Occupational Health and Safety

Healthcare workers have the responsibility to adhere to standards of OSH in all healthcare settings. The curriculum has been developed based on the need to train healthcare workers on
the importance of OSH in the work place. This has been occasioned by:

1. Low awareness on OSH among HCWs,
2. Minimal evidence of OSH implementation,
3. High OSH risks identified in healthcare work environment,
4. Lack of a structured training program on OSH for HCWs.

Purpose
The purpose of this course is to promote a safe and healthy work environment in Kenya’s healthcare settings.

Objectives
At the end of this course, the participant is expected to:-

1. Describe the basic concepts of OSH,
2. Explain the background of OSH,
3. Describe the importance of OSH practice,
4. Describe the legal aspects relating to OSH,
5. Conduct OSH risk management in the health facilities

Background
Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) is a discipline concerned with protecting and promoting the safety, health and welfare of people engaged in work or employment. The goals of occupational safety and health programs include fostering a safe and healthy work environment. It is a multi-disciplinary activity targeting four basic aspects:

1. Protection and promotion of workers health by preventing and controlling occupational diseases, accidents and injuries;
2. Development and promotion of healthy and safe work and work environments;
3. Promotion of physical, mental and social well-being of workers; and
4. Enabling workers to conduct socially and economically productive lives and to contribute positively to sustainable development (WHO 2010).

A number of occupational diseases and injuries are rarely reported. The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that sharps’ injuries contribute 30% of new cases of Hepatitis B Virus (HBV) and 2.5 % of annual infections of Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) among health care workers in Sub-Saharan Africa (WHR 2002). An assessment done by the Ministry of Health (MoH) together with partners in 95 health facilities across Kenya between 2011 and 2012 suggests that OSH compliance is a challenge that cuts across the public and private sectors. An OSH baseline survey from 6 healthcare facilities indicated low awareness of OSH among healthcare workers (HCW) (MoH, 2014).

To respond to the call for improved implementation of Occupational Safety and Health Act 2007 (OSHA-2007) of Laws of Kenya, the Government and partners prioritized implementation of key aspects of OSH across various sectors. However, there are still challenges to mainstream OSH across the health sector especially training.

The International Labour Organization (ILO) constitution includes “measures to be taken for protection of the worker against sickness, disease and injury arising out of employment” (ILO, 1919). A safe and healthy work environment enhances work productivity and reduces loss of man hours and is a key element of worker human dignity (ILO, 2010). Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) has for decades dominated international agenda prompting continued support for the ILO to execute their mandate on behalf of the international community through regional and national governments.

The Page 10 of 20 World Health Organization (WHO) considers the improvement of working conditions an important factor in health protection and promotion. The WHO developed a nine-year
2008 to 2017 global plan of action on health workers OSH requirements. In developed economies access to OSH services by working population is over 90% whereas in emerging and some developing economies the access is below 10% (ICOH 2013). In Kenya, workers’ health concerns date back to “The Factories Ordinance 1950” and currently, “The Occupational Safety and Health Act, 2007”. The Directorate of Occupational Safety and Health Services (DOSHS), in the Ministry of Labour, Social Security and Services is mandated to enforce safety and health legislations. In 2012
Kenya had about 4% of the working population accessing services of OSH (ICOH 2013).

The MoH is already working on WHO action plan of 2008 – 2017 to ensure that OSH requirements are mainstreamed and maintained in healthcare environments through:
Laboratory Biosafety and Biosecurity Policy Guidelines 2014, National Infection Prevention and Control guidelines for healthcare services in Kenya among others.
Healthcare facilities are potentially hazardous workplaces that expose workers to a wide range of hazards; biological, chemical, physical, psychosocial, ergonomic and mechanical. The emergence of highly infectious diseases such as severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS), the H1N1 Influenza and Ebola increases the infection risk dramatically among HCWs. Therefore, there are efforts to ensure a safe and healthy work environment in line with the Kenya Constitution 2010 and the OSHA 2007.

The implementation of OSH guidelines largely depend on improvement of work environment, training, and creating awareness in occupational health. It is in this regard that this curriculum has been developed to support the training component of Occupational Safety and Health policy guidelines for the health sector in Kenya.