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This article outlines the biological hazards that nurses may face in their workplace. It hopes to inform nurses how they can reduce such hazards at work and contribute to a safer working environment.
AIMS AND INTENDED LEARNING OUTCOMES The aim of this article is to reinforce the principles of risk assessment by discussing the management and legislative implications of biological hazards within the healthcare environment. Readers should also refer to a previous CE article (number 440) on assessing and controlling risk, which featured in Nursing Standard on April 22 1998. After reading this article you should be able to:
* Identify biological hazards in the workplace.
* Reflect on why risk assessment is necessary when particular biological hazards occur.
* Revise the intended learning outcomes for CE 440.
INTRODUCTION
Subconsciously, nurses have always `risk assessed' to ensure that appropriate care is given to their patients or clients. For example, histodcally nurses have recognised the risks of crossinfection not only to themselves but to other patients and have taken the necessary measures to minimise the risks. For many years there has been the necessity to carry out formal risk assessment to comply with current legislation as discussed in the previous CE.
The legislative framework describes risk assessment as:
*Identifying the hazard.
*Negating or reducing the hazard to the lowest possible level.
*Communicating these hazards to individuals concerned.
* Ensuring written records are kept where necessary.
*Regular review/ monitoring.
It is important to remember the distinction between hazard and risk. A hazard is anything that has the potential to cause harm. The risk is the likelihood that harm from a particular hazard will occur.
Therefore risk assessment, in its broadest terms, should consider:
* The nature of the work.
* Which staff are at risk.
* Action required to remove or reduce the risk to acceptable levels.
TYPES OF HAZARDS
Nurses face many different types of hazards in their working day.
NOW DO TIME OUT 1
Can you identify six specific hazards within your area that affect your working practice?
Table 1 gives examples of the hazards nurses can face (except biological hazards, which are to be discussed separately).
NOW DO TIME OUT 2
Think of other examples of hazards that are not outlined in Table...