Covid-19 Applying the Principles of Prevention (Part 2)

Continuing on from my post on the 28th of October

Covid-19 Applying the Principles of Prevention (Part 1)

Part 2

5. The adaptation of the place of work to technical progress.

The use of virtual conferencing and meeting technology is nothing new but it has seen a massive increase in uptake and implementation across many sectors in Ireland. The apparent short-term benefits are, the removal of the risk of physical contact and elimination of commuting to and from meetings.

It’s important to remember that when we introduce a control measure that it, in itself, should be risk assessed.  Articles such as “Tips to avoid Zoom Burnout” indicate that there may be a need for more investigation before virtual meetings are accepted as a long term approach to conferencing.

6. The replacement of dangerous articles, substances or systems of work by safe or less dangerous articles, substances or systems of work.

We’ve seen examples of new systems being implemented in every type of workplace in the country. Supermarkets have one-way systems and limits on capacity. Food outlets have become take away only.  Multiple storey buildings will reserve lifts for limited use. There are a myriad of systems being implemented all over the country which attempt to interpret government guidance to some degree. Washing your hands before entering a premises and maintain a distance of 2 meters while at work, a common theme throughout.

7. The giving of priority to collective protective measures over individual protective measures.

Priority opening times for vulnerable persons is a good example of a collective preventative measure. Any measure that aims to protect a larger group of people without the need for the individual to have to remember to comply with a particular measure will be more effective. If we put a guardrail on a roof then we don’t need to issue each individual with a personal fall arrest system. With such high responsibility on each individual person this will remain a difficult challenge.

8. The development of an adequate prevention policy in relation to safety, health and welfare at work, which takes account of technology, organisation of work, working conditions, social factors and the influence of factors related to the working environment.

This may include use of personal protective equipment (PPE).  Where PPE is to be used it should be noted that this is a “Last resort” control measure. PPE is not a catch all solution and, in many cases, it can provide a false sense of security.

The face coverings we see people wearing now are not a form of personal protective equipment. Face coverings are there primarily to reduce the spread of airborne water droplets that might carry the virus. The source of these are the nose and mouth.

By wearing a mask you are not protecting yourself but you are potentially protecting the people around you.

9. The giving of appropriate training and instructions to employees.

People need to understand the reason why they are being asked to act in a certain way. This is important to achieve full compliance. Training may need to be preceded by a consultation process.  Information needs to come from a reputable source, be concise and be credible.

Whichever approach you decide to take for your workplace you should measure the effectiveness and not be afraid to try a new approach if something is not working.

Thanks for taking the time to read this blog. Feel free to get in touch if you have comments or suggestions for any future articles.

Shane Lynam

 

 

(Shane Lynam has been a safety practitioner in Ireland for 15 Years. Shane holds a Masters Degree in Environmental Health & Safety Management, a Post Graduate Diploma in Occupational Safety, Health & Hygiene and a Bachelor’s Degree in Science (Microbiology and Human Physiology)    

 

Covid-19 Applying the Principles of Prevention (Part 1)

Applying the Principles to the controlling the spread of Covid-19 (Part 1 – Principle 1-4)

      1. Avoid the risk: -If you can get rid of the hazard then people are not exposed to the risks. You should apply this principle first. With regards to Covid-19 it is virtually impossible to “get rid” of the hazard without there being a large scale, global vaccination and public health program. It took over 100 years to get rid of smallpox and the motivation to eliminate that disease was much higher…

We cannot avoid the risk when it comes to Covid-19.

     2.  Evaluate unavoidable risks -: This requires you to undertake risk assessments. If you can’t get rid of a hazard, you must assess it. This is where we need to apply logic and common sense and determine the level of risk presented by the hazard.  A risk assessment is done by calculating the chances of something bad occurring multiplied by the level of harm that may be caused.

In simplest terms Risk = Likelihood x Consequence

How likely is it that someone is going to catch Covid-19 at an event of 5, 50 or 500 people or at a location that is frequented by larger numbers of people? Increasing likely depending on the increasing numbers of people and possibly their attitudes towards personal hygiene.

