Best practice safety systems for the healthcare industry

Hospitals, aged care facilities and community services will soon have access to information on best practice safety management systems, thanks to a new Workplace Health and Safety Queensland project.

The new Safety Management System project will provide healthcare operators with access to best practice models for managing common industry hazards such as aggressive behaviour, manual handling, and hazardous substances.

Project coordinator Peter McGarry said the initiative is significant because for the first time it provides the Queensland healthcare industry with a formal means for sharing best practice health and safety information.

'Sharing information is one of the key ways we can improve health and safety, and this project provides the healthcare industry with a forum for achieving this,' Mr McGarry said.

'We will develop a range of elements that explain how to manage key health and safety hazards in the healthcare industry. Each element will include risk management information for the specific hazard and an audit tool.'

Photo: Mark Burgin.

'All elements will be designed to be easily incorporated into an operator's existing safety management system.'

The first element developed in the Safety Management System project, 'Aggressive behaviour prevention and management', is already available and can be obtained by phoning 1300 369 915.

The second element will focus on manual handling, which is also a significant health and safety hazard for healthcare workers.