OSHA citations: Bloodborne retains top spot, lockout/tagout spikes

On paper, it looks like OSHA got tougher on general medical hospitals in fiscal year (FY) 2009, as in practical terms the average fine per citation rose 47.1% compared to a year earlier.

But the actual dollar difference between the averages is so small that it probably wouldn’t even register on most hospital ledgers.

So what’s the real message looking at OSHA top 10 cited standards? Bloodborne pathogens violations continue to be the perennial Achilles’ heel for hospitals, but a few other standards provided surprises.