Role and responsibilities of employee's in prevention and control of infection
The
employer’s role and responsibilities concerning control or prevent the
infections are to follow all the hygienic instruction and ensure that all
the rules and regulations are being followed. The employer personal hygiene
should be well maintained, and he must be familiar regarding how to use gloves and apron before
touching the infectious individual. The employer needs to ensure that employees
have PPE (Personal Protection Equipment) and well trained concerning the
policies and procedure (Ritchie, Sanderson, Kilbane, & Routledge, 2003).
Role and responsibilities of employers in prevention and infection control
The
employer responsibility is to provide the staff with suitable PPE. The staff
should be trained to use the PPE accurately. The major role of the employer is
to investigate that policies and legislation of the company are being regularly
followed (Department of Health, 2003).
Outline
current legislation and regulatory body standards which are relevant to the
prevention and control of infection
The
legislation and regularity body standards which are relevant to prevention and
control infection are listed below
• COSHH 2000
• RIDDOR 1995
• The Environment Protection Regulation 1988
(amended 1994)
• The Food safety Regulation 1995
• Health Protection Agency Bill
• The Public Health Act of 1884
• Health and Safety Act of 1974
Local vs organisational policies concerning the prevention and control of infection
The
local and organisational policies relevant to the prevention and control of
infection are the Social Care Act, The Public Health Act 1984, the NICE
guidelines and company policies. Any person having a risk of infection may call
the line manager for the management of their problem.
Describe
procedures and systems relevant to the prevention and control of infection
The
procedures and system relevant to control or prevent the infections are
washing, cleaning of the floor, spillages, types of equipment, knowledge about
wearing apron and gloves, protective clothing, and disposal of waste products
(Ritchie, Sanderson, Kilbane, & Routledge, 2003).
Potential effect of infection outbreak
The
potential impact of the outbreak of an infection could be fatal if the safety
precaution not taken timely. That could be worst for staff members, service
users, family members, and other people. For example, the outbreak of MRSA can
be very alarming, for physical and emotional wellbeing. The patient of
infectious disease feels isolated from society and feels dirty as well. The
outbreak of infection in a workplace may adversely affect economic growth, as
if all staff member and patients are sick, they may not work appropriately.
Furthermore, the reputation of the organisation may also damage due to the poor
quality of services.
What is Risk
Risk
refers to the probability of hazard and injury to a person and a dangerous
situation that may be challenging for the individual.
Describe the infection and potential risk at workplace
The
potential risk within the workplace involves in contacting with the bodily
fluids, which contain pathogens. The bathroom is also contaminated with
pathogens and germs, that has a high risk for spreading the infection to other
people through sweeper. Furthermore, the laundry of the workplace and disposal
of waste material is fully contaminated and risk for diseases to break out. The
management of infection by the supporting staff is an alarming and fatal risk
for them in the workplace (Ritchie, Sanderson, Kilbane, & Routledge, 2003).
Process of carrying out a risk assessment
The
process of carrying a risk assessment is imperative to maintain the reputation
of the organisation and to minimise the risk of hazard at a workplace. The risk
assessment comprised of five stages, which is mentioned below.
• Identification of hazard comprised of
identifying the hazard and the causes by speaking to visitors, service user and
the staff members of the company.
• Evaluation of risk involves deciding what
people are at risks.
• Taking precaution involves deciding what
precaution should be taken to reduce the risk of hazard.
• Review the risks involves in the regular
assessment of the effectiveness of the precaution to ensure they are sufficient
or not.
• Record and report the outcomes provides the
recorded information about the advantage of precautions to educate the people
on how to reduce the risk of infection in work setting.
Significance of risk assessment
The
importance of carrying out a risk assessment may be seen in the reduced level
of an infection outbreak. Risk assessment not merely reduces the risk of hazard
and infectious disease but also promote the health-related behaviour among
people that enhance their health status and quality of life (Ritchie,
Sanderson, Kilbane, & Routledge, 2003).
Types of Personal Protection Equipment
The
most common types of PPE re gloves and apron, there are different forms and
colours of the gloves apron used for various purposes. The latex or white
gloves used to wear for personal hygiene and vinyl or blue gloves used when
food is being served and the nitrile used for cleaning tasks. The disposable
apron also used as a PPE, the white colour for personal hygiene and blue apron for
serving food. The hat for serving food is also an important part Of PEE in the
work setting.
