MICRO 5 – Introduction to Infection Control Aspects of Occupational Health Flashcards
(36 cards)
What is Occupational Health?
Traditionally defined as the specialty concerned with the:
effects of work on health &
how health affects an individual’s capacity to work
What is the Complex web encompassing of Occupational Health?
work and work environment
life and lifestyle
health and ill health
What is healthy worker effect?
HWE refers to the consistent tendency for actively employed people to have a more favorable mortality experience than the population at large.
Name the positive effects of work on health health
Creates a sense of wellbeing through: >Achievement of job satisfaction >Provision of means of income >Social interaction >Potential to interact with worksite health promotion activities
What are the negative effects of work on health?
Specific physical job hazards Accidents at work Long working hours Job insecurity Excessive demands
Name the work place hazards
Physical +ergonomic
Biological
Chemical
Physical /human
Give the example of physical +ergonomic work hazards
Noise Radiation Trip hazards Manual handling Ergonomic
What are the possible chemical work place hazards?
Solvents
Irritants
Carcinogens
Name the biological work place hazards
Bacteria
Fungus
Other micro-organism
What does an occupational healthcare service provide?
Risk assessment and risk control Pre-employment + periodic assessments Management of occupational illness and injury Post-illness / absence reviews Vaccination + post-exposure prophylaxis Management of staff (infections, dermatitis etc) Health education Counselling Advice
Who may be at risk at a health facility?
Nurses Doctors Laboratory staff Dentists/hygienists HSCP Morticians Staff of residential institutions Students Porters Contract cleaners
What are the examples of work related ill health in the health service?
Musculoskeletal disorders Psychological illness / stress Dermatitis Accidents (including NSI) Infectious disease Asthma
How can occupational health affect infection control?
Knowledge of legislative backdrop and sometimes competing needs and demands
Understanding of management structure and responsibilities / limitations
Competent at risk assessment and risk communication
Awareness of health / medical issues as well as human factors
Can provide impartial advice without compromising confidentiality
State Infection Control Objectives of an Occupational Health Programme
- Education
- Risk Assessment
- Risk Control
- Evaluation
What topics are healthcare staff educated on?
Standard and transmission-based precautions
Consequences of non-compliance
Exposures to potentially infectious hazard
*Prevention
*Action to take and management if exposed
Explain legislation in relation to occupational hazards
> Employees are protected by law from exposure to occupational hazards
The Biological Agents Regulations (2013) require the prevention of exposure of employees to a biological agent in a place of work. Schedule 4 specifies:
-Offer vaccine (FOC)based on risk assessment
-Inform re benefits and drawbacks
-Vaccination certificate may be drawn up
The Health & Safety Act (2005) includes microorganisms in its definition of substances. Therefore, protection against microorganisms is given the same legal standing as protection against other hazards in the workplace
EU Sharps Directive 2013
What are the employee responsibilities (HSA)?
Co-operate with your employer and others.
Do not take chances with your life or your colleagues.
Tell your employer if you think something is dangerous.
Do not interfere with or misuse safety equipment.
Use equipment correctly.
Attend training.
Use protective equipment and clothing provided.
Write down risk assessment procedure
> Identify the potentially infectious hazard
in the workplace
(something that can cause harm)
Determine level of occupational risk for each hazard (ie the risk of exposure to the particular hazard)
Risk = hazard X frequency
Identify what controls are necessary using the hierarchy of risk controls = Risk Control
What knowledge is required in the risk assessment?
- The workplace, its hazards, consequences
- Likelihood of exposure
- Individual vulnerability
- Epidemiology
- Clinical manifestations
- Routes of transmission
- Respiratory: droplets, aerosols
- Contact: Patient handling /contaminated equipment Percutaneous / mucocutaneous: contact with blood or body fluids
Biological Agents are classified into 4 groups. State this groups
Group 1 agents are the least hazardous
Group 4 are the most hazardous
Group 2&3:…include most of the vaccine preventable pathogens encountered in healthcare.
State the basis of the classification of the 4 groups of biological agents
Whether;
>The agent is pathogenic to humans
>The agent is a hazard to employees
>The agent is transmissible to the community
>There is effective treatment or prophylaxis available
Explain risk control
Eradication or minimisation of the risk of exposure to the potentially infectious hazard
Prevention of staff exposure to the risk
Management of staff exposure to the risk
Policies, procedures and programmes to prevent / manage exposures including outbreak management
Explain healthcare worker vaccination
Healthcare workers, usually healthy adults, are likely to have excellent response to vaccination unlike some patients
Hospitalised patients can acquire influenza from infected healthcare workers, visitors or other patients
About 30% of people infected with influenza are asymptomatic but can still be infectious
Influenza can kill a vulnerable patient
How do we protect ourselves from influenza?
Inactivated virus should be given each year in advance of the influenza season (Sept/Oct)