OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH & SAFETY Camp Nurses Responsibilities - - PDF document

2016-05-31 1

OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH & SAFETY

Camp Nurses Responsibilities

Barbara Gray, RN, MSW, MN Easter Seals Ontario

Disclaimer

The views and opinions expressed in this presentation are those of the presenter and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the Ontario government, Ministry of Labour and it is not intended to replace the OHSA or the appropriate regulations.

2016-05-31 2

It is important to remember that camp is a workplace first. A safe camp does not just happen, it is planned.

2016-05-31 3

ALL workers have the right to work in a safe work environment. Young workers in Ontario

New & young workers (14 – 24) are 4 times as likely to be injured in the workplace during their first month

• f employment then experienced workers.

Between 2009 – 2013, 30 young people died in work related injuries and 30,000 sustained workplace injuries resulting in lost days of work.

Ontario Ministry of Labour http://www.labour.gov.on.ca/english/

2016-05-31 4

Why are young workers more at risk for workplace injuries?

Not enough experience. Lack of confidence in raising concerns about hazards to the “boss”. Poor or no training at work. Lack of supervision. That critical part of the brain involved in decision-making , the pre-frontal cortex, is not fully developed until near the age 25 years or so.

ACA Healthy Camp Study

Campers & staff at both day and residential camp had twice as many illnesses then injuries Just under half of the illnesses were communicable Most injuries took place during scheduled activity times Residential Camps: most injuries took place in the afternoon & evening and on overnight trips Day Camps: most injuries took place in the morning

2016-05-31 5 Most injuries occurred in the first week of camp Trips, slips and falls accounted for most injuries. Lower extremity injury is the most commonly injured site. Injuries occurred when staff/campers not wearing protective equipment Staff were more likely to sustain a wound and frequently these wounds involved the use of knives during camp activities and in food preparation

The Occupational Health & Safety Act

• The main purpose of the Act is to protect workers

from health and safety hazards on the job.

• OHSA applies to almost every worker,

supervisor, employer and workplace in Ontario, including workplace owners, constructors and suppliers of equipment or materials to workplaces covered by the Act.

2016-05-31 6

Ministry of Labour

The Ontario Ministry of Labour plays a key role in the province by promoting health and safety, fair employment practices and stable labour relations in provincially regulated workplaces.

“The Ministry of Labour has announced that they will be doing enforcement inspection blitzes June – August 2016 at workplaces that hire young workers for the Occupational Health & Safety Program and the Employment Standards Program.”

What’s New, OML, April 2016

2016-05-31 7

The MOL has the mandate to:

Conduct workplace inspections, Investigate incidents, complaints and work refusals, Issue orders that require unsafe situations be corrected, For serious violations, ask for the employer to be taken to court and, if found guilty, fined.

Every job has hazards, no matter how safe it looks.

2016-05-31 8

Everyone in the workplace, from the employer to the newest worker, has different, but important responsibilities to keep the workplace safe.

WORKPLACE SAFETY IS BASED ON RECOGNIZING, ASSESSING AND CONTROLLING HAZARDS.

2016-05-31 9

Recognize the potential hazards at your camp. Physical Hazards

Weather Falls from ladders or heights Electricity Liquid/spills on the floor Knives The terrain Natural disasters

2016-05-31 10

Chemical Hazards

Cleaning products Flammable products – gasoline Propane BBQ Cooking fuel Chlorine and other pool chemicals

Ergonomic Hazards

Constant lifting Poor lighting Repetitive movements

2016-05-31 11

Biological Hazards

Blood & Body fluids – vomit, feces, urine, blood Insect bites – mosquitoes, black flies, bees & wasps, ticks Animal bites Allergic reaction to plants – poison ivy, giant hogweed Mold

Psychosocial Hazards

• Intimidation
• Verbal abuse
• Bullying
• Working hours
• Lack of sleep

2016-05-31 12 GHS stands for the Globally Harmonized System

• f Classification and Labelling of Chemicals.

It is a comprehensive plan for providing information on the safe use of hazardous materials used in Canadian workplaces. Information is provided by means of product labels, Safety Data Sheets (SDS) and worker education programs.

