Analysis of Job Related Injuries - Research Paper Example

Title Name Subject Name of Instructor Institution Date Abstract This project was developed as an attempt to identify various strategies that can be used to give health care staff a firm understanding of the need to protect themselves from job related injuries or illnesses and hazardous substance which is known to be present in the workplace in such a manner that employees may be exposed under normal conditions of use or in a foreseeable emergency. The proposal is based on assessment of substantiation of need for innovation, different systems and structure that are required in the development of an appropriate change strategy, in relation to best practice leadership and changes of principles. In this project, a Hazard Communication program was been considered and consists technology component expertise for the hospital and work place innovative educational flash animated program for the staff. The media rich program would ensure staff to oversee their teaching modules designed as games that would focus on safety information. The evaluation and the dissemination programs would also be adhered to ensure proper implementation is adhered. This would be in tandem with a specific business plan that would be realistic and able to meet the set goals. Table of contents Table of contents 3 1. Chapter one: Introduction 5 1.1.1Chemicals hazards 5 1.1.2Traumatic injuries 6 1.2Objectives 7 1.3Problem statement 8 1.3.1Activities Planned 8 2. Chapter two: Literature review 9 3. Chapter three: Program plan 12 3.1statement of confidentiality 12 3.2Location of project plan 12 3.3.1Hazard and injury program: 13 3.3.2Employee Training: 13 3.3.3 Informing Contractors: 13 4Updating and Evaluating the Program 14 4.1 Hazard and injuries Determination 15 4.2MSDS Information 15 4.3 Training Format: 15 4.3.1Policy: 16 4.4.2List of Hazardous Chemicals and injuries: 16 4.4.3Hazard and injuries Policies: 17 5. Conclusion 17 5.1Swot analysis 17 5.2Capital already invested in the project 18 1. Chapter one: Introduction 1.1.1Chemicals hazards Chemical posses one or more of the following hazardous properties, for example, combustible, flammable, explosive, reactive, pressurized, toxic, carcinogenic, corrosive, irritant and sensitizer as stipulated by (Dopson, 2007). Staffs of various organizations are experiencing increasing numbers of occupational injuries and illnesses. Rates of occupational injury to the staff due to chemicals have risen over the past decade. Thus, different labels warning chemical manufacturers, importers, or distributors are essential to make sure that each container that contains hazardous chemicals are labeled with the identity of the hazardous chemical as (Walshe, & Judith, 2006) suggests. The suitable hazardous warnings, and the name and address of the chemical manufacturer or importer have to be clearly indicated.  Consequently, areas such as welding; operation of internal combustion engines, indoor application of paint, or adhesives; grinding and sanding operations; and removal of asbestos containing materials should clearly be indicated and, provided with a notice that will distinguish them from other industries as suggested by (Goel & Shalini, 2007). Labeling is required on all pipes that carry or contain hazardous chemicals. Chemical manufacturers usually send a Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS) with the initial shipment of a chemical (Roberts, 2004). The MSDS has all the detailed information about physical and chemical properties of the chemical, the physical and health hazards, safe handling precautions, spill clean-up procedures, emergency and first aid procedures. The MSDSs should be availed to all workers so that they understand the nature of different chemicals that they are handling. This can be made possible by the animated program. According to (Bryan, 2005), every employee should comply fully in a prudent manner with all occupational safety and health standards and regulations that are set. 1.1.2Traumatic injuries Trauma is a global problem with various consequences to an individual and to the staff of an organization. Traumatic injury is a pandemic disease and affects everyone without regard to the economic status. It is acute in onset but often results in chronic, debilitating health problems that have effects on an individual victimized. According to (Garrett, 2009), penetrating trauma can result in high death rate of about 60%, usually from sepsis complications, but reduced to 30% with rapid surgical treatment and wound care. As stated by (Walshe, & Judith, 2006), the proportion of susceptible health-care workers at risk depended mostly upon past infection and immunization. There are professional who are more prone to sharp injuries. These include; Health profession, medical assistants, acupuncturist. Health-care workers are at an increased risk of infection with blood borne pathogens due to exposure to blood and other body fluids. Sharp objects include needles, scalpels, lancets and broken glass (Walshe, 2010). Hepatitis B and C viruses such as (HBV, HCV) are pathogens which are usually transmitted to health-care employees in occupational settings. Health-care workers may also be predisposed to other infections from blood borne pathogens, airborne pathogens for example; tuberculosis, varicella, influenza and fecal-oral pathogens like hepatitis A and salmonellosis. Pathogens have a lower risk from infected with the pathogens as compared to HBV, HCV and HIV. Blood borne pathogens introduced in the body by contaminated needle-sticks cause a high deaths and disability among health-care workers. Unsafe injections may also have indirect impact on health-care delivery, mostly in areas where qualified personnel are less compared to the disease burdens in the population (Venter, 2000). 