3.2.13 Risk assessment of workplaces

1 Aim and purpose

- Central preventive measure in occupational health and safety for:

- Prevention of work-related illnesses

- Improving the performance and well-being of employees in the workplace

- Prevention of accidents at work

- Reduction in sickness absence

- Improving the hospital's profitability.

- Central control instrument for occupational health and safety at the HOSPITAL to optimise working conditions and exploit the HOSPITAL's performance potential - implementation of occupational health and safety under the management's own responsibility on the basis of statutory and trade association regulations.

2 Application

In all areas of the HOSPITAL (endoscopy, radiology and nuclear medicine, operating theatres 1-8, anaesthesia, outpatient clinics, emergency room, central laboratory, cardiology, intensive care unit, surgery, internal medicine, urology, gynaecology, geriatrics, infection ward, palliative care unit, physical therapy, ergometry, CSSD, service areas including waste disposal, central warehouse, hospital pharmacy, administrative areas including gate, mailroom and medical records archive, workshops, building services.

3 Description

The assessment of working conditions (risk assessment) at the hospital's workplaces is a mandatory requirement in many statutory and trade association regulations (see applicable documents) A structured and consistent approach to risk assessment ensures the improvement of occupational health and safety.

3.1 Preparing the risk assessment

In the first step, all work processes/activities in all work areas of the hospital are systematically recorded in collaboration with the employees. The basis of the risk assessment is the catalogue of procedures and activities of the departments or areas (Chapter 6 Work Instructions), which corresponds to the work areas as indicated in the hospital's organisational chart (3.1.02).

The statutory, professional association and association-related obligations (e.g. Medical Association) relevant to the HOSPITAL and all occupational health and safety-related instructions and standards are compiled in Chapter 9 "Recognised rules".

Records such as ASA protocols, first-aid books, accident reports, reports of occupational illnesses, sickness statistics, lists of hazardous substances, instruction protocols, documentation of risk assessments, catalogues of measures, accident investigation protocols, records of equipment inspections as well as inspection protocols and care reports are included in the assessment of activities.

The employee representatives are informed and can take part in the discussions.

3.2 Determining the hazards

In the second step, the actual or potential hazards arising from the activities/work processes identified above are determined for each workplace. All processes that could lead to personal injury, property damage, financial loss or damage to the company's image and all deviations from statutory, trade association, association-related and internal regulations on safety and health protection are hazards within the meaning of the risk assessment in accordance with the Occupational Health and Safety Act.

The determination step has three parts:

- Discussions with the employees in the individual work areas. - as well as an inspection of the work areas.

The potential hazards in the work processes at the hospital were systematically determined using hazard-related checklists from the engineering office for safety technology, occupational safety and health protection (ISAG).

The identification of hazards also included a review of the documents relevant to occupational health and safety in the respective work areas. The implementation of the requirements of the VDU Workstation Ordinance was integrated into the risk analysis via a specific catalogue of questions.

The assessment of workplaces for expectant mothers in accordance with Section 1 of the Maternity Protection Workplace Ordinance was not part of the risk assessment. It is described in procedural instruction 3.2.20 Maternity Protection.

The risk assessment described here was carried out by . A report was prepared (where is it located?)

3.3 Assessing the hazards

In the third step, the hazards identified were assessed in terms of their risk for the employees in the work area and for Das KRANKENHAUS. It was determined whether there was a need for action for occupational health and safety measures. Each individual hazard identified was assessed and the result noted in the documentation. The laws, regulations, technical rules and standards relevant to the hospital, as well as the rules of the employers' liability insurance associations and professional organisations, are the guidelines for this (target status). The assessment was carried out by the occupational safety specialist and by external consultants from AG commissioned by the management.

3.4 Occupational health and safety measures

The assessment contains a risk evaluation that takes into account how serious any potential harm to employees or the hospital may be and how likely it is to occur. The risk assessment is carried out by the members of the health and safety committee. Based on this risk assessment, the measures to prevent the hazard are determined in the fourth step, taking into account the following criteria:

The best measure is to avoid or eliminate the hazard. This is favoured in hospitals. Where this is not possible, the risk must be minimised as far as possible. Technical solutions take precedence over organisational regulations and the provision of personal protective equipment. Special arrangements are made for particularly vulnerable groups such as expectant mothers, trainees/students and the severely disabled.

3.5 Implementing the measures

In the fifth step, a catalogue of measures was created for each work area from the defined measures by the occupational safety specialist in cooperation with the consulting firm ISAG. The catalogue documents who implements which measure and by when, and who checks the measures for implementation and effectiveness (where can this be viewed?).

3.6 Checking the implementation and effectiveness of the measures

In the sixth step, the members of the Occupational Safety Committee (ASA) and the specialist for occupational safety at the HOSPITAL carry out inspections and committee meetings to check whether the measures have been implemented on time by the authorised persons and whether they are effective. The result of the inspection is documented in the ASA protocol.

3.7 Updating the risk assessment

The risk assessment is continued in the seventh step if new hazards occur or could occur in the hospital. Indications for this are, for example

- Accidents at work

- Occurrence of occupational diseases and work-related health impairments, e.g. allergies

- Acquisition of new machinery and equipment

- Introduction of new hazardous substances

- Redesign of work and traffic areas

- New work areas, e.g. the palliative care ward and the emergency department

- Changes to work organisation and work processes, e.g. due to changes in therapy procedures.

The update is initiated by the Occupational Health and Safety Committee.

4 Documentation

All steps of the risk analysis are documented in a report by Mr Oberste-Padtberg, Ingenieurbüro für Sicherheitstechnik, Arbeitssicherheit und Gesundheitsschutz (ISAG) from July 2003. The catalogues of measures for the individual work areas are available. Where?

5 Resources

Working hours and office equipment Ingenieurbüro AG:
Working hours Occupational safety specialist:
Working time dialogue partners in the departments:

6 Responsibility, qualification

ASA commissioned by management and occupational safety specialist: Responsible for implementation, realisation and updating of qualifications
Good knowledge of occupational health and safety (occupational safety specialist and company doctor.

7 Notes and comments

Risk assessment is one of the basic rules of occupational health and safety management and is therefore directly or indirectly included in almost every legal or trade association regulation on occupational health and safety. It is a prerequisite for effective occupational health and safety measures in the hospital.

8 Applicable documents

8.1 Literature

8.3 Terms

Risk assessment According to Section 5 of the Occupational Health and Safety Act, the risk assessment is the determination and assessment of the hazards associated with the work of employees and the determination of the measures required to avoid or minimise these hazards. It is intended as a preventive measure and should therefore be carried out before work begins. Hazard A hazard as a technical term means the possibility that a person may come into contact with a source of danger in terms of space and/or time. The materialisation of the hazard leads to damage. Danger A hazard is a situation or circumstance that can lead to a negative impact, e.g. personal injury, property damage, financial loss or damage to the company's image. Possible sources of danger are
- Mechanical hazards

- Electrical hazards

- Hazardous substances/personal protective equipment/skin exposure

- Risk of infection

- Fire and explosion hazards

- Thermal hazards

- Physical stress (e.g. noise, vibrations)

- Working environment conditions

- Physical stress

- Perception and manageability

- Mental stress

- Organisational deficiencies

Creation date: February 2008 Author Dr Böhm

Attachments