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Since the start of the pandemic, the US Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration has cited nearly 300 nursing homes across the country, including four locally, for coronavirus-related violations resulting in fines of nearly $ 4 million.
The four local nursing homes fined for coronavirus-related violations are Life Care Centers in Littleton, Leominster and Merrimack Valley and CareOne of Lowell, according to OSHA.
The Littleton Life Care Center – its corporate name is Life Care Center of Nashoba Valley LLC – was inspected by OSHA in October, resulting in fines of $ 21,115, according to OSHA.
Although there were six violations, four defined as serious, the Littleton facility was fined $ 13,494 for failing to develop a comprehensive written respiratory protection program for its employees, $ 2,121 for the attire of records and $ 5,500 for failing to notify OSHA 24 hours of an employee’s death. , depending on the details of violations.
In April, several news outlets, including The Sun and Sentinel & Enterprise, reported that one of the staff at the Littleton facility had died from the virus.
In November, the Life Care Center of the Merrimack Valley, which operates under the corporate name Merrimack Valley Operation LLC, was inspected by OSHA and fined $ 13,494 for failing to develop a comprehensive written respiratory protection program. for its employees, which is considered a violation.
The facility, located at 80 Boston Road in Billerica, was also cited for two other serious violations, but was not fined. These violations were both related to the respiratory protection of its staff, according to the details of the OSHA inspection.
In early December, CareOne of Lowell, operating as 19 Varnum Street Operating Company LLC, was inspected and six violations were reported, four of which were considered serious, and fined $ 25,061.
According to the details of the inspection, he was fined $ 13,494 for failing to develop a comprehensive written respiratory protection program for his employees, $ 2,121 for record keeping and $ 5,500 for failed to notify OSHA 24 hours of an employee’s death.
The facility, which operates at 19 Varnum St. in Lowell, was also cited but was not fined for failing to provide medical assessments to determine employees’ ability to use a respirator at the workplace. work and keep records, depending on the details of the inspection.
Of the total fine, $ 3,946 was not documented by OSHA for a specific violation.
When the state’s OSHA office was contacted regarding the discrepancy, it referred all questions to its Washington, DC office. Attempts to determine the undefined fine for CareOne have failed.
When contacted about the violations and fines, CareOne of Lowell issued a statement via email.
“These alleged violations issued by the OHSA are disputed. They are also ignoring the realities of handling the COVID-19 pandemic. At the height of the pandemic, in the face of this unprecedented challenge, CareOne took emergency measures to protect its residents, staff and surrounding communities by developing protocols, procuring PPE while many others did not. could not and by communicating systematically with family members and health officials. At all times, we have made reasonable efforts to comply with all OSHA requirements. “
Also in early December, the Life Care Center in Leominster, which operates as Fairlawn Medical Investors LLC, was inspected by OSHA and cited for three serious violations and fined $ 13,494 for failing to develop a Comprehensive written respiratory protection program for its employees, according to inspection details.
He was also cited, but without fines, for failing to provide medical assessments to determine employees’ ability to use a respirator in the workplace and keep records, according to inspection details.
Each of the Life Care Centers and CareOne contest the infractions and fines.
A spokesperson for the Life Care Center in Leominster, speaking on behalf of the three facilities, declined to comment on the violations and fines as they are disputed.
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