Mount Holly, NJ provider cited for workers’ fatal COVID exposure
MOUNT HOLLY — The U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration has fined a healthcare provider $27,306 as the result of an investigation which found the company failed to implement required COVID-19 prevention protocols, leading to the deaths of workers at two of its New Jersey locations.
One employee of the Bock Bay group home in Howell and another at the Pat LeBon Center in Lumberton, both run by Mount Holly-based Oaks Integrated Care Inc., contracted the novel coronavirus following outbreaks at those facilities. Both of the workers died.
The OSHA investigation found that COVID outbreaks also exposed workers at five other group homes operated by Oaks Integrated Care.
OSHA alleges that the company did not implement timely mitigation measures following the outbreaks, failing to first identify and isolate residents with suspected COVID cases, then notify staff who worked with those clients about the risk of infection.
Oaks Integrated Care also failed to adequately provide respirators to workers, and fell short in training those workers on how to use the devices, according to the investigation.
The company has 15 business days to either comply, request a conference with OSHA, or challenge the findings.
Patrick Lavery is New Jersey 101.5's afternoon news anchor. Follow him on Twitter @plavery1015 or email patrick.lavery@townsquaremedia.com.
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