[Shot of person using antiseptic wash at a wash station]
[Juanita and Craig are both seen standing in the hall of a hospital environment.]
JUANITA JENKINS - Occupational Health and Safety Inspector, Ministry of Labour >> My name is Juanita Jenkins. I'm an occupational health and safety inspector for the Ministry of Labour.
CRAIG LORI - Infection Control Consultant, Ministry of Labour >> My name is Craig Lori. I'm an infection control consultant with the Ministry of Labour, and today we're going to look at the types of things that we look for related to infection prevention control during an inspection of a health care workplace.
[Juanita and Craig enter a hospital.]
JUANITA JENKINS >> The Ministry of Labour inspects healthcare workplaces to ensure that they are in compliance with the Occupational Health and Safety Act.
CRAIG LORI >> We also work with our partners in the health care field such as the regional infection control networks or the Ontario Agency for Health Protection Promotion and the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care.
[Juanita and Craig sign in at the hospital, and begin to look for things like wash stations, and signs of caution/warnings.]
JUANITA JENKINS >> Upon entering a health care facility the infection control measures that I'm looking for may include signage, passive or active screening and alcohol-based hand rubs so that people entering the facility have an opportunity to clean their hands. When I arrive at a workplace to conduct an inspection I want to meet with one of the management representatives and also a worker representative from the Health and Safety Committee.
[Juanita and Craig meet one of the hospital workers and give her their business cards.]
JUANITA JENKINS >> The reason that we're here today is that we're going to be conducting a proactive inspection of your workplace.
CRAIG LORI >> Because we're specifically looking at infection prevention control issues so we also like to talk to the infection control practitioner at the workplace.
[Craig and Juanita continue to speak to the hospital workers.]
CRAIG LORI >> Do you have a specific infection prevention and control manual?
EMPLOYEES >> [in unison] We do.
CRAIG LORI >> It's important that employers take steps to protect their workers from infections by having certain measures and procedures developed in consultation with their joint health and safety committee.
[Juanita and Craig look through the Infection Control Manual with the hospital staff.]
JUANITA JENKINS >> [to hospital staff] How often would you take a look at your measures and procedures, and revise them?
JUANITA JENKINS >> Infection control measures and procedures for workers should be reviewed and revised annually or more often in light of current practices.
CRAIG LORI >> [to hospital staff] Are you aware of any occupational infections that have occurred among staff?
CRAIG LORI >> If an employer learns that a worker is ill because of an exposure at workplace, it's required that they report within four days to the Ministry of Labour, but also to their joint health and safety committee and their trade union at the workplace.
[Juanita and Craig take notes as they listen to the hospital staff explain their procedures.]
EMPLOYEE >> [to Craig and Lori] If an infection happens we scan our surveillance, we call it, and they get the information right away.
[Various shots of hospital staff taking precautionary steps in infection control by wearing sanitary gloves, etc. Juanita explains the visuals in her comments below.]
JUANITA JENKINS >> Workers can protect themselves from infectious agents by doing a risk assessment. Figuring out what the hazard is in their workplace, and then following routine practices and additional precautions.
[Juanita and Craig take notes as they listen to the hospital staff explain their procedures.]
CRAIG LORI >> [to hospital staff] I wonder if you can describe some of the training that occurs with respect to infection control?
JUANITA JENKINS >> In health care workplaces, all workers should receive training in infection prevention and control.
CRAIG LORI >> [to hospital staff] So supplies such as gloves or masks or facial protection are available to workers when they're needed?
EMPLOYEE >> Absolutely!
[Various shots of hospital staff taking precautionary steps in infection control by wearing sanitary gloves, etc. Craig explains the visuals in his comments below.]
CRAIG LORI >> For droplet-spread infections, it's important that a worker take certain precautions to protect themselves such as facial protection that will include a mask, and something to protect their eyes. An N95 respirator is worn when there's a risk from airborne transmission. For workers that are required to wear N95 respirators it's important that the employer has in place a written respiratory protection program and it will include things such as the training on the donning and doffing the respirator. It's also important that the respirator be fit-tested.
[Various shots of nursing staff attending to a patient - wearing all of the relevant protective gear.]
JUANITA JENKINS >> Sharps should be disposed of immediately after use in an appropriate puncture resistant container. The container should not be filled past the fill line.
CRAIG LORI >> Safety engineer needles are required to be used now by Ontario's needle safety regulation when they're used in places such as long-term care facilities or hospitals.
JUANITA JENKINS >> Food or drink should not be consumed in areas where there is a risk of contamination by infectious agents.
CRAIG LORI >> A worker that has health and safety concerns at the workplace should bring their concerns up with their supervisor or their employer.
[Juanita and Craig take notes as they listen to the hospital staff explain their procedures.]
CRAIG LORI >> Tell me if the housekeepers are included in the infection prevention control training that is given here?
EMPLOYEE >> [to Craig, nodding] Everyone that works here.
CRAIG LORI >> It's important for everybody at the workplace to follow safe work practices, because in this way we can build a culture of safety at a workplace which is good for not only the workers, but also the residents, the patients. or anyone else that visits the workplace.
JUANITA JENKINS >> We want to ensure that there's a good workplace health and safety culture, where everyone is involved and informed. For more information please visit our website.
[TITLE: Please visit our website for more infomation. URL: www.ontario.ca/labour | www.healthandsafetyontario.ca.]