What is the consequence? Covid-19 has been proven to be fatal. There are a range of consequences depending on individual and community vulnerability factors.

In summary. The more people we encounter, the higher the risk.

    3. Combat the risks at source: – Here you are trying to deal with the hazard at its root.

The source of this particular hazard has been identified as coming from Wuhan, China. It’s gone beyond being able to combat the risk at source so what can we do? In order to combat the risk at course locally we have to do our best to identify positive cases or individuals who may be infectious.

In theory, if an infectious person is prevented from coming in contact with your workforce or your community you have combated the risk at source and prevented the hazard coming in contact with the people you are trying to protect.

Visitor and worker screening go some of the way towards combating the risk at source but’s not an airtight solution.

     4.  Adapt the work to the individual-: This is the principle of arranging the workplace and tasks to take into account your employees and to reduce the effect of work on health.

Not everyone can work from home but where it has proven to be practical, this measure has been adopted by many workplaces.

(Principles 5-9 will be covered in Part 2)

5 Ways Mindfulness Practice Positively Changes Your Brain

In recent years mindfulness has become a buzzword in neuroscience, and mental health fields. Over thirty years of research has found that mindfulness practice, mindfulness meditation and mindfulness based stress reduction shares a symmetry  with mental, physical and emotional health. Some of the benefits of mindfulness practice include the following: 

 

• Great control over your attention
• Better  social relationships
• Lowered risk of physical illness
• Better immune system
• Better sleep quality

 

There are essentially five ways in which mindfulness practice positively changes your brain. 

 

Frontal  Cortex

 

Mindful states achieve through meditation, meditation training, mindfulness based stress reduction training and mindfulness practice boost frontal brain activity. Over time this increased cortical strengthening bolsters our capacity for rational  thought and intentional planning which promotes great emotional awareness and control and executive functioning. 

 

Amygdala

Mindfulness practice and mindfulness training helps reduce grey matter and activity in the amygdala (a roughly almond-shaped mass of grey matter inside each cerebral hemisphere, involved with the experiencing of emotions). This helps reduce feelings of fear and anxiety and promotes physiological well-being and calmness. 

 

Social Neural Circuitry

There’s a strong correlation between relationship practice and mindfulness practice. Mindfulness has been found to play a vital role in establishing and maintaining emotionally nourishing relationships. 

 

Mindfulness practice also impacts the hippocampus positively, helping us to better remember and lead to greater cognitive functioning. 

 

Anterior Cingulate Cortex

Mindfulness practice increases one’s attention levels and  enhances emotional control. With the online world constantly vying for our attention this can have a great benefit to us. 

 

Insula 

The insula controls the internal sense of the body, “gut” feelings and responses. This region is associated with how we perceive ourselves physically. The ability 

 

In his article,  Linder concludes that the ability of (mindfulness practice) to increase the thickness of your brain and protect against normal age-related brain thinning linked to dementia, in itself, is an especially compelling reason to practice (Linder, 2019). 

 

Why not put this into practice yourself and experience the fantastic benefits of mindfulness practice at https://myelearnsafety.com/product/mindfulness-practice/

 

Infection Prevention and Control: Breaking the Chain of Infection

What is infection control and prevention?

Traditionally this means preventing and controlling illnesses that can be spread in the health-care setting. Of course with the current situation regarding the COVID-19 Coronavirus, this now means preventing and controlling illnesses that can be spread in any setting.

The purpose of infection prevention and control is to identify and reduce the risk of infections among patients, employees, medical staff members, contract service workers, volunteers, students, vendor representatives and visitors. Again this has now expanded to include anyone.

This is accomplished through many types of activities, for example, • monitoring infection occurrences in patients and employees • developing and implementing infection control policies and procedures • Infection Control and Prevention education • Safety programs, e.g. hand hygiene, blood borne pathogen prevention • quality improvement activities, e.g. reduction in infection rates, such as catheter related bloodstream infections • monitoring compliance with regulatory requirements • evaluating the environment • provide consultation on Infection Control and Prevention.

