New PPE delivered to TB hospital
EXPIRED PPE MASKS The expired PPE masks have been withdrawn from the Bongani Hospital and new masks have been delivered
Representative union the Public Servants Association (PSA) helped to address the delivery of expired personal protective equipment (PPE) face masks for use by healthcare workers at the Bongani Hospital tuberculosis (TB) unit in Mpumalanga, which could have increased workers’ occupational exposure to TB infection.
Failure to attend to the matter could have resulted in the escalation to the Department of Employment and Labour’s occupational health and safety inspectors, says PSA labour relations officer Nomfundo Mlangeni.
However, to date, she notes that the employer has been compliant in withdrawing the expired masks and delivering new PPE to the hospital.
Mlangeni says that expired masks would not have provided the intended level of protection for the healthcare workers at the hospital which led to the PSA engaging with the employer to withdraw the expired masks, encouraging the delivery of new and appropriate PPE.
The PSA notes the situation at Bongani Hospital was extremely serious, as it is a TB hospital and employees may be exposed to airborne respiratory diseases and bacteria. In such an environment, appropriate and effective PPE is essential to minimise occupational exposure and protect employees, and the PSA says that the use of appropriate PPE should be closely monitored at healthcare facilities throughout the country.
The PSA also calls for a thorough investigation into the delivery of expired PPE to hospitals, to avoid similar issues recurring in future.
“Providing healthcare workers with safe and appropriate PPE is essential to protect them from occupational hazards and exposure to infections. More attention must be given to the procurement, storage, monitoring and timely replacement of PPE to ensure that healthcare workers are adequately protected while performing their duties,” she concludes.
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