Follow-up: Rhode Island doctor willfully exposed staff to COVID, federal agency finds
PROVIDENCE — The U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration has cited Dr. Anthony G. Farina Jr. for failing to protect workers at his medical practices in North Providence and West Greenwich from exposure to the coronavirus — and for failing to implement proper safety measures after six employees tested positive for the virus in the fall of 2020.
OSHA investigators found Farina willfully exposed employees to the coronavirus at four of his practices: North Providence Urgent Care Inc., North Providence Primary Care Associates Inc., Center of New England Urgent Care Inc. and Center of New England Primary Care Inc.
The agency determined Farina continued to interact with workers and did not fully implement safeguards after he exhibited symptoms of the virus and later tested positive, according to a news release.
Farina and his companies face a proposed fine of $136,532 for failing to implement engineering controls, such as portable high-efficiency particulate filtration systems and barriers between desks. In addition, the investigators concluded that he failed to institute administrative controls such as cleaning and disinfecting, and symptom screening of all employees, or to mandate contact tracing or quarantine periods after employee exposure to COVID-exposed patients.
Read more: https://www.providencejournal.com/story/news/courts/2021/06/15/ri-dr-anthony-farina-willfully-exposed-staff-covid-osha-finds/7704800002/
Earlier threads:
Follow-up: North Providence doctor, suspended for exposing patients to COVID, has license restored
https://www.democraticunderground.com/1075622
N. Providence doctor, suspended for exposing patients to COVID, faces federal allegations
https://www.democraticunderground.com/1075613
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