1.         EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

The health and safety of an organization’s staff are important to maintain staff health, satisfaction, and productivity.  Staff safety is also a part of the organization’s quality and patient safety program.

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2.         PURPOSE & SCOPE

2.1       To provide as safe an environment as possible for both employees and the students they serve.
2.2       To stress individual responsibility for health & safety.
2.4       To provide care for work-related illnesses or exposures.
2.5       To identify infection risks related to employment and to institute appropriate preventive measures.
2.6       To contain costs by preventing infectious disease that results in absenteeism and disability instruct staff to maintain sound personal hygiene habits

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3.         POLICY STATEMENT

3.1       To ensure an effective staff health and safety program which oversees the effective implementation of the processes for preventing any workforce health issues and appropriate actions to be taken for staff needs as required.
3.2       The Institute Committee will ensure compliance to this program.

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4.         DEFINITIONS AND ABBREVIATIONS

4.1       Infection Control is the prevention, detection and control of the transmission of communicable diseases.
4.2    Riva Personnel include all those who work in the Riva Institute of Aesthetics.
4.3 Susceptible is the term used for persons not possessing sufficient resistance against a particular pathogenic agent to prevent contracting infection or disease when exposed to that agent.

Exclude from duty: Refers to Exclusion from Riva Institute of Aesthetics facilities. Personnel who are excluded should avoid contact with susceptible persons both in Riva Institute of Aesthetics facilities and in the community. - Refer to Policy on Communicable Disease.

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4.4     Riva Staff are which is designated to provide primary care, screening and vaccinations for Riva employees.
4.5       Riva Employees are those people who work in Riva Institute of Aesthetics facilities, including:
4.5.1    Locums
4.5.2 Riva employees of contractors (e.g., housekeepers)

4.6   Communicable Diseases, for the purpose of this Manual, are:
a.   Varicella (chickenpox) brucella (German measles)
b.  Rubeola (measles)

c. Mumps

d.    Poliomyelitis

e.    Rabies
f.     Tetanus                                      

g.    Diphtheria
h.    Influenza                                    

j.     Tuberculosis (TB)
k.    Hepatitis B                                  

l.     Hepatitis C
m.   Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV)

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5.         TARGET AUDIENCE

The policy applied to all the staff in the hospital

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6.         PROCEDURE & RESPONSIBILITY

6.1       Employee Health

6.1.1    All Riva personnel shall adhere to the Riva Employee Health Program.
6.1.2    All Riva personnel shall:
6.1.2.1    Be screened, as new hires, within a month of the hiring. Serum antibody tests will be conducted for Hepatitis B.
6.1.2.2       Participate in the immunization programs as designated.
6.1.2.3       Sign disclaimer form if she/he declines Hep B vaccination. (This
Form will be retained in the patient’s medical record).
6.1.2.4    Report disease, outbreak of and exposure to communicable diseases to RLMC employee health clinic.
6.1.2.5       Adhere to work restrictions. Staff excluded from duty need to be
cleared by RLMC Staff physician before returning to work.
6.1.3    All job-related illnesses and exposures to infectious diseases shall be managed by physician and investigated by Infection Control staff.
6.1.4    All personnel who have contact with infectious disease outside of Riva
facilities shall be included in the post exposure program.
6.1.5    The first Riva staff to note an exposure must notify Infection Control staff.
6.1.6    Employers of contractors shall provide personnel health services consistent with RLMC policy.

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6.2       STAFF EDUCATION/TRAINING/ORIENTATION

6.2.1    Upon employment, all new hospital employees must attend the new hire orientation programs on infection control.
6.2.2    Each employee must review the current infection control policy for their specific area with their supervisor / designee prior to working in that area.

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6.3       STUDENT CARE PRACTICES

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6.3.1    Hand hygiene.  All employees must follow hand-washing policy.  Refer to
Hand Hygiene Policy.
6.3.2    Isolation Precautions. All employees must follow all the isolation precautions.
Refer to Isolation Policy
6.3.3    Cleaning and Disinfection. All employees must follow Riva cleaning and disinfection   policy.   Refer   to   Disinfection   &   Sterilization   Policy   and Sterilization of items Policy.
6.3.4    Standard Precautions. All employees must follow standard precautions at all
times. Refer to Standard Precaution Policy.
6.3.5    Prevention of nosocomial transmission of blood borne pathogens. All employees shall follow and implement the recommended   measures and precautions in this manual. Refer to HAI Guidelines Policy

6.3.6    Pregnant Personnel.
6.3.6.1    Pregnant women and women of child bearing age shall be informed of the risks of transmission of infectious diseases such as CMV, hepatitis, herpes simplex, HIV, rubella and parvovirus.
6.3.6.2    Women shall not be routinely excluded only on the basis of their pregnancy from the care of patient with particular infections.

6.3.7    Emergency-response employees shall be notified of infectious diseases in patients that they have cared for or transported. Refer to Isolation Policy

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6.4       RESPONSIBILITIES

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6.4.1     Riva Health Management:

6.4.1.1    Plan and approve policies to promote compliance with the critical programs of the Employee Health.
6.4.1.2       Identify programs that are mandatory versus the voluntary aspects
of the program.

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6.4.2    Supervisors shall:

6.4.2.1    Ensure that their employees are immunized and re-immunized as recommended.   refer   to   employee   hepatitis   B   screening   and immunization programmed
6.4.2.2    Ensure that their employees are familiar with precautions to prevent occupational transmission of blood borne pathogens.
6.4.2.3    Ensure that all new hires are screened within one month of their joining.
6.4.2.4    Ensure that all their employees are given and keep appointments at the Staff Clinic when indicated.

6.6       Tests for Food handlers:

All  food  handlers  in  kitchen  service  are  screened  for  HBSAG,  HIV,  HCV, PULMONARY TUBERCULOSIS in chest X-Ray and other contagious disease during visa process by Dubai municipality as per local law. Rescreening is done in hospital only if there is any exposure during patient care.

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6.7       Immunization of staffs
Susceptible staff  should be offered protection against:
6.7.1    Hepatitis B vaccination
6.7.2    Tetanus toxoid, post exposure prophylaxis
Refer to appendix : 10.1

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6.8       PRE-EMPLOYMENT QUESTIONNAIRE:

6.8.1    Suspicious Symptoms:
Any  new  member  of  staff  reporting  symptoms  that  are  suggestive  of tuberculosis  should  have  a  medical  examination,  tuberculin  test  and  a chest radiograph.  These symptoms include an unexplained cough that last longer than 3 weeks, persistent fever or weight loss.

6.9       Recent contact with a case of infectious tuberculosis:
The member of staff who has recently had significant contact with a case of untreated infectious tuberculosis should be managed as for other close contacts.

 

7.        DISTRIBUTION LIST

Executive  Director , Medical Director, Group Director Operations, Quality Manager, Infection Control Doctor, Infection Control Nurse, Nursing Director, All HOD’s, Housekeeping Supervisor.

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8.         REFERENCES

Joint Commission International: Joint Commission International Accreditation
Standards for Hospitals. Fourth Edition. USA: Joint Commission Resources; 2011

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9.         SPECIAL INSTRUCTIONS
Nil

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10.       APPENDIX

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10.1     Recommended routine immunization for Lifeline Hospital personnel
10.2     Employee Health/Infection Control Program Checklist

Appendix 10.1

RECOMMENDED ROUTINE IMMUNIZATIONS