Melbourne, Florida – The U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration has issued citations to Circles of Care Inc., a provider of psychiatric and rehabilitation services, for the third time in five years. The citations come in response to incidents where workers were either killed or seriously injured in violent patient attacks.
OSHA cited the Melbourne-based company for failing to implement adequate safety measures to prevent the escalation of aggression towards staff. This included a “repeat” violation and an “other-than-serious” violation, resulting in proposed penalties of $101,397.
According to OSHA, the recent citation and fines follow an inspection in November 2023, prompted by a worker’s hospitalization. The employee sustained injuries to the head, face, hands, and arms after being assaulted by a patient using a metal hole punch.
The agency’s investigation also uncovered two other incidents at the Melbourne facility in 2020. One incident involved the fatal shooting of a counselor by a former patient, while the other was an alleged assault.
Circles of Care, which operates ten behavioral health and substance abuse facilities in Florida and employs approximately 480 individuals, now has 15 business days to challenge the citation and proposed penalties.
OSHA Orlando Area Office Director Erin Sanchez expressed shock at Circles of Care’s failure to safeguard employees from the known risk of patient violence. The company’s reluctance to implement necessary protective measures has raised concerns about worker safety in the face of such dangerous situations.
This repeated citation highlights the importance of prioritizing employee safety in healthcare settings, particularly those dealing with psychiatric and rehabilitation services. It underscores the need for organizations like Circles of Care to reassess and improve safety protocols to prevent such tragic incidents from occurring in the future.