Blowing the whistle over needlestick hazard gets dental employee fired
OSHA takes dentist to court
OSHA is suing a Massachusets dentist who allegedly terminated an employee for raising concerns about contaminated needle disposal.
According to the complaint filed in U.S. district court in Boston by the department's Office of the Regional Solicitor, Dr. N. Terry Fayad discharged a dental assistant in November 2010 after the employee raised concerns about an office procedure that required workers to remove protective caps from contaminated needles before putting the needles in disposal containers for sharps. This procedure exposed the employees to injury and possible infection by bloodborne pathogens such as hepatitis and HIV.