Breaking the chain of Infection

Jonathon Corum (April 2020) accessed from ‘The New York Times’ April 2nd 2020.

The main ways the public can help prevent the spread of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) are at the personal level.

This includes:

● Hand washing
● Avoid touching your face (especially your eyes, nose and mouth)
● Social distancing
● Self-quarantining
● Preparing your home for possible COVID-19 exposure

While much has been written concerning hand washing, social distancing, and the now enforced quarantining, not much has been said about preparing our homes regarding Infection Protection and Control. It’s really quite simple. According to Armando Meza, M.D., chief of infectious diseases and associate academic dean of graduate medical education at the TTUHSC El Paso Paul L. Foster School of Medicine, it’s a case of keeping your home clean, ‘especially your kitchen and bathroom. Use of commercially available antimicrobial towels and sprays is appropriate.’

According to epidemiologist Bill Hanage, of Harvard, we’ve got to think like the virus – to ‘see it from the point of view of the pathogens and their evolution. What is going to be most helpful to them? What is going to enable them to leave the most descendants?’

At Myelearnsafety we want to do our bit to combat the COVID-19 Coronavirus through Infection Prevention and Control. To this effect we have launched our Infection Prevention and Control course.

You can also view our COVID-19 explainer  video here.

Choking – Free Microlearning Course

Infection Prevention & Control – Our Responsibility.

Infection Prevention and Control (IPC) is a practice synonymous with the healthcare industry. Healthcare facilities create many opportunities for microorganisms to spread between patients, visitors and healthcare workers. Especially with the growth in increasingly complex and invasive procedures being carried out. These infections are known as healthcare-associated infections (HAI’s). But Coronavirus (COVID-19) has been a game-changer.

It is now all of our responsibility to embrace infection prevention and control within the workplace, and due to present circumstances, outside it.

What is infection prevention and control?

Infection prevention and control is a discipline that aims to prevent or control the spread of infections in healthcare facilities and the community. Infection prevention and control is a universal discipline with relevance to all aspects of healthcare. Given that we are facing a pandemic, Infection prevention and control is relevant to all workplaces and should be seen as our duty. A fundamental requirement of effective infection prevention and control and antimicrobial stewardship practices is an educated workforce.

 

Infections are caused by microbes such as bacteria, fungi or viruses entering the body. They can be minor and stay in one area, like a boil, or they can spread throughout the body, like flu. Often, infections are easily dealt with, but sometimes they can cause serious problems

 

Why is it so important?

 

Infection prevention and control occupies a unique position in the field of patient safety and quality universal health coverage since it is relevant to health workers and patients at every single health-care encounter. The aim of Infection prevention and control is to reduce the risk of infection for both service users and staff. Following recommended guidelines reduces the spread of infections, thus saving lives.

What should be covered?

Comprehensive infection prevention and control training should aim to provide guidance on at least, but not limited to, the following:

• An understanding of what the area of infection control means and its importance for every employee.
• Having a better understanding of the basic principles of infection control and being able to apply standard precautions in relation to infection control.
• An awareness of the importance of infection prevention and control in providing a safe environment for clients.
• An understanding of the chain of infection.
• An understanding of their own role in the prevention of the spread of infection.

Coronavirus (COVID-19) and IPC

Coronavirus (COVID-19) has brought about specific challenges for infection prevention and control within the workplace and on a personal level.The transmission of COVID-19 occurs mainly through respiratory droplets generated by coughing and sneezing, and through contact with contaminated surfaces. The predominant modes of transmission are assumed to be droplet and contact.

How can I personally protect myself and others from Coronavirus (COVID-19)?

