Kicked and bitten on the job
Facility for troubled youth fails to protect employees from violence
In the last several months, workers at a Reading, Pa. facility for children and youth in crisis were the victims of at least ten violent assaults, federal workplace safety and health inspectors have found.
In one incident, a worker suffered serious injuries after being kicked twice in the face, head and neck by one of the facility's residents.
Acting on an employee's complaint, OSHA sent inspectors to The Children's Home of Reading on March 7, 2016. That inspection resulted in a serious citation against the Berks County educational and housing facility for not providing personal protective equipment to protect employees' arms from bites. One additional serious citation was issued under the agency's general duty clause for workplace violence, after OSHA's investigation determined that several employees were assaulted in at least 10 incidents since February 2016.
"Employees have the right to a safe and healthful workplace, however, there are many documented reports in the past several years of employees being exposed to workplace violence at The Children's Home of Reading," said Timothy Braun, acting director of OSHA's Harrisburg Area Office. "This facility must take immediate action and institute effective protective measures to ensure that no more workers get hurt."
The citations can be viewed at https://www.osha.gov/ooc/citations/TheChildrensHomeofReading_1130403.pdf
Founded in 1886, The Children's Home of Reading was assessed proposed penalties totaling $23,160.
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