the seven safety virtues
TRANSCRIPT
THE SEVEN SAFETY VIRTUESJR & Associates, LLC
DOES YOUR CENTER SAFETY PROGRAM PRACTICE THE SEVEN
SAFETY VIRTUES?• Are your employees working safely? If so, do you
know why your employees are working safely?
If it’s because you’re watching them, they might revert to sloppy habits when you’re not looking. If they’re working safely because they’re being browbeaten into it, they’re probably not going to keep it up for very long. But if they’re working safely because you’ve created a strong safety culture, your work place safety program has legs.
EMPLOYEES IN A STRONG SAFETY CULTURE WORK SAFELY BECAUSE OF THESE 7 SAFETY
VIRTUES1. Employees know what they are supposed to do.2. Employees know how to do what they are supposed
to do.3. Employees know safety is important and affects
them directly.4. Employees are about safety.5. Employees know that their center cares about safety.6. Employees never forget about safety.7. Employees know shortcuts aren’t worth the risk.
1) EMPLOYEES KNOW WHAT THEY ARE SUPPOSED TO DO
They have been over the center safety rules many times and in several formats. A manager or supervisor has talked to them and made sure they understand. They have passed quizzes on the policies and rules and know whom to ask if they have questions.
How often?Weekly, Monthly, Quarterly and Annual In-services
When?Monthly General Staff meetings, Bi-Weekly payday meetings,
individual department meetings.By whom?
Administrator, Staff Developer, Department Heads or outside consultant or guest speaker.
2) EMPLOYEES KNOW HOW TO DO WHAT THEY ARE SUPPOSED TO DO
• Workers have practiced enough to feel comfortable with procedures. Someone instructed, corrected and coached them until they got the procedures right.• When and how?
• During In-service instruction• Return demonstrations – as often as it takes until
employees get it right.
3) EMPLOYEES KNOW SAFETY IS IMPORTANT AND AFFECTS THEM DIRECTLY
• Employees have learned how accidents can affect them, their families, their co-workers, and the center, both personally and financially. They know the center enforces its safety rules. They also know that working safely is part of their performance appraisals and can affect their pay and job security.• i.e. --- injuries are a real pain (it hurts!)• i.e. --- recovery time can be extensive! • i.e. --- life’s daily activities can be greatly curtailed! As
well as social activities!• i.e. --- co-workers have to pick up the slack!• i.e. --- tough to care for residents when you have allot of
injured staff, let alone admit more residents!
4) EMPLOYEES CARE ABOUT SAFETY
• Workers care about safety for the reasons just described, but they also care because they have invested time and energy in addressing safety problems. They know that their safety ideas, concerns, and complaints will get a fair hearing by their employer.
HOW• When safety hazards are identified, they are fixed.• When safety concerns are raised they are addressed.• When safety ideas are proposed they are discussed in
the appropriate format.• When complaints are filed, they are responded to timely.
5) EMPLOYEES KNOW THAT THEIR EMPLOYER CARES ABOUT SAFETY
Your employees have seen accidents and near-misses investigated promptly and thoroughly and have been informed of the results. They expect safety issues to be part of center communications and training. They have observed that the center corrects hazards and establishes and maintains safe work practices. Investigated using: Critical Analysis of Employee
Incident / AccidentsCommunications – Safety Committee – Posters – New
Letters – Payroll stuffers etc...Safety Walk through Surveys done by everyone.
6) EMPLOYEES NEVER FORGET ABOUT SAFETY
• Even on days when employees feel distracted, they still remember to work safely because it’s become a habit.
Habit defined:an acquired behavior pattern regularly followed until it
has become almost involuntary: the habit of looking both ways before crossing the street.
7) EMPLOYEES KNOW SHORTCUTS AREN’T WORTH THE RISK
• Even when employees are tempted to take shortcuts around the demands of work safety, they don’t take the risk because they are aware of the consequences of carelessness in the workplace.
ROAD BLOCKS
• Bad attitude by a manager/supervisors or employees• Complacent - “I know this job so well I can do it blind
folded”• Tired – worn out from too little sleep or too many
hours at work• Risk-taking – does a job with out enough training,
doesn’t pay enough attention to training• Emotional – angry or upset by something that has
happened at home or at work• Reckless – thinks safety isn’t important or don’t apply
to me• Selfish – thinks that no one else is affected by my
actions • Budget woes – N T
COMBATIVE RESIDENTSAND EMPLOYEE
INJURIESA Second look!
ARE RESIDENTS TO BLAME?
1. IE was attempting to get patient out of bed; patient slapped IE's RT jaw; IE tried to put pillow behind head of patient and patient punched IE in the nose
2. EE & Co worker lifting to reposition a patient in wheelchair & patient started spitting at EE & to avoid spit the EE twisted left side upper & lower back.
3. Patient requested to go to bed & IW removed soft belt in wheelchair, the patient refused was fighting & agitated & the IW along W/another worker were holding the patient's hand & the patient bit the IW left 2nd index finger
ARE RESIDENTS TO BLAME? CONT.
4. IE was trying to hold arms of resident to put resident in wheelchair; resident became combative and grabbed the IE RT hand, abrasion & redness to RT hand
5. IW was attempting to restrain a resident, resident scratched IW in the right eye, with fingernail
6. Resident physically attacked employee, injuries to left upper leg and left knee
7. IW was struck by a patient in the back of the neck and the right shoulder
Employee Injuries from a combative resident should be a
Fully Investigate
POSSIBLE REASONS FOR COMBATIVE BEHAVIOR
• Combative behavior for resident is unusual and is a reaction to:• change in condition• change in caregiver, or • caregiver was abusive in some way
• Combative behavior is “normal” for resident because:• resident has a psych diagnosis• resident is confused• resident always reacts negatively to care• caregiver was new to resident, or• caregiver was abusive in some way
• Combative behavior unexpected because:• resident new to center• employee new to center • employee not trained
POSSIBLE SOLUTIONS
PREPARE YOURSELF• Know your residents, avoid surprises!
• Review the care plans• Learn about the new resident• Ask questions / what is their history?• Check to see if any change of conditions took place
from the last time you worked with the resident• Know how to approach an upset resident• If a resident becomes combative, back away, leave
them be! Come back when they’ve settled down.
POSSIBLE SOLUTIONS CONT.
• Greet resident with preferred name• Identify yourself to the resident• Speak to resident while providing care• Remain calm• Encourage resident to talk • Listen attentively as resident speaks• Use courtesy when communicating• Do not argue with resident• Inform resident before leaving the room
LAST BUT NOT LEAST
KNOWLEDGEMake sure your staff attend in-services on dementia and cognitively impaired residents
and understand what they’ve been taught
The best offence is a good defense!
NEWS FLASH“NEEDLE STICKS” GONE WILD!
• Important, any reported needle stick must be thoroughly investigated as to the following factors:• What exactly was the employee doing when they were
poked?• What kind of syringe was it?• If it was a safety syringe was it activated?• If it wasn’t one our syringes, where did it come from?• If the needle stick was a result of a full sharps disposal
box, what kind was it?Lastly:What corrective action has been taken to avoid future
sticks?