1.2Objectives The overall objectives were achieved through the project purposes which are: i. Ensuring that hazardous substances present in the work place are properly identified and labeled. ii. All staffs can access information on the hazards various substances that are being used in the company. iii. Adequate information is provided to the employees on how to prevent injuries or illnesses due to exposure to various substances. iv. Identify various individual who has the responsibility of maintaining the program, the MSDS sheets and those responsible in conducting training. Aim This project aims at enhancing the health and working status of the staff of different organization where there is use of hazardous substances and objects which are known to be present in the workplace in a manner that employees may be exposed under normal conditions of use or in a foreseeable emergency. 1.3Problem statement Many deaths and injuries in the work place are caused by; wrong interpretation of the information on labels, lack of knowledge on location of hazardous materials in the workplace, the acute and chronic effects of chemicals after coming into contacts with the staff, safe handling procedures, lack of personal protective equipment, various methods that are used to detect leaks and releases, the emergency procedures and how to obtain First Aid, the Spill clean-up and waste disposal (Venter, 2000). Many workers are at an increased risk of infection with blood borne pathogens due to exposure to blood and other body fluids which mainly occur due to injuries with sharp objects contaminated with blood or body fluids. Hepatitis B and C viruses (HBV, HCV) may be transmitted by sharp objects such as the scalpels, needles lancets and needlesas suggested by (Helland, 2005). 1.3.1Activities Planned For the achievement of the project objectives, the following activities will be undertaken. i) Evaluation of staff of an organization to identify health issues that exist in the work place. ii) Make out strategies that would be used to solve by use of strategies like behavioral change strategy. iii) Develop an animated program that would act as a health promotion plan which is essential in helping to solve health issues that exist by identifying priorities and health hazards that is portrayed by trauma and chemicals. iv) Implementation of this program and ensuring it can be accessed by every staff. v) Evaluation of the project plan which will help in resolving the progress of the project and commend on the progress of this plan. 2. Chapter two: Literature review Occupational safety and health standard are mostly intended to address comprehensively the issue of evaluating the potential hazards exposed to an employee and communicating information concerning hazards and appropriate protective measures to employees. There is need to for evaluating the potential hazards prone to an employee, and communicating this information and, suitable protective measures to various employees as articulated by (Helland, 2005). This may comprise; written hazard communication program, lists of hazardous chemical, labeling of containers of chemicals in the workplace and containers of chemicals being used, preparation and distribution of material safety data sheets to the employees and downstream employers and the development and implementation of employee training programs as asserted by (Drucker & Joseph, 2008). This program has been established to help in provision of guidelines for all staff in meeting the requirements of the Hazard Communication Standard. This program will apply to any hazardous which an employee may be exposed under normal conditions or in a foreseeable emergency. In tandem with (Helland, 2005), using epidemiologic techniques to evaluate epidemic resulting from occupational injuries has great impact. This is because injuries seem to result from the interaction of a susceptible host and etiological agents in the environment. Epidemiology is essential in identification, evaluation, and control of activities that are important to prevent traumatic injuries. As articulated by (Roberts, 2004), descriptive epidemiology helps to identify high risk exposure and factors that affects human beings. Analytical epidemiology assists in testing validity of these hypotheses. Thus, epidemiology helps in evaluation of different potential risk factors. Surveillance is a major epidemiologic factor in controlling occupational traumatic injury. Epidemiology serves to state the incidence and commonness of some disorders and also helps in the establishment of working causal models of a disorder, including the elucidation of risk and protective factors. This innovative project will integrate the chemical hazards that are prone to the staff and traumatic injuries that staff are exposed to when carrying their daily activities. This project can be put in a mobile kiosk at the hospital, work place, offices and in the dining rooms. The animated program will navigate the staff through an exercise that demonstrates safety in place of work (Helland, 2005). This is an innovative multimedia approach that will enable staff to see character within the screen environment as they embrace key learning objectives. There would be need of highly skilled media and production individuals to realize the objectives of this program. And thus, collaboration will be done health animatics to bring this safety education to life. The health animatics would simplify complex medical and life science concepts and replace them with new and innovative multimedia solutions as (Walshe, 2010) perceived. In the implementation of this program, the health animatics would have to put much focus on web designing, 3D animation and also various video interactive initiatives. Information regarding end-to-end solutions for life science, health care, interpreting information on labels, MSDSs, Location of hazardous materials in the workplace, location and availability of material safety data sheets. There would also be acute and chronic effects of chemicals, safe handling procedures of chemicals, Personal protective equipment and the methods used to detect leaks. Emergency procedures on how to obtain first aid, would be provided in an animated and