Kaiser's South Bay Medical Center will pay $73,615.40 in fines for unlawful disposal of medical waste.
"On April 28, 2010, Kaiser's South Bay Medical Center delivered a roll-off trash bin containing medical waste, including tubing filled with blood, contaminated surgical devices, and surgical drapes, soaked with blood, to the Carson Waste Management Transfer station, a disposal facility not equipped or permitted to accept medical waste. In a subsequent inspection of Kaiser's South Bay Medical Center on May 5, 2010, Kaiser was found to be unlawfully storing medical waste. The medical waste was not properly contained in red biohazard bags conspicuously labeled with the word 'BIOHAZARD'," according to a July 16 announcement by the Los Angeles Office of the City Attorney.
Kaiser is also required to train its South Bay Medical Center staff on the proper handling, storage, and disposal of medical waste in compliance with the California Medical Waste Management Act.
The fine is apportioned by $70,000 in civil penalties and $3,615.40 to the Los Angeles County Fire Department Health and Hazardous Materials Division as restitution for investigative costs.