Occupational Health and Safety Policies and Procedures

Introduction

Occupational safety and health (OHS) standards are a set of rules

established to reduce, remove or replace hazards in the workplace and
minimize their effects. Organizations benefit from these standards because
they help look after the employees’ health, therefore making them more
productive. Employers are required to adopt such standards to ensure the
safety of their employees.

Caregivers not only have the responsibility to maintain a safe environment

for their clients, but they are also tasked to comply with these standards to
keep themselves, their colleagues, and others protected from hazards and
risks.

In this lesson, we will learn about OSH policies and procedures, how to
manage hazards and risks in the workplace, and how to exercise efficient,
effective, and sustainable practices in the workplace.

Practicing OHS Policies and Procedures

In the Philippines, the Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) standard are
issued by the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE), and hold the
mandates of adopting and using “appropriate practices, means, methods,
operations or processes, and working conditions” needed to guarantee and
protect the safety and health of the employees.

DUTIES OF EMPLOYERS
All employers, contractors or subcontractors, and persons who manage,
control or supervise the work being done have the following duties:
 Provide the employees a workplace that is absent of hazardous
conditions that can bring them death, illness, or physical harm.
 Set up a comprehensive job safety instructions, and conduct a proper
orientation to all employees.
 Ensure that, as long as reasonably feasible, chemical. Physical, and
biological substances and agents, and ergonomic and psychosocial
stresses under their control do not pose risk to health when the
appropriate standards protection followed.
 Make us of only the approved specific industry set of standards of
devices and equipment for the workplace, as applicable.
  Follow OHS policies like training medical examination, and when
necessary, provisions on protective and safety devices such as PPE and
machine guards. The workers’ training must cover health promotion,
hazards associated with their work, health risk involved or to which
they are exposed to, preventive measures to eliminate or minimize
risks, steps to be taken in cases of emergency, and safety instructions
for the jobs, activities and tasks to be handled by workers.
 Ensure that workers and their representatives have the time and
resource to be involved in the process of organizing and
implementation monitoring evaluation and action for improvement of
the OHS management system.
 When necessary, come up with measures in identifying trainings and
drills, evacuation plans, etc. to deal with emergencies, fires, and
accidents including first-aid arrangements.
 Comply with all reportorial requirements of the OHS standards.
 Register the establishment to DOLE as provided under the OHS
standards.

DUTIES OF WORKERS
In compliance with the OHS standards, all workers must perform the
following duties:
 Join programs and capacity building activities about safety and health
and other OHS related topics
 Property utilize all safeguards and safety devices that are in place to
protect workers and others.
 Follow instructions to avoid accidents or imminent danger situations
from happening in the workplace
 Comply with the measures needed in case of emergency, such as
participating in national or local disaster drills; and
 Report any work hazard found in the workplace to their immediate
supervisor or other responsible safety and health personnel.

GENERAL OHS STANDARDS AND PRINCIPLES

The International Labor Organization (ILO) established a set of principles
on occupational safety and healthy environment for all workers.
In compliance with OHS standards, all workers must perform the following
duties:
 All workers have rights.
 o These rights must be protected by workers themselves, their
employers, and the government. These rights are meant to
create and promotes decent working conditions and working
environments. To be more specific:
 Work must be done in a safe and healthy environment.
 Work conditions must be consistent with the well-being and dignity
of the workers. \work must provide real opportunities for personal
achievement, self-fulfillment, and service to society (ILO, 1984).
 Occupational health and safety policies must be set up.
o These policies are to be carried out and effectivity
communicated at both national and organizational levels.
 A national system for occupational safety and health must be
established.
o This system must cover all mechanisms and elements needed
to create and maintain a preventive safety and health
culture, and must be maintained, progressively developed,
and periodically reviewed.
 A national program on occupational safety and health must be
created.
o Once formulated, this program should be implemented,
monitored, evaluated, and regularly reviewed.
 Social partners, such as employers and workers, and other
stakeholders must be consulted.
o This happens during the information, implementation and
review of all policies, systems and programs.
 Occupational health and safety programs and policies must aim to
both prevent and protect.
o Prevention at a workplace level must be prioritized to make
workplaces and work environments safe and healthy.
 There must be promotion of continuous improvement of
occupational safety and health.
o This ensures the regular adaptation of national laws,
regulations and technical standards that avert occupational
injuries, diseases and deaths to social, technical and scientific
progress and other changes in the workplace. The
development and implementation of a national policy,
national system, and national programs and policies.
 Information is important in developing and implementing effective
programs and policies.
o The gathering and communication of accurate information
regarding hazards and hazardous materials, surveillance of
workplace s, monitoring of compliance with policies and
 good practice, and other related activities are vital in
establishing and enforcing effective policies.
 Occupational health practice centers on health promotion.
o Enhancement of workers’ physical, mental and social well-
being is highly encouraged.
 There should be occupational health services covering all workers.
o Ideally, all workers in all categories of economic activity must
have access to such services, which aim to protect and
promote health and improve working conditions of the
workers.
 Compensation, rehabilitation and curative should be accessible to
workers suffering from occupational injuries, accidents and work-
related diseases.
o Consequences of occupational hazards must be minimized.
 Education and training are essential parts of safe, healthy working
environments.
o There must be an awareness of importance of establishing
safe working procedures; employers should provide safe
workplaces and make first aid accessible; and the competent
authorities should formulated, communicate and periodically
review and update occupational safety and health policies.
 Policies must be enforced.
o There must be a system of inspection to secure adherence to
occupational safety and health measures and other labor
legislation.

Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) defines the PPE
or personal protective equipment as a “specialized clothing or equipment
worn by an employee for protection against Infectious materials” (OSHA).
OHS policies also state that employers must provide appropriate PPE to their
disposed properly and reusable PPE is cleaned, repaired and stored after use.
PPE in the Healthcare Setting
Gloves used to protect hands in patient care, environmental services, and
other tasks.
Googles used to protect the eyes
Gowns/Aprons used to protect the skin and /or clothing
Face shields used to protect the face, mouth, nose and eyes.
Mask and respirators used to protect the mouth and nose. Respirators
provide protection against airborne infectious agents.
Consider the following factors when choosing which PPE to wear:
 Type of exposure anticipated
Splash or spray versus touch
Category of isolation precautions
 Durability and appropriateness of the task
 Fit
When to use PPE: Standard and expanded isolation Precautions
Standard Precautions
 Previously known as universal precautions, works on the assumption
that any client’s blood and body fluid could be infectious.
 Recommends PPE and other infection control practices to stop
transmission in the healthcare setting.
 Use of gloves: when touching blood, body fluids, secretions, excretions,
contaminated items, and when touching mucous membranes and non-
intact skin.
 Use of gowns: when undergoing procedures and client care activities
that anticipate clothing/exposed skin getting in contact with blood,
body fluids, secretions or excretions.
 Use of masks and googles or face shield: when undergoing activities
that possibly cause splashes or sprays of blood, body fluids, secretion,
or exercises.
PPE WORN IN DIFFERENT PROCEDURES
PROCEDURE PPE
 Giving bed bath  Generally none
 Suctioning oral secretions  Gloves
 Masks/goggles or a face shield
 Gowns (occasionally)
 Transporting a client in a  Generally none required
wheelchair.
Responding to an emergency where  Gloves
blood is spurting  Fluid-resistant gown
 Masks/goggles or a face
shield.
 Drawing blood from a vein  Gloves
 Cleaning an incontinent client  Gloves
with diarrhea  Gowns (occasionally)
 Irrigating wound  Gloves
 Gown
 Masks/goggles or a face shield
 Taking vital signs  Generally none

When to use PPE: Standard and Expanded Isolation Precautions

Expanded Precaution
 These include:
o Contact precautions
o Droplet precautions
o Airborne infection isolation
 Use of PPE for Contact Precautions: gown and gloves for contact with
client or environment of care (e.g. medical equipment, environmental
surfaces)
o These are sometimes required when entering the client’s
environment
 Use of PPE for Droplet Precautions: surgical masks within 3 feet of the
client
Use of PPE for Airborne Infection Isolation: particulate respirator (negative
pressure isolation room is also required)
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Identifying, Controlling and Preventing Workplace Hazards and

