Englewood Surgical Center Faces $68K Fine

Federal labor officials have fined an Englewood surgical center they say failed to properly respond when an employee was stuck with a contaminated needle. 

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration hit CTO Management LLC, which does business as Health East Ambulatory Surgical Center, with $68,000 in fines for 10 serious violations, the agency announced Tuesday. 

"The serious violations include failing to counsel an employee who was stuck with a contaminated needle, test the employee’s blood in a timely manner and provide the appropriate medicine to the employee to prevent contracting a potential disease," according to an OSHA news release. "A serious citation is issued when there is substantial probability that death or serious physical harm could result and the employer new, or should have known, of the hazard."

The federal labor safety agency launched its investigation in August following a compliant, the release said. 

“If an employee is stuck with a needle, they must be afforded appropriate follow-up medical care to minimize any potential effect,” Lisa Levy, director of OSHA’s area office in Hasbrouck Heights, said in a statement. “All medical facilities have a duty to provide a safe and healthful workplace for their employees.”

Health East Ambulatory Surgical Center has 15 business days from receiving the labor citations to either comply, request an informal conference with OSHA's area director, or contest the citations and proposed penalties, the release said. 

Company representatives could not be immediately reached for comment. 

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