Tony Killeen (Clare, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

I propose to take Questions Nos. 582 to 584, inclusive, and 605 and 606 together.

I understand that the Health and Safety Authority carried out a programme of inspections in the accident and emergency departments of 17 hospitals in 2005. Advice letters were issued in all cases with recurring themes, notably, violence, training, risk assessments, manual handling, fire, stress, chemical agents and biological agents. In 2006, the Authority inspected 16 hospitals, 10 of which were follow-up to the accident emergency inspections of 2005, but which also embraced the entirety of those hospitals. The 2006 inspections included a specific biological agents element, concentrating on the safe management of infection control policies from the point of view of the safety and health of healthcare staff. In this regard, 12 Improvement Notices under the Safety, Health and Welfare Act 2005 were issued by the Authority.

The Authority focused on the existence and implementation of comprehensive infection control policies in hospitals as part of the overall safety management system of workplaces where there may be a risk of workers' exposure to biological agents. Such infection control policies take account of all biological agents that may be present and, in particular, focus on those organisms that are of primary concern including, Legionella, Hepatitis B, HIV, Mycobacterium tuberculosis (TB), Streptococcus pyrogenes and Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA).

I also understand that the Authority is continuing to follow up on hospital inspections which is part of its 2007 Programme of Work. The main objective is to improve health and safety management systems and practices in the healthcare sector. Inspections will focus on worker protection in general hospitals, nursing homes and psychiatric institutions and will include risk assessments for work activities, maintenance/cleaning procedures, security/ violence procedures, manual handling and control of biological agents. In addition the Authority is following up on the inspections carried out in 2006 to ensure compliance in relation to issues which arose then.