ADVANCEMENT OF THE PRACTICE
THE PRACTITIONER’S TOOL KIT
Personal Safety on the Job, Something to Consider
James J. Balsamo, Jr., MS, MPH, MHA, RS, CP-FS, CSP, CHMM, DEAAS Nancy Pees Coleman, MPH, PhD, RPS, RPES, DAAS Gary P. Noonan, CAPT (Retired), MPA, RS/REHS, DEAAS
Robert W. Powitz, MPH, PhD, RS, CP-FS, DABFET, DLAAS Vincent J. Radke, MPH, RS, CP-FS, CPH, DLAAS Charles D. Treser, MPH, DEAAS
occur during our work by recognizing haz- ards, evaluating risks, and applying controls such as following simple safety procedures and wearing personal protective clothing and equipment that are right for the situation. Slips and falls rank number one among all our on-site injuries. Because much of what we do is done in a wet environment, at the least you should consider wearing superior quality waterproof and slip resistant shoes, which can be cleaned and decontaminated if necessary. Consider using disposable, punc- ture-resistant, nitrile medical exam gloves when conducting inspections. Also, you should consider wearing eye protection that preferably has impact-resistant lenses. This practice is an easy and passive way to pre- vent splash and spray contagion from con- tacting the eye mucosa, as well as protects the eye itself, especially for contact lenses wearers. Injury from dishwasher and other cleaning chemicals and toxins are all within the realm of possibility. The one trait that comes with age and experience is patience. And with patience comes the ability to see and analyze. It is a well-accepted axiom that over 99% of all work-related illnesses and injuries are preventable. The first step in preventing us from a misadventure is recognizing the potential hazard. Whether conducting an inspection, audit, or evaluation, take the time to see your surroundings. This prac- tice can ensure two things. First as it relates to the job, we can see work-related trac patterns and practices. By taking time to see the job site, you can see unexpected things that are easily overlooked if it were not for an active panoramic view. It lets you
Editor’s Note: The National Environmental Health Association (NEHA) strives to provide relevant and useful information for environmental health practitioners. In a recent membership survey, we heard your request for information in the Journal that is more applicable to your daily work. We listened and are pleased to feature this column from a cadre of environmental health luminaries with over 300 years of combined experience in the environmental health field. This group will share their tricks of the trade to help you create a tool kit of resources for your daily work. The conclusions of this column are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent the ocial position of NEHA, nor does it imply endorsement of any products, services, or resources mentioned.
S afety? How boring. Before you dismiss this bit of advice and go to the next page, please hear us out. When we think back on our collective careers as environmental health profession- als, two things stand out. First, we enjoy the challenges of our profession and are grateful for the friendships we have formed with col- leagues and clients. And second, we recall with a bit of contrition and embarrassment the witless things we did and unsurpris- ingly continue to do. After further reflection on the latter, we have all suered at some point in our careers unintentional injuries and illnesses that resulted from our inspec- tion duties and from the various exposures in the field—travel-related injuries, aggressive attacks, and work in harsh environments not- withstanding. Thankfully for most of us, our mishaps and misadventures were not serious. Yet however minor, they still resulted in dis- tress, discomfort, and even lost time.
An internet and literature search for safety specific to our profession yielded only one reference from the International Occupa- tional Safety and Health Information Centre of the International Labour Organization. The organization published a hazard datasheet for the sanitarian occupation in 1999 and updated it in 2000 (www.ilo.org/safework/cis/ WCMS_191024/lang--en/index.htm). To complement this reference, we recom- mend that you adhere to a basic rule of prac- tice—always follow all the safety and health rules and practices at the establishments you inspect. There is nothing worse than an inspector walking around without the per- sonal protective equipment that everyone else is wearing. It sends the wrong message! The nature of our jobs places us in dierent settings, conditions, and environments. There is nothing routine or predictable about what we do or where we do it. We can minimize, however, unintentional illness and injury that
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