Cal/OSHA Cites Atascadero State Hospital Again for Assaults on Staff

ATASCADERO, Calif. - (BUSINESS WIRE) - The California Division of Occupational Safety and Health - better known as "Cal/OSHA" - has just released additional citations against Atascadero State Hospital for dangerous conditions and patient assaults on employees.

Totaling $27,675 in fines, the violations include a "regulatory" violation on the San Luis Obispo County facility's incomplete recordkeeping where injured employees' names were erased from requested records, and a major "serious" violation regarding ongoing patient assaults on employees. A "serious" violation occurs when there is a "realistic possibility that death or serious physical harm could result from the actual hazard created by the violation."

The new Cal/OSHA citations state, "From January to September 2012, an average of 10 patient-caused injuries per month occurred, some of them severe; however, corrective measures to control these hazards were not effectively implemented, including but not limited to, control of physical access through the workplace, effective alarm systems, presence of security personnel, training, buddy system, communications and ensuring the availability of sufficient trained personnel on all shifts to perform routine functions including patient supervision and to respond to red lights/alarms." (Full document available online: http://bit.ly/Qtp9Rb .)