$342K Fine for Exposing Postal Workers to Hazards at Baltimore Area Facility

BROOKLYN, MD — Post office workers exposed to bloodborne pathogen hazards at the Brooklyn South Carrier Annex have earned the U.S. Postal Service a $342,000 fine from a federal agency.

On Nov. 22, the U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration cited the postal service for one serious, two willful, and three repeat health violations, according to a news release. The workplace violations were reported at the Brooklyn facility, 1500 Cherry Hill Road.

OSHA began the inspection on May 24 after a complaint was received that employees at the annex were exposed to blood and other potentially infectious bodily fluids as they handled packages labeled as containing biological infectious materials.

The violations were noted by OSHA inspectors, who said the postal service failed to have and follow a written plan to control exposure to the pathogens, including a failure to determine if workers were exposed and to offer all exposed employees the hepatitis B vaccine. In addition, postal service supervisors failed to tell workers about potential hazards and it did not properly train workers for bloodborne pathogen protection or provide them with properly-sized gloves, resulting in the other violations, says OSHA.

“Exposure to bloodborne pathogen hazards can result in serious or life-threatening illnesses. To reduce or eliminate these hazards at USPS’s Brooklyn facility, an exposure control plan must be implemented to protect employees and provide a safe and healthy workplace,” said Nadira Janack, director at OSHA’s Baltimore area office, in a statement.

The Postal Service has 15 business days to comply, request a conference with OSHA’s area director or contest the findings to an OSHA review commission.

The citation can be viewed at: https://www.osha.gov/ooc/citations/USPostalService_1150333.pdf.

To ask questions, file a complaint or report dangers to workers, call OSHA’s toll-free hotline at 800-321-OSHA (6742) or the agency’s Baltimore Area Office at 410-865-2055.