Touchpoint Support Services: OSHA inspections and violations

Incident on Feb 11, 2021: Employee with covid-19 infection dies

At 12:40 a.m. on February 11, 2021, an employee who worked for a janitorial service died from COVID-19. The employee had been assigned cleaning tasks at the host employer, the local medical center. Prior to January 23, 2021, the host employer had an unspecified number of employees tested for COVID-19 and several came back positive. As a result, the employer, which had been contracted to perform both housekeeping and kitchen duties, began testing their employees. On or about January 23, 2021 the employees were tested and several employees were positive to COVID-19. On or about February 11, 2021, the employee, who had tested positive, was hospitalized due to complications from COVID-19. The employee worked full time as a housekeeper on the evening shift picking up trash and linens. The employee also cleaned within ancillary areas of the medical center during the after hours, including X-ray, laboratory, and clinic spaces. The employee was also tasked to clean patient rooms after the room was empty. In the ten days leading up to testing positive, the employee had cleaned three non-isolation rooms, and two positive or suspected COVID-19 isolations rooms. The employee had cleaned the isolation rooms seven days before testing positive for COVID-19. When cleaning isolation rooms, the employee wore gloves, a gown, a faceshield, and respiratory protection, however, the employer did not have an adequate Respiratory Protection Program in place.