Risks

In the caregiving industry, there are numerous health and safety hazards
that you may encounter, namely:

o Risk of illness or infection caused by blood or bodily fluids exposure

when changing diapers, administering first aid, etc.
 o Risk of getting exposed to infectious diseases if you work closely
with infected persons or in areas with infected persons

o Getting exposed to chemicals in household cleaning products

o Getting exposed to soiled linen

o Working in awkward postures or doing tasks repetitively

o Risk of getting injured from lifting or carrying heavy loads

o Slipping, tripping, and falling

o Working with needles, sharp knives, and other potentially hazardous

tools

o Getting burnt from ovens, deep fryers, and steam from pots

o Stress

o Getting fatigued or experiencing other health due to long hours of

work or shift work

o Working alone

o Workplace violence

Here are some steps you can take to prevent these hazards from happening:
As a caregiver, it is important that you are maintaining the safety of your
workplace. Here are some good general safe work practices that you can
follow:

o Practice safe lifting techniques.

o Follow or establish safety procedures for working alone, working

alone with patients, or for avoiding working alone wherever
possible.

o Attend training on chemical hazards, WHMIS and SDSs.

o Know basic and emergency first aid.

o Comply with company safety rules.

o Know the process in reporting hazards.

o Practice good housekeeping procedures.

 o Practice safe client handling.

o Understand the risks associated with blood-borne diseases (e.g.,

hepatitis B).
Occupational hazards must be controlled to protect workers. In order to do
this, a hierarchy of controls is usually followed by organizations. This also
helps in determining ways to apply practical and effective control solutions.
The hierarchy of controls is typically presented in an inverted pyramid where
the bottom part represents the least effective measure and the top
represents the most effective measure.

Elimination : Hazard is physically removed.

Substitution: Hazard is replaced.
Engineering controls: People are isolated from the hazard.
Administrative Controls: How people work in an organization is changed.
PPE: Employees are protected by wearing Personal Protective Equipment
(PPE).
An outbreak refers to the spread of cases of a communicable disease that is
uncommon in terms of time, place, or person affected. Since the healthcare
setting is more exposed to different types of illnesses, this setting is more at
risk of experiencing an infection outbreak compared to other workplace
settings.

In the caregiving industry, the common types of infection outbreaks include

respiratory infection, skin and soft tissue infection, urinary tract infection
(UTI), and gastrointestinal infections.

Most common types of infection outbreaks in care homes

Types of Most common Mode of transmission
infection causative infectious
outbreaks agents
Respiratory Influenza virus (A or B) Droplets and physical
infection contact
Mycobacterium Airborne infection
tuberculosis
Skin and Soft Streptococcus pyogenes Droplets and physical
Tissue Infection contact
Staphylococcus aureus Physical contact and
(sensitive or resistant) airborne dissemination
Sarcoptes scabiei (mite- Physical contact
causing scables)
UTI (with or without Escherichia Coli Physical contact
a urinary catheter Many MDROs (multidrug- (transmission will have
resistant organism) taken place sometime
before the organism
causes a UTI)
Gastrointestinal Norovirus Physical Contact With
infections Salmonella and other Contaminated Items
organisms causing food Followed By Ingestion Or
poisoning Direct Ingestion Of
Contaminated Food
Clostridium difficile Physical Contact With
Contaminated Items
Followed By Ingestion

https://e-tesda.gov.ph/pluginfile.php/1/core_h5p/content/7670/videos/
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1) Which of the following refers to the least effective measure in the
hierarchy of controls?
 a) Elimination
b) PPE
c) Administrative Controls
d) Substitution
2) Which of the following is not a common type of infection outbreak in
the caregiving industry?
a) Amoebic meningitis
b) Urinary tract infection (UTI)
c) Gastrointestinal Infections
d) Respiratory infection
3) Let’s say you are a care facility caregiver and you found out that your
client has symptoms of tuberculosis. What should be the first thing that
you will do?
a) Take a leave of absence from work to avoid exposure
b) Spread gossip to your colleagues about the situation
c) Proceed with the client’s usual routine
d) Inform your supervisor or care home manager immediately.
4) Which of the following is a mode of transmission of skin and soft tissue
infection? You may select more than 1 answer.
a) Ingestion
b) Airborne dissemination
c) Droplets
d) Physical contact
5) The following are some good general safe work practices that you can
follow, except:
a) Understand the risks associated with blood-borne diseases.
b) Know the basic and emergency first aid.
c) All choices are correct
d) Practice safe lifting techniques