Hospital And State Prison Hit With COVID Rules Violations
The State of Michigan is working this week to wrap up enforcement action against the latest businesses and workplaces around the state charged with violating COVID-19 safety rules. Some are being hit with big fines.
Two that haven’t gotten a lot of attention in the new enforcement action are a hospital and a state prison. McLaren Port Huron Hospital is being cited for what state inspectors call serious violations of workplace safety requirements. Remember- this is a hospital in Michigan. McLaren is accused of everything from failing to require face masks to be worn when appropriate, to failing to screen people entering the hospital. Another charge against the hospital is for failing to ensure staff and visitors are maintaining the required 6-foot social distancing separation. The state says an employee complaint is what led to the visit by inspectors.
The citations against a state prison might be even more eye-raising to some. Considering the action amounts to the state charging itself. The Gus Harrison Correctional Facility in Adrian is charged with, first of all, having no COVID-19 safety plan in place. So here is a state-owned and operated facility failing to meet the minimum standards being imposed by the state. Other charges against the prison run the gamut from failing to enforce social distancing, to not requiring all staff to wear face masks when they should be. The $6,300 in fines may be a moot point however since it would simply amount to the state paying itself to cover the fees. The state says the directed inspection at the prison followed the death of an inmate who had contracted the virus.
LOOK: Here are 25 ways you could start saving money today