Rational for using PPE
Respirators:
to protect the respiratory tract and air bones
• Goggles: to protect the eyes
• Gloves: to protect hands
• Masks: for protecting the skin
• Apron: to protect the cloths.
• Hat: to protect the head and hairs and food
to be infectious
Current legislation and regulation relating to PPE
The
Health and Safety at Work Act is relevant to the PEE as it suggests to ensure
the employer using the PEE appropriately or not. The employees are well trained
in using the PEE or not. It should ensure that the employee wore the PEE before
starting their services and washed them regularly.
Employees responsibilities concerning the use of PPE
The
responsibility of the employer is ensuring that the use of PEE is accurate. The
PEE is protecting the people from potential harm and infections. The responsibility
is to report the hazardous situation to the manager and staff members, and
participate, or assist the manager in giving training to newcomers and other
peoples. Another role of the employee is to ensure that he and other people,
according to the given instructions are using the PPE appropriately and rules.
Employers responsibilities related to the use of PPE
The
responsibility of the employer is to provide the correct PEE to employers
concerning the nature of tasks. The PEE must be distributed among employee free
of cost and must be secured in a safe and clean place. The employer is also
training the staff concerning the proper use of PEE.
Accurate practice in the removal and application of PPE
Before
putting on an apron, the hands must be washed, dry and clean. The apron neck
should be wear over the head than waist step should be a bind. The taking off
apron is more important, as it requires careful touching in the specific area
of the apron to reduce the probability of infection. Secondly, the strips of
neck and waste must be removed in a way that does not fall on the floor or the
surface, and then the apron should be disposed of in the yellow bin after
scrunching it. The gloves should also be disposed of and throw in the yellow
bin. Before moving to the next patient, the employer must wash and dry his
hands. These are the correct practices in the application and removal of PEE
(Ritchie, Sanderson, Kilbane, & Routledge, 2003).
Procedure for disposal of used PPE
The
correct procedures for the disposal of used PEE are following
• Put on gloves and scrunch the apron before
throwing it into the yellow bin.
• The apron bag must be tied tightly s that
infection could not spread.
• The apron should not throw in the bin
without the garbage bag.
• While disposing of the apron, if it touches
your skin and clothes, wash your skin and clothes them thoroughly.
• Save your PEE in workplace receptacles.
• The bin and garbage container must be clean
with warm water regularly.
Key principals for maintenance personal hygiene
The
key principle of good personal hygiene is to wash hand before and after bathing
and tasks. Secondly, wearing neat clothes is also important to reduce the odour
and to sweat to minimise the risk of infections. Avoid wearing jewellery in the
workplace is also important for maintaining personal hygiene. Furthermore,
keeping the hair clean is also a significant key principal of personal hygiene
(Ritchie, Sanderson, Kilbane, & Routledge, 2003).
Accurate sequence for hand washing
• The first step is to remove the jewellery
and other accessories from hands
• Turn on the tap and make sure that both the
hands are wet and in the right temperature
• Apply soap on both hands and palms
• Rub each hand over the back and interlock
the fingers
• Rinse of water and turn off the tap
• Dry the hands
Why and when hand washing should be carried out
The
hands should be washed before starting and ending any task, activity, before
and after having meals. The hands should be washed to prevent the infection
risk and control the hazard in the workplace (Sanderson, Kennedy, Ritchie, and
Goodwin, 2002).
Appropriate products for hand washing
Some
products are available for washing hands such as soap, liquid, antiseptic gels
and alcohol-based hand rub. The liquid soap should be in communal areas, where
the risk of pathogens must be lesser than the soap bar. The antiseptic gel is
appropriate in the workplace to reduce the risk of infection, as in the
workplace, the risk of pathogens found to be high. The alcohol-based hand rub
should be used additionally to minimise the risk of infection (Ritchie,
Sanderson, Kilbane, & Routledge, 2003).
Accurate procedure for skincare
The
correct procedure related to skin care is to moisturise and clean it with
washing hand before and starting any task, having the meal, or work-related
activity. The cracked skin is a more vulnerable part of the body, which had a
high risk of getting the infection and root ways for pathogens. Therefore
washing, cleaning, and moisturising the skin is very important (Sanderson,
Kennedy, Ritchie, and Goodwin, 2002).