employees participating in change (epic) · (2) 0% total msds (3,093) 45% ... slips, trips and...
TRANSCRIPT
A Participatory Approach to Health &
Safety
Employees Participating
in Change (EPIC)
Agenda
• Scope of the Problem
• Background
• EPIC Program Introduction
• Case Study
The West Park Hospital Experience
• What did we learn?
• What’s next?
Scope of the Problem – Ontario Health Care LTIs (2011)
3
MSD Other (21,686) 38%
MSD Client Handling
(1,718) 3%
Falls (11,843) 21%
Contact with/Struck by (10,851) 19%
Exposures (3,280) 6%
Workplace Violence
(2,107) 4%
Machinery (1,923) 3%
Uncoded (1,644) 3%
MVI (1,170) 2%
Transportation (891) 1% Fires and
Explosions (238) 0%
Total MSDs (23,404)
41%
MSD Other (1,763) 26%
MSD Client Handling
(1,330) 19% Falls (1,216) 18%
Exposures (864) 13%
Workplace Violence
(658) 10%
Contact with/ Struck by (639) 9%
Uncoded (166) 2%
MVI (121) 2%
Machinery (56) 1%
Transportation (12) 0%
Fires and Explosions
(2) 0%
Total MSDs (3,093)
45%
Ontario Health Care & Community Services
Data Source: WSIB1
Background
• Collaborative effort between Ontario Neurotrauma Foundation (ONF) and PSHSA.
• ONF identified a leading practice - WellAware at BJC Healthcare (St. Louis, MO).
Reduce workers compensation claims.
Ergonomic, Infection Control, Claims component.
Ergonomics component (slips, trips, falls)
Involves management and employee participation.
Background
• PSHSA created Employees
Participating in Change (EPIC), an
adaptation of the WellAware program.
• EPIC is based on a participatory
approach to health and safety.
Applies the principles of Participatory
Ergonomics.
Involving front line workers in the recognition,
assessment and control of workplace hazards.
Background
• Why a participatory approach?
Employee and knowledge and experience
in relation to health and safety.
Training alone will not impact a lost time
injury reduction 4,5
Offers a means to shift safety culture 8
Supports the Internal Responsibility
System (IRS)
• What is EPIC?
A solution to addressing health and safety
hazards in the workplace.
Utilizes a team based approach at the
unit/department level
Teams (majority front line workers) who
participate in the identification, assessment and
control of workplace hazards.
EPIC Program Introduction
EPIC Program Introduction
• EPIC is based on three principles:
Engagement of front line workers
Knowledge transfer (education/mentoring)
Ensuring a hazard specific focus
Recognize, Assess, Control and Evaluate
(RACE)
• Purpose of EPIC is to foster a culture of
safety by creating an internal
participatory framework.
• How to implement EPIC?
Identification of a hazard specific focus.
Musculoskeletal Disorders
Slips, Trips and Falls (STF)
A implementation structure is created.
Multidisciplinary Steering Committee
Change Team (s)
PSHSA consultant assists and supports
the intervention.
EPIC Program Introduction
Implementation Structure
Multidisciplinary Steering
Committee
Change Team
Change Team
• Oversee
implementation
• Establish goals and
objectives
• Front line problem
solving
• Apply RACE principle
• Education Component
All participants received the following
training:
Participatory Approach to Health & Safety (1
Day)
o What is Participatory Ergonomics?
o Applying a participatory approach
o Effective team engagements
Hazard Specific Topic - MSD or STF (1 day)
o Application of RACE Principle
Implementation Structure
• Sample activities completed by the Multidisciplinary Steering Committee
Marketing & communication plan (e.g. intranet, pay stub messages, staff newsletters, management forums, etc.)
Create list of indicators to track as a means to evaluate intervention success.
Celebrate initiative – acknowledge and communicate success (e.g. certificates, staff newsletter, etc.).
Implementation Structure
• Sample activities completed by the Change Team
Identify and prioritize hazards to be addressed.
Implement the use of various tools (e.g. discomfort surveys, culture surveys, etc.).
Assist with marketing and communication (e.g. educational display during health and safety week, STF scavenger hunt, winter weather campaigns, etc.).
Assist with the creation of standardized work practices.
Implementation Structure
Role of the Consultant
• Act as a facilitator and content expert.
• Train participants involved.
• Role is expected to evolve over time.
Facilitator to supporting role.
• Important the consultant does not
weaken the IRS.
Promote self-reliance.
EPIC Pilot Project?
• Piloted in 6 healthcare facilities across
Ontario during a 12 month period.
• Process evaluation was
completed by McMaster
University, Nursing Health
Sciences Research Unit
and led by Dr. Andrea
Baumann.
• Senior management commitment is
essential.
• Consider logistical challenges (e.g.
scheduling, replacing staff, time
requirements, etc.) prior to onset.
• Maintain momentum in order to
maintain interest.
What did we learn?
• Must consider organizational readiness
prior to implementation.
• The participatory approach is not
always a quick and simple process.
• Participants considered supporting the
change team as the most important.
• Engagements at least once a month
required to make progress.
What did we learn?
• “… learned processes to assess risk”.
• “… developed more awareness of safety and hazards”.
• “… saved a lot of steps and learned how to do things with less wear and tear on our bodies”.
• “… EPIC improved our way of working and understanding of our work – we work smarter and safer”.
• “… now everyone is taking responsibility to reduce risk”.
What did we learn?
Barriers to Success
• Resistance to change.
• Need for adequate
resources and funding.
• Cost of replacing staff.
• Time required to
participate in education
and implementation
program.
• Inability to manage and
measure outcomes.
• Competing priorities
or initiatives.
• Not advancing a blame-
free culture.
• No plan for
sustainability of the
program and its
principles.
Facilitators of Success
• Dedicated
organizational leaders.
• Stable workforce –
surge capacity
• Time to attend
meetings/education.
• Timely follow-up on
suggested control
measures.
• Clear accountability for
safety.
• Encouraging staff
involvement.
• Multiple communication
tools.
• Visibility and use of
incident reporting
systems.
What's Next?
• EPIC has been customized to fit other
sectors.
• Current research study underway with
Institute for Work and Health (IWH).
Long Term Care sector
• Further refine the program following
release of IWH research findings.
www.pshsa.ca
www.healthandsafetyontario.ca
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