JUNE 2014
Late News Milliken acquires FR fabrics manufacturer Westex Inc. SPARTANBURG, S.C. — Milliken & Co. is reporting that it has acquired flame-resistant (FR) fabrics manufacturer Westex Inc. The company says the acquisition strengthens its “commitment to providing superior flame-resistant fabrics for protective clothing” for industrial workers who need protection from thermal hazards. “We look forward to welcoming the Westex team to Milliken & Co.,” says Jeff Price, president, specialty fabrics division. “As we look to the future, we are committed to changing the experience for industrial workers with FR innovations that further improve comfort and productivity.” “All of us at Westex look forward to joining a strong, values-based company with a long heritage of innovation,” says Mike Enright, Westex vice president of sales and marketing. “Westex has a proven track record of developing FR technology, products and strong enduser relationships that help customers develop successful programs.” “By combining our collective R&D talent, deep customer knowledge, and market access, we will strengthen our capabilities and offer workers the highest levels of FR protection and comfort,” adds ALN Enright. Volume 40, Number 6
Reported linen contamination at NOLA hospital serves as industry wake-up call Laundries encouraged to review processes, procedures in light of children’s deaths BY THERESA BOEHL, EDITOR CHICAGO — A tragic event that happened several years back at a children’s hospital in New Orleans recently grabbed the attention of the general public and gained national media headlines. Between August 2008 and July 2009, five children who were patients at Children’s Hospital in New Orleans died after an outbreak of mucormycosis, a fungal infection that can be fatal only in rare situations, such as in the case of patients with severely compromised immune systems. What caused renewed concern about the case was an article published in the Pediatric Infectious Disease Journal summarizing an investigation of the circumstances of the outbreak and of several areas within the hospital and its contracted launderer’s facility. In their report, the authors ultimately identify what they believe is the main transmission vehicle for the fungus: the hospital’s linens. The authors of Mucormycosis Outbreak
(Photo: ©iStockphoto/camgonline)
Associated with Hospital Linens, some of whom represented the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, tested linens processed by an outsourced laundry provider and found cases of the fungus in the linen, exposure to which was the only common factor to all of the patients, who
See LINEN on Page 6
OSHA inspections: Know your rights, responsibilities BY CARLO CALMA, EDITORIAL ASSISTANT ALEXANDRIA, Va. — Visit the Occupational Safety & Health Administration’s (OSHA) website’s “newsroom” page and you’ll see them— “whistleblower” news releases detailing companies that have been fined by the agency for violating workplace safety regulations. In addressing these fines, Edwin G. Foulke Jr., partner for the Atlanta office of law firm Fisher & Phillips LLP, stresses the need not only for workplace safety programs, but also for employers to know their rights during OSHA inspections. Foulke addressed these topics in a recent Textile Rental Services Association (TRSA) webinar titled Effectively Handling an OSHA Inspection: How to Legally Protect Your Rights. Workplaces, from small companies to major
corporations, have all faced citations from OSHA in some form, according to Foulke, which, in recent years, have ranged from as low as $509,000 to as high as $87 million. “Don’t think that because you’re a small- or medium-sized employer that you can’t have citations like this,” says Foulke. THE SUPERVISOR’S/EMPLOYEE’S LEGAL ROLE
Before issuing a citation, however, OSHA must have “burden of proof” that the employer “had knowledge of the safety hazard, or the violation,” Foulke explains. Because of this, above all, Foulke stresses the importance of having a list of safety rules established, and ensuring that all employees are aware of these rules as part of a safety program. “Make sure that they are aware of that list and
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occupied several different wards in the hospital. In the article, the authors state: “In this outbreak, we suspect the contamination of clean linen occurred at the laundry facility or during
then when they violate those programs, they can be disciplined,” he says, adding that discipline can be used as an “affirmative defense” to demonstrate to OSHA that the employer has taken steps to prevent employee misconduct. Foulke also emphasized the importance of documenting employee training, and that not only should workplace safety accountability fall on employees, but on supervisory personnel as well, since they will be the ones assisting the OSHA compliance officer during inspections. “[The OSHA officer] may be asking questions and that’s why it’s very critical that the person who’s answering the questions understands his/ her responsibilities because whatever he/she says as a manager or supervisor [is] going to be imputed to the company, and that’s going to be See OSHA on Page 12 The Newspaper of Record for Laundry & Linen Management
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Maximizing Linen Distribution Methods
Panel of Experts
Consider the many variables that can affect how linen is supplied, replaced and managed for healthcare facilities.
Group offers tips for taking control of ever-increasing operational costs.
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