Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 26 April 2007
52 Ms McManus asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment his views on the Health and Safety Authority report that found inadequate health and safety procedures in most of the hospitals visited; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12078/07]
View answerThe Health and Safety Authority carried out a programme of inspections in hospitals in 2005 and 2006. The accident and emergency departments of 17 hospitals were covered in 2005 and the 2006 inspections covered the entirety of 16 hospitals. Following the 2005 inspections, advice letters were issued in all cases with recurring themes, notably, violence, training, risk assessments, manual handling, fire, stress, chemical agents and biological agents. The 2006 inspections included a specific biological agents element, concentrating on the safe management of infection control policies from the point of view of the safety and health of health care staff. In this regard, 12 Improvement Notices under the Safety, Health and Welfare Act 2005 were issued by the Authority. The inspections carried out highlighted problems and inadequacy of procedures in most of the hospitals in the following areas: risk assessments for manual handling and for ergonomics; procedures for dealing with violence and aggression in overcrowded departments; handling of chemical and biological agents; prevention of slips, trips and falls; overcrowding and congestion; and infection control. I understand that the Authority has followed up on these inspections, where appropriate, with the Health Services Executive. This year the Authority, as part of its 2007 Programme of Work, is following up on the inspections carried out in 2006 to ensure compliance in relation to issues which arose then. The main objective of the inspection programme is to improve health and safety management systems and practices in the health care sector. Inspections will again focus on worker protection in general hospitals, nursing homes and psychiatric institutions and will include risk assessments for work activities, maintenance/ cleaning procedures, security/ violence procedures, manual handling and control of biological agents.
