of asbestos. Arthur Dube, OSHA's area director, said the hospital was notified last Tuesday.

OSHA inspected the area after a employee complained about the lack of safety measures taken when clearing asbestos-containing material, such as decontamination of clothing and use of respirators. There were 17 citations issued, all related to asbestos.

There was also one repeat citation for the center's failing to inform employees of the "presence, location and amount of asbestos- containing or potentially asbestos-containing materials in the work area." The original citation was in April 2006.

Asbestos, materials often used for heat and corrosion resistance in construction products, can increase the chance of lung cancer or mesothelioma if inhaled. Mesothelioma is a cancer of the thin membrane covering the body's organs. Illness can appear years after exposure, according to the OSHA Web site.

The hospital has 15 business days from the receipt of the citations to meet with OSHA or contest the fines. Dube said hospital representatives are scheduled for an informal conference on Friday morning where they will discuss the fines and hopefully come to a settlement.

Dube said the fines were computer-generated and the citations were relatively standard. "This is a pretty open and shut case here," he said.

"The medical center is committed to providing a safe and healthy workplace for all of its employees," a statement from the center read. "Therefore, we cooperated fully with OSHA during the course of its investigation and began making the corrections suggested by that agency as soon as they brought this matter to our attention. All such corrections were completed during the course of OSHA's inspection."

The statement also said that representatives will meet with OSHA "to present information we believe will support an adjustment to the citations and proposed penalties."

e-mail: mrepko@buffnews.com

Originally published by NEWS BUSINESS REPORTER.

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