 

Following guidelines from the World Health Organization (WHO), the HSE sets out advice to protect yourself and others from coronavirus (COVID-19). This can be set out as follows:

Do:

 

• Wash your hands properly and often.
• Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue or your sleeve when you cough and sneeze.
• Put used tissues into a bin and wash your hands.
• Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces.
• Avoid close contact with people – keep a distance of 2 metres (6.5 feet) between you and others.
• Avoid crowded places, especially indoors.
• Follow the travel advice from the Department of Foreign Affairs
• Stay at home if you are sick to help stop the spread of whatever infection you may have.

 

Don’t:

• Touch your eyes, nose or mouth if your hands are not clean.
• Share objects that touch your mouth – for example, bottles, cups.
• Shake hands.

 

At Myelearnsafety, Our online Infection Prevention and Control course teaches you how to: understand how infection spreads, understand the need for protection of vulnerable groups,

be able to break the chain of infection, understand the use of PPE and understand the requirement for social isolation.

Data Protection Breaches Now Leading to Compensation Claims

Organisations processing personal data can now face legal action if breaches to the General Data Protection Regulations (GDPR) take place.

Under the GDPR and the Data Protection Acts 1988-2018 (the DPA), for individual data subjects, the people identified or identifiable from the data that is processed (data subjects) are empowered to seek compensation if a breach of the GDPR has affected them (articles 79 and 82 GDPR).

Lack of knowledge of the rights afforded to individuals under the GDPR has led to infringements of these rights, which is in turn leading to direct fines from the Data Protection Commission (DPC), and individual compensation claims.

The following case studies provide examples of the actions brought against organisations which were directly dealt with by the DPC.

How ready is your organisations for a Data Breach?

As well as the actual cost of compensation, legal fees and penalties, there is the reputational damage to your company to factor in. This can lead to the loss of further business and longer-term damage. The question you need to ask is ‘How ready is our organisation for a Data Breach?’.  Are those who deal with the processing of personal data fully aware of data subjects rights under the GDPR?  Is there a process in place to safeguard against data breaches?  Is there a process in place once data breaches have been reported? What steps should be taken to rectify such breaches?

The following serves as a checklist in preparation of a personal data breach:

• We know how to recognise a personal data breach.
• We understand that a personal data breach isn’t only about loss or theft of personal data.
• We have prepared a response plan for addressing any personal data breaches that occur.
• We have allocated responsibility for managing breaches to a dedicated person or team.

Our staff know how to escalate a security incident to the appropriate person or team in our organisation to determine whether a breach has occurred.

If a data breach does take place is important that your organisation has a system in place to deal with this breach:

We have in place a process to assess the likely risk to individuals as a result of a breach.

• We know who the relevant supervisory authority for our processing activities is.
• We have a process to notify the DPC of a breach within 72 hours of becoming aware of it, even if we do not have all the details yet.
• We know what information we must give the DPC about a breach.
• We have a process to inform affected individuals about a breach when it is likely to result in a high risk to their rights and freedoms.
• We know we must inform affected individuals without undue delay.
• We know what information about a breach we must provide to individuals, and that we should provide advice to help them protect themselves from its effects.
• We document all breaches, even if they don’t all need to be reported.

Compliance is the best defence against data breaches.  Knowledge of the GDPR is the first step in ensuring compliance.  Our online GDPR Training course will outline your main responsibilities and help you to start making the necessary changes brought about by the added responsibilities on businesses arising from the GDPR.

To receive a 15% discount on our online GDPR training course, enter GDPR15 in coupon section here.

Mental health and the Workplace – Awareness is Key

Mental health issues costs £2.4 billion each year

mind.org.uk , an English and welsh mental health charity has found that stress and mental health problems in the workplace are the second biggest cause of sickness and absence from work. In England and Wales they have calculated the lost working days and staff turnover due to mental health issues costs £2.4 billion each year. Staff retention is a key goal of all businesses given the cost and time it takes to onboard a new employee and the cost of lost knowledge and relationships with clients and stakeholders resulting from the staff leaving.

Gender, age and other factors are not necessarily key indicators.

