Hotel housekeepers alarmed by bloodborne pathogen exposure
Housekeeping department employees of the Sofitel Los Angeles hotel have filed a complaint with the California Division of Occupational Safety and Health (Cal/OSHA) alleging that they do not have the proper equipment to safely handle linen contaminated with blood or to remove used syringes and needles they encounter in guest rooms.
Due to the number of hotel guests whose stays are related to medical treatment at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center across the street, employees at the Sofitel Los Angeles fear they have higher-than-typical risks of occupational exposure to blood-borne pathogens.