A nurse’s trip over a cord has landed a hospital a $50,000 fine, where the joint health and safety committee had previously documented cord trips as a known hazard.
The nurse was administering medication to a patient. When leaving the bedside, the nurse’s foot became entangled in a cable attached to the “bed check” equipment. She fell and fractured her arm.
According to the Ministry of Labour press release, dangling cords were a known hazard in the workplace and the joint health and safety committee inspection records showed that. The cord in question had not been secured, although hooks, clips or Velcro had been previously identified as methods of securing the cords.
The hospital pleaded guilty to a charge under the Occupational Health and Safety Act of failing to train the employee on trip hazards and was fined $50,000 plus the 25% Victim Fine Surcharge.
The Ministry of Labour’s press release can be found here.