staff interactive way which (Huber, 2006) believes to be an appropriate technique. Health animatics are a health care service that will reduce administrative costs while improving outcomes. Project will inform the moment that a supervisor or the Safety and Health Department may be contacted in case of a hazard. A record of training provided by the agency or university would be included in this animation project. Animations on occupational exposures to blood borne pathogens will be availed by this project. It would comprise immunization against HBV; prevention procedures against percutaneous injuries and post exposure prophylaxis (PEP) that would help in prevention of the development of disease (Saloner, 2001). A guide would be provided on the national and local disease burden from injuries to the staff. Simple preventive measures of HCV and HIV infection associated with sharps injuries will be indicated in the animations. Immunization of health-care workers against hepatitis B i.e. those at risk of sharps injuries and immunization which help in reducing the proportion of workers susceptible to infection will also be covered in this project (Wissman et al., 2008). Engineering controls, such as auto disposable syringes, needle-free devices, and retractable or sheathed needles which should be used by health workers will be covered in this project to help health workers. Safety clothing’s such as the gloves and masks may be provided when duties are being carried out. Providing good health to the staff is only one of the tools in the process of giving meaning to the past actions and to create a better working place. To accomplish the objectives of this project; Health animatics will be used in developing innovative technologies to help the staffs in an organization understand various chemical hazards and traumatic injuries (Goel & Shalini, 2007). Design and hosting of custom 3d animation and videos that explain various health aspects will be developed. This project would be structured within chemical and injury hazards and would be the focus for all health manpower training in the company and hospital. Meetings, telephones calls, and posters will be used to meet with the staff to find out their views on the project. Financial intervention strategies or education services will be developed to finance the project. Use of mobile clinics to teach, treat and care for the sick staff will be used in the initial start of the project to collect data regarding to the chemical and injuries hazards in the place of work. 3. Chapter three: Program plan 3.1statement of confidentiality The above program has been established to ensure that hazard resulting from chemicals and different traumas from injuries are covered. According to (Kizil, 1991), all data submitted or provided herein should not be used or disclosed except in the place where it is applicable. The user of this project should instruct the employees not to disclose any information concerning this project to others except to the extent that such matter are known and are available for use by the public. It is the intent of this program to provide all guideline regarding to working with hazardous chemicals and exposure to injuries. 3.2Location of project plan The written project Plan will be available for review by all staff at the following central location: i) Company library. ii) Hospitals that find the information herein useful. iii) Company website. iv) Human resource office Copies of the plan may be obtained from the above locations at the request of any supervisory personnel. 3.3Designated Personnel The following personnel have been designated as responsible for updating and maintaining this project, employee training, labeling, and ensuring that MSDS forms are obtained and maintained.  3.3.1Hazard and injury program: The hazard and injury supervisor is the overall Program Coordinator. Department Supervisors are responsible for their respective areas. 3.3.2Employee Training: Training will be conducted by appropriate supervisors. After completion of initial training, it will be the responsibility of individual supervisors to provide on the job safety training to all newly hired personnel. 3.3.3 Informing Contractors: It will be the responsibility of maintenance department to inform contractors of the hazards and injuries exposed to in the work area they are assigned. This is very critical especially when chemicals or compressed gas are in use or are stored. 4Updating and Evaluating the Program Evaluation of the program would be such that, they aim at giving the results of the stated objectives. This would depend on the realistic objectives that would be set up. Schoute stipulates that the objectives also have to be achievable and can be measured. At least once per year, the program will be reviewed and updated (Schoute, 2001). It is ardent to identify the members who would participate in the evaluation process to ensure the specified goals are attained. According to (Kizil, 1991), the evaluations process would entail the organization capability of implementing the specified goals. The program also has to ensure the outcome would be such that, long term goals may be evaluated and a technique of gathering reliable information. Evaluation would entail, collecting of data basing on the individual preferences. The project would employ focus groups, surveys and questionnaires. The update of the program will consist: i) Hazard assessment; this would ensure the number of health hazards which have occurred on staff are recorded and analyzed. ii) Assessment of applicable regulations iii) Policies. iv) Discipline/procedures. v) Training. vi) Designated employee accountability. 4.1 Hazard and injuries Determination MSDSs will be requested for all incoming hazardous substances and then updated in the animated program.  Recent injuries would be checked and updated in the program. 