Schwarzwaelder European Guide To Prevention In The Healthcare Sector

Stephan Schwarzwälder, BAuA

Guide to prevention and good

practice in hospitals in the

healthcare sector

Stephan Schwarzwaelder2

Background information


Background – European Commission in 2001

1. About 10% of workers in the European Union belong to the health and welfare sector

2. The healthcare sector is a high risk sector with a combination of divers risks arising in the same time

3. Question: Is there a need for a specific approach in order to improve the protection of the health and safety of personnel in the healthcare sector?

4. In 2001, the European Commission launched a debate on the occupational health and safety in the healthcare sector with representatives of the Member States governments

5. Result: There is currently no need for a new, specific Community legislation, but recommendations and guides to good practice for the healthcare sector would be a very positive and necessary step


Background

6. The Committee agreed that priority should be given to the

production of a guide to prevention and good practice for hospital

workers, focusing on the most significant risks in the sector,

especially:

1) Biological agents,

2) Musculoskeletal disorders

3) Psychosocial disorders

4) Chemical agents


In 2008 - Progress

The “Guide to prevention and good practice

in the healthcare sector” was contracted in

2008 by the European Commission through

PROGRESS, the EU's employment and

social solidarity programme, supporting the

goals of the Social Agenda as well as the

golas of the Lisbon Strategy.

Project management European Commission Dr. Francisco Jesús Alvarez HidalgoPrincipal Administrator European Commission Unit "Health, Safety and Hygiene at Work"- DG Employment F.4


The project team

Partner Task

Federal Institute for Occupational Health and

Safety, Germany (BAuA)

Project Management

Contec Project Management

Employer's Liability Insurance Association for

Health and Welfare Services (BGW)

Biological risks, musculo-skeletal risks,

psychosocial risks, chemical risks

BAD/TeamPrevent Group Workshop with hospitals from EU-

Memberstates

Support for biological risks, musculo-

skeletal risks, psychosocial risks,

chemical risks

German Network for Health Promoting

Hospitals (DNGfK)

Workshop with hospitals from Germany


The guide to prevention and good practice in the healthcare sector


Structure of the guide

1. Chapter 1: OSH as a management task

2. Chapter 2: How to carry out a risk assessment in five steps

3. Chapter 3 – 6: “the four risk groups”

a) Basic criteria for the assessment of risks

b) Specific preventive measures

c) Description of good practice

d) Relevant Community Directives

e) Internet links (information available online)


Specific aspects for each risk group

1. biological risks: e.g. needle sticks, handling blood and blood products

2. musculoskeletal risks: e.g. moving and transporting patients, slips, trips and falls

3. psychosocial risks: e.g. stress, burn-out, working time and violence

4. chemical risks: e.g. cleaning products, disinfectants, safe handling of cytotoxics and anesthetics


Practical, easy-to-understand tool

1. Structure of the text: Risk assessment and preventive measures (T-O-P)

2. Interviews in the Netherlands, Austria and Germany - good practice examples for the 4 risk groups

3. Internet links with references to additional helpful information and tools listed at the end of each chapter


Structure of the guide – risk assessment in 5 steps

Step 1 – Identifying hazards and those at risk

Step 2 – Evaluating and prioritising risks

Step 5 – Documentation, monitoring and review

Step 4 – Taking action

Step 3 – Deciding on preventive action – T-O-P


Structure of the guide – focus on preventive measures

• General information on RA and preventive measures in chapter 2

• Specific information in each of the risk specific chapters


Description of good company practice

Preventing needlestick-injuries

Ergonomically designed counter at a children centre


Good company practice - heart of the guide - people


Link lists – further information and tools

Practical Guidlines: Chemical Agents Directive 98/24/EC


Practical tool? Workshops

1. German Network for

Health Promoting

Hospitals (DNGfK)

2. Healthcare institutions

of EU-Member States


European guide - European Expert Group

Austria Germany Netherlands

Belgium Greece Poland

Bulgaria Hungary Portugal

Cyprus Ireland Romania

Czech Republic Italy Slovakia

Denmark Latvia Slovenia

Estonia Lithuania Spain

Finland Luxembourg Sweden

France Malta United Kingdom

Participants from 12 Member States

Focus: What do we have in common – not on the national differences


Transfer of the European guide into a national OSH-programme for healthcare workers


Purpose of the Workshop - The development of a global framework for national OSH programmes in the healthcare sector

How may this guide contribute to a global framework for national programmes for occupational health of healthcare workers?


Joint German OSH Strategy 2008 – 2012


Why a German OSH Strategy?

National context

• „Dualism“

• Goal: A joint OSH-strategy of the German

Government, the Federal States and the Statutory

Accident Insurances


Joint German OSH Strategy 2008 - 2012

6 nationwide unified work programmes of highest priority:

1. Construction sector

2. Temporary workers

3. Driving and transporting

4. Nursing

5. Office work

6. Working with skin damaging material


Work programme „healthy nursing and care: MSD`s in nursing

1. Development of an „Online assessment and prevention tool“ – supported by the partners of the joint German Strategy

2. The Federal States and the Accident insurances sign a contract for the implementation of the agreed upon measures!


Guide to prevention and good practice


Examples for technical measures


Online tool - Questions and recomendations

1. Do you have an appropriate number and adeguate

choice of mechanical handling aids available?

2. Are the following devices available?

1. Electrically-powered adjustable beds

2. Lifts, lifting devices

3. Trolleys

4. Transfer boards, transfer belts, glide

boards, sliding mats


Summary: The development of a global framework for national health-programmes in the healthcare sector

1. Product development: Development of easy-to-understand guides and

recommendations with a few, important health-contents for a world-wide recommendation

2. Establishing national networks for national transfer – country-wide and local networks

3. Involment of existing structures: Federal and State governments, liability insurances, health insurances, professional associations

4. If possible: Partners have a joint strategy and sign a contract for the implementation of preventive measures – financial and personnel ressources!


Thank you for your attention!

Stephan Schwarzwaelder

Federal Institute for Occupational Health and Safety, Germany

Career

Schwarzwaelder European Guide To Prevention In The Healthcare Sector