Workshop on Healthcare Hazard Control and Safety Management

Program overview:

Advances in medical technology and clinical treatment techniques expose workers to a variety of occupational health hazards that must be controlled. Healthcare organizations seeking to maintain revenues, minimize losses, serve their communities, and meet regulatory/ accreditation requirements need effective safety programs. Safety issues found in healthcare organizations of today include areas such as patient safety, medication safety, laser hazards, latex allergies, chemical exposures, biological hazards, workplace violence, and community safety issues. Other areas of focus are emergency management and indoor air quality.

Controlling hazards, managing risks, and maintaining proactive safety programs will continue to challenge senior leadership in healthcare industry. Effective healthcare hazard control and safety management will continue to be relevant as the number of workers employed in healthcare-related occupations increases.

For whom:

This program is designed for professionals working in public health from national, provincial government or international agencies and non-governmental organizations, who are responsible for health programs.

Learning objectives:

At the end of the program, participants will be able to:

• access to information through practical checklists and forms that are readily available for use;
• explain hazard management, control mechanism, compliance, standards, and accreditation management;
• apply leadership skills to improve safety performance, risk management, organizational culture, behavioural safety, root cause analysis, new OSHA and Joint Commission requirements, and regulatory changes;
• design strategies for accident prevention and promote safety culture as organizational value;
• design strategies to control hazards, proactively manage risks and safety programs;
• apply a proactive approach to safety management and leadership; and
• improve safety throughout their organization by integrating safety programs into all functions within their organization.

Course outline:

Day 1:  Healthcare Hazards & Management

• Management Approach to Hazard Control
  • Understanding Hazards
  • Understanding Accidents
  • Hospital and Healthcare Hazard Categories
• Promoting Safety
  • Managing Hazardous Materials
  • Hazardous Materials Exposure Risks
• Healthcare Hazard Control and Safety Management
  • Emergency Shower and Eyewash Stations (OSHA Requirements)
  • Hazardous Materials Storage
• Biological Hazard Control
  • Infection Control Requirements
• Personal Protective Equipment
  • Responding to Hazardous Materials Spills and Releases
• Waste Management
  • Safety Orientation, Training, and Education

Day 2: Healthcare Safety Management 

• Efficient Safety Management
• Safety Leadership
• Human Behaviors
• Safety Cultures and Systems
• Information Management
• Risk Management
• Employee Health
• Worker’s Compensation Program Management
• Security Management

Day 3: Safety Regulations, Standards, and Organizations

• Federal Administrative Law
• Occupational Safety and Health Administration
• Environmental Protection Agency
• Food and Drug Administration
• Nuclear Regulatory Commission
• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
• Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry
• Federal Emergency Management Agency
• Other Safety-Related Professional Organizations

Day 4: Emergency Management and Fire Safety  

• Defining Emergencies
• Emergency Management and Planning
• Drills and Training
• Evacuation Planning
• Hazardous Material Emergencies
• Weather and Natural Disasters
• Other Emergency Situations
• Terrorism and Weapons of Mass Destruction
• Healthcare Facility Fire Safety Management
  • Fire Prevention Activities

Day 5: General and Physical Healthcare Facility Safety

• Office Safety
  • Mold in the Workplace
  • Ventilation
  • Indoor Air Quality
• Safety in Patient and Clinical Areas
• Healthcare Workplace Violence
• Ergonomics
• Slip, Trip, and Fall Prevention
• Support Department Safety
• Environmental services
  • Landscape/Grounds Maintenance
• Laundry Safety
• Food Service Department Safety
• Facility Security Management
• OSHA HAZWOPER Training for Support Personnel

Training Methodology

Lectures, discussions, exercises, and case studies will be used to reinforce these teaching/learning methods.