4.2MSDS Information The designated person will ensure that all MSDS have complete information in each of the following categories and has been provided to the program manager for updating so that staff can access them; Identities used on label, chemical and common names, Physical and chemical characteristics, Physical Hazards, health Hazards, Primary routes of entry, air exposure limits (PELs, TLVs), Carcinogenicity, Precautions for safe handling, Control Measures, Emergency and first aid procedures and the date of preparation of MSDS as (Huber, 2006) states. All the records pertaining to this project should be signed and well kept. 4.3 Training Format: Each employee who attends the safety course will receive a lecture and Audio Visual training (Dopson, 2007). This ensures there is improvement in the level of managerial skills on risks issues. The training will include the following strategies: i) Training on the physical and health hazards of the chemicals and objects in the work area. ii) How to reduce or prevent exposure to these hazard and injuries through proper work practices, engineering procedures, emergency procedures, and personal protective equipment to be used. iii) The actions to be taken and protocols implemented to reduce or prevent the workers’ exposure to chemical hazard and injuries. iv) Procedures to be followed if they are exposed to hazardous chemicals or sharp object injuries. v) Methods and observations to use to verify the presence or release of a hazard chemical or injury. vi) Explanation of the program, different labeling, the MSDS, and how employees can obtain and use appropriate information. 4.3.1Policy: It is a policy that no employee or volunteer will begin work or any non-routine task without first undergoing the necessary training on safety measure or notifying the appropriate supervisor. 4.4.2List of Hazardous Chemicals and injuries: Inventories of hazardous chemicals and material will be listed to ensure that every employee has adequate knowledge on them. This would inhibit any accident that may arise due to misinformation. 4.4.3Hazard and injuries Policies: Policies set forth in this Hazard and injury program Plan are to be adhered to by all employees, volunteers, and contractors working on the property in question. Any employee found to be knowingly violating the policies that are set forth will be subject to disciplinary actions, up to and including immediate termination. 5. Conclusion The main reason why I chose this project is because the rate at which ignorance in the staff safety is increasing is worth concern. Employees in the place of work lack knowledge on how they should handle various risks at work. Thus, the life of the majority of staff is compromised. This project assist in addressing the health issues in the work place, and make access to health care easy. Strategies used to address the above issue are possible to implement. The source of fund of this project will be from different agencies and well wishers who believe that this project is essential and possible to implement. 5.1Swot analysis STRENGTHS WEAKNESSES (internal risks) Tools which are available to enhance the evaluation process. Workforce who are skilled and are dedicated to achieve their mission. Absence of formal and informal communication across the departments. Absence of continual evaluation process of the mode of conduct. Lack of proper accountability from the managers in charge. OPPORTUNITIES THREATS (external risks) More flexible and creative options for personnel. Modern advanced technologies for better service delivery. Presence of information data about relevant sectors. Budget constraints. Improper policies. Source of capital i. Grants and subsidies from different agencies that are concerned with fighting for the welfare of the employees. It has been agreed that they will receive a copy of this project and if they find it comprehensive they will not hesitate in funding it. ii. Loans from financial institutions such as banks. iii. Others. 5.2Capital already invested in the project Name of organisation/individual Type of finance USD Grants and subsidies Loan Other TOTAL: Budget Sheet Income Amount Grants and subsidies $22, 497.00 loan $11,742.00 Others $70,300.00 Own contribution $1,400 Total income Expenditure Expenses Amount Program designer, web designer, video experts $11, 513.00 Video screens, cables, extension and other accessories $12, 534.00 Print advertising and media $12,314.00 Training of staff, trainers etc $1, 544.00 Personnel; Program facilitator, clerical, planning staff, evaluators. $17, 724.00 Total expenses $55629 References Bryan, J. (2005).Management skills: A Jossey-Bass reader. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass. Dopson, S. (2007) "Healthcare management." Journal of nursing management 15(6) p.671. Drucker, F. & Joseph, M. (2008) Management. New York, NY: Collins. Garrett, M. (2009). "Leadership." Leadership and management in health equipments, 9(3) p 154. Goel, L. & Shalini R. (2007). Management techniques: Principles and practices. New Delhi: Deep & deep publications, India. Helland, L. (2005). Humanizing architecture for healthcare: Designing a balance between system centered and patient centered architecture. New York: Wiley. Huber, D. (2006). Leadership and nursing care management. Philadelphia: Saunders Elsevier. Kizil, K. (1991). Evaluation strategies. [Spokane, Wash.]: Spokane community college. Roberts, C. (2004). Patient safety basics for healthcare staff. Marblehead, MA: HCPro. Saloner, G. (2001). Strategic management. New York: John Wiley. Schoute, M. (2001). The evaluation of management accounting innovations: Some methodological issues. Amsterdam: ARCA, Amsterdam research centre in Accounting. Venter, F. (2000). Advanced leadership issues in emergency medical services - Instructor Guide. Emmitsburg, MD: Academy. Walshe, F. (2010). H-mail HIPAA and hitech privacy and security training reminders for healthcare staff. Boston: Hcpro. Walshe, K, & Judith, S. (2006). Healthcare management. Maidenhead: Open UP. Wissman, J, Audrey, K., & Karin, R. (2008). Leadership and management. Overland park, KS: Assessment technologies institute. Read More