Stress at work is a major factor in individuals well being. Living a hectic life balancing work and home commitments is an everyday reality for many working people especially women and more particularly mothers in the workforce. Gender, age and other factors are not necessarily key indicators however and all individuals have unique circumstances that raise their stress levels.

Wellbeing is in fact unique to each individual. Companies that recognize this and cater to an individual,s diverse needs create better working environments. It has been proven that a place of work that values your wellbeing is seen as a more attractive place to work and leads to better staff retention and engagement.

People are the most important factor that create success in an organization.

So what are the wellness issues that might impact on an individual?

• it may be flexible working hours or
• access to support services such as health lifestyle advise or
• financial well being checks.
• other ideas include provision of gym passes or facilities,
• access to personal training advice and free healthy snacks.

There are many ways to help an individual feel well on the workplace and also be able to take the benefits into their home life.

The Global Wellness Institute recognises in its “Future of Wellness at Work Survey” that catering to the individuals needs is crucial.

There is no one size fits all in well-being, but empowering an individual to live a wholehearted life ensures improved performance and productivity. After all the opposite of wholeheartedness is half hearted ness and wants a half hearted performance? Wellness of the individual will reap benefits to an organisation.

To provide a better working environment by providing for the wellness of each employee need not be an onerous task. It all starts with awareness and implementing sensible policies to avoid the obvious such as bullying in the workplace and providing options that meet needs.

Online training provides an accessible and affordable way to initiate the process of awareness

It provides training in many aspects of a wellness programme. It can range from anti bullying courses to stress awareness and a whole range of other activities. Many courses not only promote good work practice but are useful in everyday life. Manual handling, pediatric first aid, coping with stress all reach into all aspects of or home and work life.

Be well and live a wholehearted life should be the mantra for everyone as the benefits accrue not just to the individual but to their organizations family and friends.

Business Closures in Relation to Food Safety Violations

The Food Safety Authority of Ireland (FSAI) has reported that 11 Closure Orders were served on food businesses during the month of June for breaches of food safety legislation, pursuant to the FSAI Act, 1998 and the EC (Official Control of Foodstuffs) Regulations, 2010.

The Enforcement Orders were issued by environmental health officers in the Health Service Executive (HSE).

In terms of why the Enforcement Orders in June were issued to the various locations, some of the reasons included: a dead mouse that was found next to a fridge at the entrance to a kitchen, rodent droppings found under a sink in a kitchen, and evidence of a cockroach infestation.

Elsewhere, some establishments had rodent droppings behind an ice cream machine, live cockroaches in the kitchen shelving areas, and flies present throughout a premises.

Six Closure Orders were served under the FSAI Act, 1998

Five Closure Orders were served under the EC (Official Control of Foodstuffs) Regulations, 2010 on:

Speaking about the latest Enforcement Orders that were issued, Dr Pamela Byrne, Chief Executive of the FSAI, has emphasised the need for food businesses to have adequate pest control systems in place, particularly as the weather gets hotter in the summer months.

“It is extremely disappointing to find that June is the highest month so far this year for Closer Orders served on food businesses. The majority of food businesses in Ireland must be commended for adhering to the highest of food safety standards, but there continues to be a number of food businesses disregarding important food safety standards,” she said.

Dr Byrne adds: “Summer is a busy time of year for food businesses and systems must be put in place to cope with the increase in customers and at a time when outside temperatures can be a lot higher. Bacteria in food can multiply quickly in warm weather and food businesses must ensure that food is stored at correct temperatures. In June we saw a number of failures in pest control procedures resulting in a number of Closure Orders. These businesses are putting their customers at unnecessary risk of becoming sick through these poor hygiene practices and it will not be tolerated.”

Details of the food businesses served with Enforcement Orders are published on the FSAI’s website.

Closure Orders and Improvement Orders will remain listed on the website for a period of three months from the date of when a premises is adjudged to have corrected its food safety issue, with Prohibition Orders being listed for a period of one month.

 

Source : www.fsai.ie