At Good Samaritan Hospital, registered nurses are reporting lack of access to proper PPE including N95 respirators as well as lack of training on using PPE. WSNA believes that these RN working conditions are not best practices and put the health and safety of RNs at risk. On behalf of the bargaining unit members at Good Samaritan Hospital, WSNA has filed a complaint with the Washington State Department of Labor & Industries Division of Occupational Safety and Health. WSNA’s DOSH complaint includes the following:

The employer has failed to furnish to each of his or her employees a place of employment free from recognized hazards that are causing or likely to cause serious injury or death to his or her employees, in violation of RCW 49.17.060.

The employer has failed to do everything reasonably necessary to protect the life and safety of employees, in violation of WAC 296-155-040(2) which states: "You must require safety devices, furnish safeguards, and you must adopt and use practices, methods, operations, and processes which are reasonably adequate to render such employment and place of employment safe. You must do everything reasonably necessary to protect the life and safety of employees."

The employer has failed to provide and maintain, at the employer’s expense, personal protective equipment whenever physical contact, adsorption, or inhalation of a hazard could cause injury or impairment to employees, in violation of WAC 296-155-200(1)(a) and (b) which states: "You must use personal protective equipment (PPE) wherever physical contact, absorption, or inhalation of a hazard could cause any injury or impairment to the function of any part of the body.... You must maintain PPE in a sanitary and reliable condition."

The employer is in violation of WAC 296-126-094, the General Duty Clause which states: It shall be the responsibility of every employer to maintain conditions within the work place environment that will not endanger the health, safety or welfare of employees. All facilities, equipment, practices, methods, operations and procedures shall be reasonably adequate to protect employees' health, safety and welfare.

If you have any questions about this complaint, feel free to reach out to Travis Elmore, WSNA Nurse Representative, at telmore@WSNA.org or 206-575-7979 ext. 3117.

In Solidarity,

Travis Elmore WSNA Nurse Representative

Local Unit Chair, Cheryll Howe – Family Birth

Local Unit Treasurer, Aaron Bradley – Palliative Care

Local Unit Grievance Officer, Dawn Morrel – Cath Lab

Local Unit Secretary, Christina Swan – Family Birth