Occupational Health and Safety in Medical Organizations

Occupational Health and Safety (HSE) in medical organizations is not only about patient safety, but primarily about the safety of the medical workers themselves. Patient safety = worker safety.

A medical organization, like any field of activity, is a high-risk zone, similar to a construction site, but with its own specific characteristics.

A specific feature of working conditions in medical organizations is the presence of harmful and hazardous production factors:

• biological factor - pathogenic microorganisms (bacteria, viruses, etc.) (working with patients with a history of infectious diseases) and producer microorganisms, preparations containing live cells and spores of microorganisms (laboratory work).
• chemical factor (use of medications and disinfectants)
• physical factors
• increased level of ionizing radiation in the work area (X-ray diagnostic rooms);
• increased voltage in the electrical circuit,
• increased level of electromagnetic radiation (MRI rooms);
• sharp edges, burrs, and roughness on the surfaces of workpieces, tools, and equipment (surgical instruments - scalpels, clamps, surgical scissors, curettes, etc.)

Psychophysiological hazardous and harmful production factors are no less important, such as physical overload (lifting patients of different weight categories, prolonged "standing" work), neuro-psychological overload (shift work schedule - night shifts, long and high-responsibility operations).

HSE for medical workers is regulated by the Labor Code of the Russian Federation, but with some specific features.

For instance, Article 350 of the Labor Code of the Russian Federation establishes a 39-hour work week for medical workers. There are also other special regulatory legal acts governing working conditions, work schedules, and other aspects of labor activity.

Such acts include:

• Order of the Ministry of Labor of the Russian Federation dated 18.12.2020 N 928N "On approval of the Rules for Occupational Health and Safety in Medical Organizations"
• Decree of the Government of the Russian Federation dated 14.02.2003 N 101 "On the duration of working hours of medical workers depending on their position and (or) specialty"
• Decree of the Government of the Russian Federation dated June 6, 2013 N 482 "On the duration of annual additional paid leave for work with harmful and (or) hazardous working conditions provided to certain categories of workers" etc.

Otherwise, medical workers are also subject to mandatory medical examinations and psychiatric assessments, training in safe work methods, and familiarization with local regulatory acts. A special assessment of working conditions and professional risk assessment are conducted at the workplaces of medical workers.

Investigation of micro-injuries, accidents, and occupational diseases of medical workers based on current legislation is the responsibility of the HSE specialist in a medical organization.

BUT there are nuances - it is important to distinguish between the concepts and investigation of micro-injuries and medical accidents in accordance with SanPiN. This is the specific nature of a medical organization.

To prevent the development of micro-injuries, accidents, and occupational diseases, workers are provided with sanitary and hygienic clothing, collective and personal protective equipment (PPE), and washing and neutralizing agents.