Globally Harmonized System (GHS)

SDS Sheets

If a product is for sale to consumers but also is used in a workplace setting, an SDS still needs to be created for that product. A SDS sheet is required for your cleaning supplies – bleach, comet, etc Don’t forget your fire extinguishers, oxygen, propane SDS sheets are available online. The SDS sheets should be in a binder and located near where the chemicals/cleaners are stored.

2016-05-31 13

Critical Injuries

“Critically injured” means an injury of a serious nature that, (a) places life in jeopardy, (b) produces unconsciousness, (c) results in substantial loss of blood, (d) involves the fracture of a leg or arm but not a finger or toe, (e) involves the amputation of a leg, arm, hand or foot but not a finger or toe, (f) consists of burns to a major portion of the body, or (g) causes the loss of sight in an eye.

Occupational Health and Safety Act, R.R.O. 1990, REGULATION 834 http://www.e-laws.gov.on.ca/html/regs/english/elaws_regs_900834_e.htm

• If a person, whether a worker or not, has been

critically injured or killed at the workplace, the employer must immediately notify an inspector at the nearest Ministry of Labour office, and the worker health and safety representative or joint health and safety committee (if any).

• This notice must be by telephone or other direct

means.

http://www.labour.gov.on.ca/english/hs/pubs/farming/ohsa/ohsa _app_d.php

2016-05-31 14

The Camp Nurse is in an excellent position to support a safe work environment for both campers and staff.

What can the Camp Nurse do to prevent injuries & illness at camp?

• Identify health & safety risks at your camp and

communicate them with your Camp Director.

• Screen all campers and staff upon arrival at

camp.

• Tract all injuries and illnesses that occur at camp.
• Be alert for potential risks in the workplace – do a

regular walk around the camp looking for potential hazards.

2016-05-31 15

• Provide staff training in preventing

the spread of illnesses at camp through:



Teach proper hand washing techniques.



Encourage coughing in your sleeve.



Train you on how to clean up spills, i.e. vomit, urine. Monitor the wearing of safety equipment.



Have campers and staff sleep with the greatest distance between heads



Discourage sharing personal items, water bottles, towels, etc

During hot days, ensure that the staff have enough fluids and that high energy activities take place during the coolest part of the day. Maintain personal resistance – stay well rested, hydrated and nourished Create a weekly poster on a specific workplace safety issue and post it in an area frequented by staff. Join the camp’s Health & Safety committee.

2016-05-31 16

How to cleanup spills

Wear disposable gloves during cleaning Wipe up the material with paper towels and dispose of used towels in a plastic garbage bag. Rinse areas with water. Use diluted household bleach (5 tablespoons of household bleach to 1 gallon of water).** Wet surfaces with the diluted bleach allow the area to remain wet for 10 minutes, if possible. Allow to air dry. Remove gloves and discard in plastic bag. Wash hands with soap and water or use alcohol hand gel immediately after removing gloves.

If a staff person is injured…

Provide First Aid or medical care as required Report it to your employer or supervisor Document the injury using your camps forms If the camp staff are covered by WSIB, then complete the necessary paperwork which is available online or if the camp is privately insured, contact the Insurance Company.

2016-05-31 17

First Aid Kits

All employers covered by the Workplace Safety and Insurance Act are required to have first aid equipment, facilities and trained personnel in all workplaces.

http://www.wsib.on.ca/files/Content/D

• wnloadableFileFirstAidRequirement

sreg1101/FAEng.pdf

Have a Safe & Healthy Summer

2016-05-31 18

RESOURCES

American Camping Association – Healthy Camp Study http://www.acacamps.org/research/enhance/healthy_camp_enroll .php Canadian National Centre for Occupational Health & Safety http://www.ccohs.ca/ Hand Washing http://www.coughsafe.com/soapincity/media.html Health & Safety 101 – www.hs101.ca Ministry of Labour http://www.labour.gov.on.ca/english/hs/index.html Ontario Safety Association for Community & Health (OSACH) http://www.osach.ca/ Passport to Safety – www.passporttosafety.com Preventing musculoskeletal disorders: http://www.labour.gov.on.ca/english/hs/pdf/is_ergonomics.pdf WHIMIS 2015 http://whmis.org/ “Why don’t we do it in our sleeves.” http://www.coughsafe.com/ Working in the heat http://www.labour.gov.on.ca/english/hs/pdf/gl_heat.pdf Workplace Safety & Insurance Board (WSIB) www.wsib.on.ca