Oh&s

[Melbourne MICA]

I was wondering if ambulance and firefighting staff in the US and Canadian EMS systems are covered by a system of workplace and staff protection from injury and illness like the Occupational Health and Safety system that operates here in Australia.

OH&S here is very powerful legislation covering all workplaces designed to mandate protections for all workers in the design, construction and operation of all workplaces and the equipment, machinery, tools, systems of operation etc used in the workplace.

The essence of the legislation is an overall shared responsibility in workplace safety but with a strong emphasis on the employer to protect workers from any kind of harm. There are many deaths and injuries in workplaces every day and for example in ambulance lifting injuries are commonplace. Our employers are obliged (legally and with heavy penalties for breaches) to provide equipment (like the gear you carry into jobs) that minimises the risk of injury.

Each and every ambulance station has a designated health and safety rep who has the power to enforce a Worksafe inspection by the government agency called Worksafe Australia and even to put a hold on operations or equipment that he/she deems is not safe to use. The employer has to comply in evaluating the risk and more importantly doing something about it. The penalties for breaches or non-compliance are severe.

Any thoughts guys?

MM

 

[Shishkabob]

We have OSHA-- Occupational Safety and Health Administration.

e United States Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) is an agency of the United States Department of Labor. It was created by Congress under the Occupational Safety and Health Act, signed by President Richard M. Nixon, on December 29, 1970. Its mission is to prevent work-related injuries, illnesses, and deaths by issuing and enforcing rules (called standards) for workplace safety and health.

 

[Melbourne MICA]

We have OSHA-- Occupational Safety and Health Administration.

Thanks Linuss. Do you have reps in the workplace to oversee the day to day compliance with this legislation? And do they have similar powers to our HSR's to enforce this. I am the deputy HSR at our branch and aside from regular workplace inspections where you look at all aspects of the branch, our vehicles, equipment and operational policies we can apply what is called a "PIN" notice where serious breaches occur.

The "Provisional Improvement Notice" can effectively halt the use or application of equipment, processes etc the HSR has deemed present either an actual, immediate or even a potential hazard to staff.

For example we recently had a major battle with our organisation about our Electronic PCR tablets and OH&S compliant workstations or lack thereof at hospitals. Our employer fought tooth and nail against this and eventually a PIN was placed, the worksafe inspector came out, did an evaluation and mandated that the service has to setup proper workstations including monitors, keyboards and mice. They had no choice in the matter but railed against the extra cost associated with it especially since it added and additional cost to the EPCR system they are trying to flog to other services.

Now we have a minimum of two monitors at all hospitals. This all happened and still does as many staff are now developing RSI, back, arm, hand and neck and eye strain problems from spending so much time squinting and hunched over these accursed machines. As an aside they have proven both flawed and far more time consuming for staff and have trashed our at- hospital times doing documentation and by default affected availability of resources and response times.

MM

 

[Shishkabob]

I'm part time at AMR and it's been forever since I've done a shift, so I know nothing of their operations.

OSHA tends to send out their own inspectors on random / tipped off places to do spot inspections. If something is wrong, you get some hefty fines. Large corporations get, er... OCD, about "Employee Safety" and tend to assign someone for workplace safety.

 

[Melbourne MICA]

I'm part time at AMR and it's been forever since I've done a shift, so I know nothing of their operations.

OSHA tends to send out their own inspectors on random / tipped off places to do spot inspections. If something is wrong, you get some hefty fines. Large corporations get, er... OCD, about "Employee Safety" and tend to assign someone for workplace safety.

Thanks again LINUSS. the difference here by the sound of it, is that the legislation requires all "designated workgroups" - ie a bunch of employees at any workplace, large or small, to have an HSR present at all times. It's actually a serious breach of the legislation not to have one or to assign a temporary replacement if the HSr is away on leave or the like. We also have a workplace committee made up of reps who meet regularly to look at the overall system. this includes reps from management, the OH&S department and ambos themselves.

Cheers
MM

 

[VentMedic]

Not all of our states are under OSHA but those that lack have their own state regulatory legislation in place.

While Ambulance services have a set of regulations set by the state, some are more lax than others and may do the bare minimum. There should be written P&Ps to follow and yet, for a needle stick I hear about EMT(P)s being lost for the proper procedure. Each agency should also have someone appointed to see that these P&Ps are in compliance with the standards.

FDs, however, do take safety very seriously as do their national, state and local union reps.

 

[Melbourne MICA]

Not all of our states are under OSHA but those that lack have their own state regulatory legislation in place.

While Ambulance services have a set of regulations set by the state, some are more lax than others and may do the bare minimum. There should be written P&Ps to follow and yet, for a needle stick I hear about EMT(P)s being lost for the proper procedure. Each agency should also have someone appointed to see that these P&Ps are in compliance with the standards.

FDs, however, do take safety very seriously as do their national, state and local union reps.

Thanks Venty. OH&S in Australia was initiated by the trade union movement not governments or employers (though it was passed into law by the left leaning side of politics). It is probably the union movements most significant achievement no matter what you think of unions. Thousands of lives have been saved by this very robust legislation and practice.

Thanks again guys for the info.

MM

PS As an aside we have used OH&S reasonably successfully to lever our employer to improve working conditions of ambos as it applies across the board even for things like getting a rest or meal break or being told to drive on lights and bells burns over ridiculous distances. There is a federal government working committee currently looking at standardising OH&S rules and regs across all states in Australia. Sounds like you could do with one in the US.

 

[VentMedic]

OSHA

http://www.osha.gov/

http://www.osha.gov/as/opa/osha-faq.html

States
http://www.osha.gov/dcsp/osp/index.html

 

[Outbac1]

M MICA

Our system here appears to be very similar to yours. Each base has an OHS rep and if you see a danger or hazzard to health you are to correct it if you can and write it up so it gets fixed properly. eg: a hose that poses a tripping hazzard because it is laying on the floor in a heap. Your job would be to roll it up neatly. The companies job would be to find a better place for it or perhaps a hose reel. There are penalties if things are not done in a timely manner.

 

[Melbourne MICA]

Thanks Outbac

Very similar indeed. The process here is very thorough and all pervading. If staff suffer even a minor injury they are obliged to fill out what is called an "HIA" -hazard and injury assessment. On the form the hazard or process they may have caused the injury is quantified according to set categories into the level of risk, the need for immediate intervention or investigation suggestions as to management of the problem etc. It then goes to our OH&S department who must investigate the matter and set a process of "controls" to manage the problem and reduce the risk of further injury.

Butts can get kicked big time if the OH&S department does not follow through with the process and the branch HSR can initiate such a process if he thinks the employer is not treating the issue at the appropriate level.

We had such a situation with our e-pcr's and workstations at hospitals. The employer smelled a cost to their resourcing and saleability of the device (it's a new income stream for them though god knows who would be mad enough to buy the piece of crap). It evenutally took a PIN notice by an HSR and the intervention of the government worksafe inspector. They had to yield otherwise managers themselves would be liable for fines in the tens of thousands of dollars.

Strong stuff.

Thanks again all.

MM