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Sue,
Out of interest, do you happen to know the reference for the OHS regulations, and what they specifically say about food consumption in ward areas?
I agree it is a sad state that one should need evidence or even a “risk management framework” (what a mouthful) for what should normally come with common sense.
Has anyone tried “evidence reversal” — actually in my opinion the right and scientifically correct way to place the onus for evidence in such situations — to say, here are the OHS regulations and here is what common sense and microbiological principles tell you, and now YOU show me the evidence that breaking the rules is NOT associated with an increased risk?
Best regards, Matthias.
—
Matthias Maiwald, MD, FRCPA
Consultant in Microbiology
Adj. Assoc. Prof., Natl. Univ. Singapore
Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine
KK Women’s and Children’s Hospital
100 Bukit Timah Road
Singapore 229899
Tel. +65 6394 8725 (Office)
Tel. +65 6394 1389 (Laboratory)
Fax +65 6394 1387
Hi Helen,
It is such a shame that you can only argue a point of common sense with evidence.
I agree the ‘evidence’ is poor in this area but OHS (Workplace Health and Safety) provides the opportunity for employers and employees to review real and possible risks of eating in the work area. The Australian Infection Control Guidelines do not address this issue specifically but do provide you with a risk management framework to use for developing your position on this for your organisation.
Some of the risks to be considered include – vermin, food/drink contamination, odour, spills that can create slip and trip hazards, professionalism, hand hygiene, cleaning (increased requirements), disease/infection transmission.
Options to consider – provision of a designated place to consume food/drinks, staffing allocation sufficient to cover breaks, governance of decisions made, consultation with those affected.
Good luck,
Sue
Sue Greig
Senior Project Officer
Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Health Care
GPO Box 5480 Sydney NSW 2001 | Level 7, 1 Oxford Street, Darlinghurst NSW 2010
( direct (02) 9126 3565 | ( switchboard (02) 9126 3600 | 6 (02) 9126 3613 |
Email sue.greig@safetyandquality.gov.au | http://www.safetyandquality.gov.au
Helen Scott <Helen.Scott@HEALTHSCOPE.COM.AU>
Sent by: ACIPC Infexion Connexion <AICALIST@AICALIST.ORG.AU>
31/07/2012 08:56 AM
Please respond to
ACIPC Infexion Connexion <AICALIST@AICALIST.ORG.AU>
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Has anyone got anymore information on this please? I’d like to provide evidence and documentation to follow up my concerns about the same thing.
Thanks,
Helen.
Helen Scott
Clinical Nurse Specialist |
Infection Control |
Anaesthetics & Recovery
Nepean Private Hospital
Kingswood, NSW.
Tel 02 4732 7333 | helen.scott@healthscope.com.au
Please consider the environment before printing this message
>>> On 10/07/2012 at 12:57 pm, in message <BF9F17B8E99F2345A43563B49B8F2AA3186031928A@EHEXVS01.eh.local>, “Breen, Jennifer (MH)” <Jennifer.Breen@EASTERNHEALTH.ORG.AU> wrote:
Hi All,
We are having some issues with staff consuming food in their ward area, particularly at the staff base and in the corridors. We have located articles about transmission of Hepatitis A but are hoping to source articles to provide further evidence . Our current hospital guidelines are fairly general in this area and pertain more to an outbreak of gastro .
Kind Regards
Jenny Breen
Clinical Nurse Consultant
Infection Control
Maroondah Hospital
Tel: 98713175 Pager 0111
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