Do you have what it takes to be a Star?
Few hospitals join OSHA's VPP program
To be a "star" in the eyes of the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration, employers must invite inspectors to take a close look at their employee health and safety program. In the 30 years of the program, not many hospitals have been willing to do that.
In fact, only 13 of the 2,404 Voluntary Protection Program sites are hospitals, even though there are about 5,700 hospitals in the United States and they have a rate of injury that is twice as high as the average for private industry.
"We think VPP would be a great program for hospitals and nursing homes willing to make the commitment to prevent injuries and illnesses through implementing process and equipment changes that reduce serious injuries and illnesses," an OSHA official said in an emailed response to HEH questions. "VPP is all about implementing effective injury and illness prevention programs that prevent work-related injuries. Not only is it the right thing to do it also saves money and helps the bottom line."
VPP hospitals say the program helps build a culture of safety and recruit and retain employees. It is essentially an employee safety version of the magnet status that rewards hospitals for continuous quality improvement, says Bobbi Jo Hurst, RN, BSN, COHN-S, manager of employee and student health and safety at Lancaster (PA) General Hospital.
"There really isn't a downside to it, except it takes some work," says Hurst. "But injury prevention should be there anyway if you're really concerned about your employees."
Safety at every level
About 18 years ago, Samaritan Hospital in Ashland, OH, became the first hospital to join the VPP. Today, safety is imbedded in every level of the hospital hierarchy.
Each unit has a "safety corner" where employees can find the safety manual and safety policies. Department meetings feature safety topics. The Safety Circle, comprised of only hourly or non-managerial employees, meets each month and reviews safety suggestions submitted by employees. The employee with the winning suggestion gets a small reward, such as a free parking spot for a month.
"Everybody is just looking out for everybody else's safety," says safety coordinator Kathie Overy.
Meanwhile, a higher-level Environmental Round team includes the directors of engineering and housekeeping, the safety coordinator, and the vice presidents of construction and support services. They walk around the hospital's facilities and survey the hospital floor by floor. They conduct walk arounds once a week.
Self-assessment is a key part of the VPP. OSHA requires a self-evaluation once a year, in which VPP sites identify potential hazards or areas that need improvement and outline how they will be addressed, says Overy.
"The biggest benefit [of the program] is for employees to know you care about their safety," she says.
Follow best practices
Hurst is a believer in the VPP. In fact, she has promoted the program among hospitals and has worked as a surveyor for OSHA with VPP worksites in other industries. "Every time you go out, you learn about best practices that you can take back and make your place safer," she says.
To apply for the VPP, the employer first must submit three years of injury data and complete a lengthy application. You should have injury rates below the average for your industry, based on data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Then you should prepare for a thorough OSHA inspection. OSHA will look for management commitment and employee involvement in your injury and illness prevention program.
"You start improving even before they come out," says Hurst.
Lancaster's safety team reviewed OSHA standards, such as Bloodborne Pathogens, to make sure they were in compliance. They evaluated their monitoring for chemical exposures, such as glutaraldehyde and Cidex. To reduce patient handling injuries, nurses conduct mobility assessments of patients every 24 hours and every unit has safe patient handling "champions." Several units have ceiling lifts in every patient room, including some rooms with a capacity up to 1,000 pounds.
During the Star evaluations, in which inspections can last up to four days, OSHA officials may give some safety suggestions. It's up to the employer to decide what's feasible, says Hurst. For example, an OSHA inspector suggested that the hospital provide slip-resistant shoes to all employees to prevent slips and falls. That was prohibitively expensive, but instead, Lancaster was able to negotiate a discount on the shoes that was then offered to employees.
"OSHA is there to protect your employees' safety. They're really not bad guys," says Hurst. "We are all interested in the same thing. We want our employees to be safe because our employees are our most valuable resource."
[Editor's note: More information about the Voluntary Protection Program is available at www.osha.gov/dcsp/vpp/.]
To be a "star" in the eyes of the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration, employers must invite inspectors to take a close look at their employee health and safety program. In the 30 years of the program, not many hospitals have been willing to do that.You have reached your article limit for the month. Subscribe now to access this article plus other member-only content.
- Award-winning Medical Content
- Latest Advances & Development in Medicine
- Unbiased Content