Virtua Memorial hit with $12.5K OSHA fine

From Philly.com

Virtua Health, South Jersey’s largest health system, agreed to pay $12,471 fine to the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration for alleged violations of safe patient handling regulations at Virtua Memorial Hospital in Mount Holly, the Health Professionals and Allied Employees union said Tuesday.

OSHA cited the hospital on November 14 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 medical staff to perform unsafe patient handling tasks. The citations, confirmed by OSHA, were based on complaints in May.

The health system disputed the allegations, but “worked cooperatively with OSHA to achieve a resolution that builds upon our Safe Patient Handling Program,” a Virtua spokeswoman said.

The union said it represents 875 registered nurses at Virtua Memorial Health hospital in Mount Holly, Virtua Community Services, and Virtua’s Center for Women.