|
|
|
Walter Reed Health Care System Safety Management Program
|
The purpose of this program is to fully support the command mission
while minimizing accidental injury to personnel, damage to equipment
and facilities, and interruption of training or operations. Effective
implementation of the safety program will furnish each soldier, employee,
and visitor a place of safe, secure, and therapeutic environment free
from recognized hazards that cause, or are likely to cause, death or
serious physical harm. Listed below are individual proponents within the
program. (Note: For detailed information and guidance,
see WRAMC Regulation 385-10)
|
|
Accident Reporting, Investigation, and Analysis:
|
Establishes policies and procedures and assign responsibilities
for reporting, investigating, and analyzing accidents and incidents.
The primary purpose of investigating and reporting Army accidents is
to prevent recurrences.
|
|
Safety Guidelines:
|
Provide guidance for all personnel in general safety practices.
Most accidents can be prevented. The following reasons are
cited for accidental occurrences: indifference or overconfidence,
lack of safety awareness, inadequate training or experience,
inattention due to poor work habits or fatigue, and improper use of
equipment.
|
|
Construction and Renovation Safety:
|
Establishes a Design Panel and procedures for maintaining a safe
environment during construction and renovation projects. It is important
that construction areas within and around the health care facility be
safe not only for the construction workers but also for the health care
community. Therefore, planning for health care facilities will include,
in addition to space and operational needs, provisions for infection
control and protection of patients during any renovations or new
construction. Continual health care facility upgrade through renovation
and new construction involving existing facilities can create conditions
that can be hazardous to patients.
|
|
Standards for Handling Medical Gases and Liquids:
|
Establishes policies and procedures for handling medical gases and liquids.
|
|
Electrical/Equipment Safety:
|
Establishes policies and procedures for
Electrical/Equipment Safety.
|
|
Hazard Abatement Plan:
|
Establishes procedures for abating potential hazards identified during
safety inspections, industrial hygiene surveys, fire inspection, accident
investigations or employee reports of unsafe conditions.
|
|
Personal Protective Equipment Program:
|
Determines, assigns, and enforces the use of Personal Protective
Equipment (PPE). PPE will be provided to employees when needed to prevent
exposure to physical, chemical or biological agents that may cause harm
through inhalation, absorption or physical contact. In the health care
environment, PPE may be needed to prevent worker exposure to hazards such
as sterilants and disinfectants, radiation, electrical equipment and wiring,
contaminated laundry, hazardous drugs, medical waste, and asbestos. Required
PPE may include: gloves, masks, gowns, protective eyewear, face shields,
and/or respirators.
|
|
Respiratory Protection Program:
|
Establishes policies and procedures, and assign responsibilities for a
Respiratory Protection Program that will assure adequate and proper
protection for employees working in environments containing harmful
concentrations of dusts, fumes, mists, gases, vapor or bioaerosols.
|
|
Lockout/Tagout of Energy Sources:
|
Establishes the minimum requirements for the lockout or tagout of
energy isolating devices. These procedures will be used to ensure
that the machine or equipment is isolated from all potentially hazardous
energy, and locked out or tagged out before employees perform any
servicing or maintenance activities where the unexpected energization,
start-up or release of stored energy could cause injury to employees.
|
|
Prevention of Motor Vehicle Accidents:
|
Establishes policy and procedures for prevention of motor vehicle accidents.
This policy applies to all military, Army civilian employees, and contractor
employees operating Army Motor Vehicles (AMV), Government Services
Administration (GSA) vehicles, Commercial vehicles at Government expense,
a Privately Owned Vehicle (POV) at government expense, or a POV on an Army or
government installation.
|
|
Ergonomics Program:
|
|
Seeks to prevent injuries and illnesses by applying ergonomic principles
to identify evaluate and control ergonomics risk factors for work-related
musculoskeletal disorders (WMSDs). WMSDs are defined as a class of disorders
involving damage to muscles, tendons, tendon sheaths, and related bones,
muscles, and nerves. They may also be known more specifically as Repetitive
Strain Injuries (RSI); Cumulative Trauma Disorders (CTDs) and Overuse
Syndrome. WMSDs result from the cumulative effect of repeated traumas
associated with specific workplace risk factors.
|
|
|
|
|