NJ hospital to contest work safety citations

Bergen Regional Medical Center has hired an attorney to contest allegations that the hospital failed to protect employees from violent patients. The hospital has retained Eric J. Conn, said Donnalee Corrieri, a spokeswoman for Bergen Regional. Conn is chairman of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration Workplace Safety Group at Conn, Maciel, Carey, a Washington, D.C. law firm. OSHA cited Bergen Regional on Aug. 18 for failing to keep the workplace free of hazards. The agency said it found eight incidents form Feb. 22 through June 12 in which violent patients attacked health care workers. Employees reported patients barricading them in rooms, threatening them, exposing them to blood-borne pathogens and biting, punching and kicking them.