Identifying and Reporting Safety Hazards

Common Healthcare Hazards

Physical Hazards:

• Wet floors and spills
• Broken or malfunctioning equipment
• Poor lighting in work areas
• Blocked emergency exits
• Improperly stored heavy items

Chemical Hazards:

• Disinfectants and cleaning products
• Medications (especially chemotherapy drugs)
• Laboratory chemicals
• Anesthetic gases
• Sterilization chemicals

Biological Hazards:

• Bloodborne pathogens (HIV, Hepatitis B and C)
• Airborne diseases (tuberculosis, COVID-19)
• Contaminated needles and sharps
• Infectious waste
• Bacteria and viruses

Ergonomic Hazards:

• Repetitive motions
• Heavy lifting without proper equipment
• Poor workstation setup
• Standing for long periods
• Awkward positioning during patient care

Psychosocial Hazards:

• Workplace violence and aggression
• High stress and burnout
• Bullying or harassment
• Inadequate staffing levels
• Poor communication between team members

How to Identify Hazards

Use Your Senses:

• Look for unsafe conditions like spills, damaged equipment, or blocked exits
• Listen for unusual sounds from equipment that might indicate problems
• Smell for chemical odors or gas leaks
• Feel for temperature changes that might indicate HVAC problems

Think Like a Detective:

• Ask yourself: “What could go wrong here?”
• Consider near-miss incidents as warning signs
• Pay attention to patterns of minor injuries or complaints
• Notice when safety procedures aren’t being followed

Real-world example: A respiratory therapist notices that several oxygen tanks in storage don’t have their safety caps. She recognizes this as a serious hazard – if a tank falls and the valve breaks, it could become a dangerous projectile. She immediately secures the tanks and reports the issue.

The Reporting Process

Step 1: Immediate Action

• Ensure immediate safety (evacuate area if needed, provide first aid, etc.)
• Make the area safe if possible (put up a wet floor sign, unplug faulty equipment)

Step 2: Report the Hazard

• Use your facility’s reporting system (incident report, safety hotline, etc.)
• Report to your immediate supervisor
• Document the date, time, location, and exact nature of the hazard

Step 3: Follow Up

• Check that corrective action is being taken
• Continue to monitor the situation
• Report again if the hazard isn’t addressed

What to Include in Your Report:

• Exact location of the hazard
• Detailed description of what you observed
• Who else was present
• Any immediate actions you took
• Potential consequences if not addressed

When to Report

Always report:

• Injuries to patients, visitors, or staff
• Near-miss incidents (situations that could have caused harm)
• Equipment malfunctions or damage
• Safety procedure violations
• Environmental hazards
• Security concerns

Don’t wait to report because:

• You think someone else will report it
• It seems “minor”
• You’re not sure if it’s really a problem
• You’re worried about getting someone in trouble

Real-world example: A lab technician drops a small amount of a chemical on the floor. Even though she cleans it up, she reports the spill because the cleaning process revealed that the chemical storage area needs better organization to prevent future spills.