Safety and Security
TASK 1
One of the safety committees used to reduce risk within my organization comprises the employers and some employees as well as a few Human Resource representatives. The members are chosen using a purposive sampling method irrespective of their ranks in the organization. This is to ensure that the safety committee is a perfect representation of all levels and departments in the organization. The committee members have a compatible schedule where they meet every once in a week (Druley, 2017). Following the regulatory requirements, the committee is expected to publish and report its to-do lists before the meeting. During the meeting, precise notes and minutes are taken reporting the discussed items and proposed solutions. A copy of the notes is made available to all workers and safety committee members to ensure that all stakeholders are working towards a common goal. The committee is able to reduce risk in the organization by clearly establishing and adhering to its purpose, goals, and objectives (Kluwer, 2016). It is inclusive as it takes into account the needs and preferences of all stakeholders. To strictly adhere to its purpose, the committee solely discusses health and safety issues in the organization. It further engages in education forums to empower and create awareness to all stakeholders on how to prevent risks and accidents and promote safety. As a result, the safety committee proves to be a relevant use of the staff’s time as it is accurate and efficient in addressing the safety goal of all stakeholders.
TASK 2
In collaboration with risk management programs addressing infection control, below are several measures that a health care organization could implement to maintain safe health care services delivery. First, the organization should put great emphasis on telehealth services (CDC, 2020). To avoid interactions and maintain social distancing, activities such as offering advice and counseling could be done by the use of telephones. Online education programs should also be prioritized to create awareness on the public on the proper safety measures. A healthcare organization could develop new strategies for self-monitoring of workers’ health. Healthcare personnel should be provided with the resources to test themselves of infections before reporting to work. This mostly applies to the workers who directly handle patients as they are at a greater risk of transmitting or contracting infections. In case of any symptoms, they should be restricted from reporting to work. Lastly, to avoid the spread of infections, healthcare organizations should ensure all stakeholders and particularly workers thoroughly understand and exercise proper prevention and control practices (Berg, 2020). Rather than providing them with protective gear such as hand sanitizers and face masks, they should be trained on the proper recommended clinical use. For instance, with the use of personal protective equipment, training on the safest donning methods should be done regularly.
References
Berg, S. (2020). 8 ways to protect doctors caring for patients with COVID-19. Retrieved February 12, 2020, from PUBLIC HEALTH: https://www.ama-assn.org/delivering-care/public-health/8-ways-protect-doctors-caring-patients-covid-19
CDC. (2020). Ten Ways Healthcare Systems Can Operate Effectively during the COVID-19 Pandemic. Retrieved May 1, 2020, from Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/hcp/ways-operate-effectively.html
Druley, K. (2017). 7 tips for an effective workplace safety committee. Retrieved February 26, 2017, from Safety+ Health: https://www.safetyandhealthmagazine.com/articles/15308-tips-for-an-effective-workplace-safety-committee
Kluwer, W. (2016). Safetip #15: Define the Purposes of a Safety Committee. Retrieved FEBRUARY 10, 2016, from enablon: https://enablon.com/blog/safetip-15-clearly-define-purposes-of-a-safety-committee/
