Safety and Injury Prevention

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Safety and Injury Prevention

• Providence Health System - Oregon
• Environment of Care

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Purpose

• All seven areas of the EOC
• (Environment of Care) focus around
• safe work practices. The overall
• purpose is to ensure the safety of
• employees, patients, and visitors.
• You need to
• Follow safe work practices
• Report any unsafe conditions

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Course Outline

• This course will review
• Providence Safety Policies/Procedures
• How to report unsafe conditions
• Providence safety committees
• Latex reduction
• Employee Healths Injured Worker Hotline Number
• Accident Investigation
• How to prevent work place injuries
• Proper methods for handling compressed gases

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Learning Objectives

• Upon completion of this course, you will be able
  to
• Identify the different safety committees in
  hospitals.
• Know who to contact for help.
• List 3 symptoms of latex allergies.
• Know Employee Healths Injured Worker Hotline
  Number.
• Identify several types of patient lifts used in
  the Providence Portland area.
• List 4 hazard categories of gas cylinders.
• List 3 safety systems to ensure proper selection
  of gases.

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Hospital Safety Committees
There are 5 different Safety Committees for
hospitals

• Facility Safety Committee
• Employee Safety Review Committee
• Patient Safety Committee
• Radiation Safety Committee
• Laser Advisory Safety Committee
• The Safety Committees active in the Satellites
  are Department- or Building-based employee safety
  committees.

Regular Department Meetings must include Safety.
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Facility Safety Committee

• The Facility Safety Committee oversees the entire
  hospital safety program
• Committees meet monthly
• Members are from
• multidisciplinary departments
• Major safety issues are addressed
• Committees report to leadership
• on performance issues

Satellite Safety Committees function in a similar
fashion, with the focus being the entire
department of building.
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Employee Safety Review Committee (ESRC)

• The Hospitals Employee Safety Review Committee
  consists of
• a team of well-trained Department Safety
  Coordinators.
• Co-workers can identify them by a special
  Providence pin
• acknowledging their dedicated service and
  training.

• Their role is to
• Help support co-workers and department managers
  in safety issues
• Meet monthly for specialized training and to
  address employee concerns as a team
• Assist in Safety / Hazard Surveillance Rounds

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General Safety Principles
Your role in safety starts with basic work habits

• Focus on what you are doing
• Follow policies and procedures
• Get help when needed
• Report concerns / accidents quickly
• Participate in all drills and training
  opportunities

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How to report an Employee Safety Concern
If you see an unsafe situation, behavior, or have
a patient safety concern it is your
responsibility to

• Fix it yourself, if possible i.e. move a piece
  of equipment that could be blocking an emergency
  exit).
• Discuss the issue with your supervisor or
  complete an Employee Safety Concern Form and turn
  it into your Safety Coordinator or Facility
  Safety Manager.
• Follow up with your Safety Coordinator or
  Facility Safety Manager if you do not receive any
  feedback regarding your concern.
• Safety Concern forms are available on the
  intranet, key link Safety or hard copies in
  your department.
• If you are not satisfied with the response you
  may also contact
• JCAHO or other external regulatory agencies,
  e.g. Centers
• for Medicare Medicaid Services, US Department
  of Health and
• Human Services, Food and Drug Administration,
  etc.
• There are no repercussions or disciplinary action
  for reporting
• concerns

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General Safety Allergens

• Avoid use of perfume, colognes, or
• after shaves. Some fragrances can
• produce allergic reactions in people
• that are sensitive to flowers.
• Follow Human Resources
• Appearance Guidelines Policy
• Appearance is neat, well groomed and free of
  odor
• Strong scents and fragrances are Unacceptable
  

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Latex

• Latex is a health risk for some people.
• Symptoms of latex allergy include
• Skin rash or hives
• Body swelling
• Difficulty breathing
• To protect patients, visitors and staff,
• Providence hospitals are latex-reduced
• environments. Every department must
• avoid using products containing latex
• Latex balloons are not permitted
• Use non-latex gloves

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Common Causes of Accidents

• Common causes of
• accidents include
• Bloodborne Pathogens
• Needle sticks
• Eye splashes
• Ergonomic
• Overexertion
• Repetitive motion
• You can prevent many
• of these injuries.

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Employee Healths Injured Worker Hotline
503-216-3200

• Call Employee Healths Injured
• Worker Hotline (63200)
• If you are injured.
• If you almost had an injury. Employee Health
  wants to learn about situations to prevent future
  injuries to co-workers.
• You are expected to notify both the Hotline and
  your supervisor.

This line is staffed 24 hours a day, 7 days a
week by either Employee Health or Prov RN. They
will triage your injury.
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Accident Investigations

• Accident Investigations must be completed on
• any accident that
• May be a bloodbourne exposure
• Results in light duty
• Requires treatment by a physician

• Only trained persons should
• perform investigations.
• Investigations need to be
• completed within 30 days of
• the date the accident is reported.

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Patient Lifts
Patient Lifts are available in Hospitals.

• Arjo Tempo
• Sling Lift
• Arjo Sara
• Standing and raising aid
• Arjo Encore
• Standing and raising aid
• Arjo Stedy
• Small standing and raising aid
• Carry to bathroom

Key Point Use of Patient Lifts reduces staff
injuries.
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Safe Handling Techniques for Moving Things

• Follow these guidelines
• Think through any lift before you do it.
• Keep the load close to your body.
• Keep the load balanced.
• Maintain an upright posture
• throughout the lift / carry.
• Watch out for pinch points,
• such as doorways.
• Get help with heavy or awkward loads.
• Move your feet, dont twist your spine.
• Face the way you will be moving.

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Safe Handling of Compressed Gases
Know how to properly transport cylinders.

• Use only approved carts or stands.
• Use protective caps for large cylinders.
• Do NOT drop, drag, roll, or bang cylinders.
• Never carry cylinders
• By the yoke
• By the valve stem
• On your shoulder.

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Hazards in Handling of Compressed Gases

• Hazards in handling and storing cylinders are
• divided into four categories
• Fire Some cylinders contain flammable gases.
  Others, like oxygen, support a fire.
• Missile Mishandling can separate the valve stem
  from the cylinder. The cylinder becomes a
  torpedo.
• Incorrect Usage Human error can result in
  incorrect labeling, installation, or user errors.
• Chemical Reaction Results of mixing gases.

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Safe Storage of Compressed Gases

• Proper storage of cylinders is essential.
• Store only in designated areas
• Never place and leave on the floor
• Store empty cylinders separately from full
  cylinders
• Complete the proper preparation
• Secure with with chains, stands, brackets, or in
  a rack
• Remove all regulators before storage
• Store large cylinders with caps on.

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For More Information
For more information, refer to your Department
Emergency Manual (Flip Chart) or talk with your
Department Safety Coordinator, Facility Manager.
Or PSA Safety Director

• Check the Safety WebPages
• on the Intranet for
• Environment of Care (EOC) Manuals
• Contact information for
• your Safety Managers
• Use this Intranet link

http//phsnet.phsor.org/safety/