Workplace health & safety
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Workplace health & safety · Nov 2018
Safety Gear Decontamination Practices Among Florida Firefighters: Analysis of a Text-Based Survey Methodology.
Despite the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) 1851 Personal Protective Equipment Care and Maintenance guidelines, little is known about the routine cleaning of firefighter bunker gear. In collaboration with a large Florida firefighter union, a mobile phone text survey was administered, which included eight questions in an item logic format. ⋯ Arriving at a fire incident response was a significant predictor of gear cleaning in the 12 months preceding survey administration. Using mobile phone-based texting for periodic queries on adherence to NFPA cleaning guidelines and safety message distribution may assist firefighters to increase decontamination procedure frequency.
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Workplace health & safety · Jun 2018
Characteristics and Predictors of Occupational Injury Among Career Firefighters.
The purpose of this study was to assess occupational injury characteristics and predictors among career firefighters. A total of 249 firefighters from central Texas and northern California participated in this Internet-based survey. Approximately 27% of firefighters had reported an occupational injury within the previous 12 months. ⋯ Firefighters who reported occupational injuries were more likely to be older and experiencing occupational stress compared with their coworkers who did not report occupational injuries. Injured firefighters were also more likely to report fewer job rewards (money/salary), overcommitment, less esteem (respect and support), and fewer promotional prospects. These injury factors should be incorporated into interventions to reduce or prevent workplace injuries.
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Workplace health & safety · Jul 2017
Evaluation of Stress Experienced by Emergency Telecommunications Personnel Employed in a Large Metropolitan Police Department.
Emergency telecommunications personnel (ETCP) form the hub of police agencies and persistently deal with distressing situations on a daily basis, making them highly susceptible to psychological and physiological ailments. To date, few studies have examined the necessity or feasibility of implementing a resilience training intervention for ETCP. ⋯ Results showed that ETCP self-reported greater levels of psychological stress compared with police officers ( p < .05) for the majority of measures; ETCP experience excessive levels of stress and greater prevalence of chronic disease. Consideration should be given to piloting resilience interventions within this group to manage stress; improve health, performance, and decision making; and decrease the prevalence of chronic disease.
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Approximately 8 million health care workers are unnecessarily exposed to highly toxic drugs used to treat cancer; antineoplastic drugs can contribute to negative health effects for these workers. The drugs have been detected in the urine of workers and on the floors and counters of worksites. Safety precautions that could reduce the risk of exposure are underutilized. ⋯ Chemical residue from antineoplastic drugs was found, revealing potential exposures. Workplace safety must be a higher organizational priority. The contamination of common work areas where PPE use is not expected was of utmost concern.
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Workplace health & safety · Nov 2016
Security Personnel Practices and Policies in U.S. Hospitals: Findings From a National Survey.
Concerns of violence in hospitals warrant examination of current hospital security practices. Cross-sectional survey data were collected from members of a health care security and safety association to examine the type of personnel serving as security in hospitals, their policies and practices related to training and weapon/restraint tool carrying/use, and the broader context in which security personnel work to maintain staff and patient safety, with an emphasis on workplace violence prevention and mitigation. ⋯ Current workplace violence prevention policy components, as well as recommendations to improve hospital security practices, aligned with Occupational Safety and Health Administration guidelines. Comprehensive efforts to address the safety and effectiveness of hospital security personnel should consider security personnel's relationships with other hospital work groups and hospitals' focus on patients' safety and satisfaction.