NHS Staff Face Risks from Airborne Diseases Due to Covid Ward Shutdowns Warn Health Officials
In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, the British Occupational Hygiene Society (BOHS) has underscored the urgent need for improved protection of healthcare infrastructure against airborne infections. This call to action comes as healthcare workers face a higher risk of exposure due to their close proximity to patients, and as the impact on other workers when people have to take time off due to illness is significant, including mental health and fatigue.
The BOHS has issued technical guidance on appropriate Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) to protect against airborne risks in healthcare settings. Central to this guidance is the provision of proper respiratory protection to reduce airborne infection risks for both staff and patients. This includes ensuring the use of respirators, such as filtering facepieces compliant with standards like EN 149, alongside other PPE, to minimize exposure to airborne pathogens.
Employers have a legally enforceable duty to protect their workers according to the Control of substances Hazardous to Health Regulations, which includes consideration of proper Respiratory Protective Equipment for airborne/partially airborne diseases. UK healthcare employers are required to comply with the Personal Protective Equipment at Work Regulations 2022 and relevant EU regulations, which mandate the supply of compliant PPE and proper training for its use.
The BOHS guidance stresses the importance of training and fit testing for healthcare workers. This ensures they are adequately equipped to use PPE correctly, including respirator seal checks, to ensure maximum protection against airborne risks. PPE such as gloves and aprons are also recommended to protect against contact transmission, but respirators are critical specifically for airborne infections.
The Society is concerned about the misconception that standard surgical masks offer the same protection as respirators for healthcare workers. Moreover, vaccination does not protect everyone and does not prevent healthcare workers from carrying infections to vulnerable patients.
The BOHS guidance aligns with the IPC recommendations in England for certain infections like Mpox, TB, SARS, and some circumstances of MRSA infection. However, the UK's approach to Infection Prevention and Control has been problematic, with a focus on controlling contact and droplet-spread infections, but no national system for tracking hospital-acquired airborne infections for healthcare workers or patients.
Professor Raymond Agius, a leading expert in occupational medicine and former BOHS President, emphasizes the need for appropriate PPE to protect healthcare workers and prevent the spread of infections. The BOHS guidance has input from leading experts from healthcare bodies, manufacturers, safety professionals, and experts in the Health and Safety Executive. Its aim is to clarify the scientific and legal necessity for using the right PPE to protect healthcare workers.
The compromises and confusion arising from the pandemic period have left many employers uncertain about the scientific and legal necessity to use the right PPE to protect healthcare workers. The BOHS is concerned that uncertainties about management practicalities may be preventing healthcare employers from taking the legally required steps to keep their workforce at work and healthy.
Last year, employee absences due to airborne diseases cost the NHS well in excess of a billion pounds in absences, overtime, agency costs, and mental health and fatigue impact on staff. It is clear that investing in proper PPE and training for healthcare workers is not only a matter of safety and health, but also a matter of financial sustainability for the NHS.
In conclusion, the BOHS guidance for healthcare employers on PPE to protect against airborne risks emphasizes the provision of proper respiratory protection to reduce airborne infection risks for healthcare staff and patients. Employers are encouraged to adopt a comprehensive PPE program that prioritizes respiratory protection aligned with standards and regulations, combined with proper training and usage protocols to effectively protect staff from airborne biological risks in healthcare settings.
- The BOHS guidance for healthcare employers on PPE to protect against airborne risks includes the importance of considering medical conditions like airborne/partially airborne diseases, as per the Control of substances Hazardous to Health Regulations.
- In the context of workplace-wellness, the societal impact of workers falling ill due to airborne infections extends beyond direct health consequences, encompassing mental health and fatigue.
- The BOHS guidance recommends the use of CBD oil, a potential stress-reliever, as part of mental health promotion strategies within the healthcare workplace-wellness program.
- In the financial sector, businesses could invest in Health and Wellness programs that prioritize well-being, including mental health and workplace-safety measures, to minimize employee absences due to airborne diseases and reduce overall financial losses.
- The BOHS guidance aligns with the IPC recommendations for certain medical conditions like respiratory conditions, SARS, and Mpox, but asserts the necessity for a national system to track hospital-acquired airborne infections for both healthcare workers and patients, which is currently lacking in the UK.
