The Workplace Health and Safety Needs and Possible Solutions for Health Care Workers in Emergency Departments of Taiwanese Hospitals

Abstract

The occupational health and safety (OHS) risks encountered by health workers (HCWs) in hospitals are significant. A hospital workplace is rife with numerous occupational hazards, yet hazard exposure does not occur uniformly to all HCWs because these hazards are diverse, with multiple interacting risk determinants. Many attempts have been made to identify and minimise the risk of hazard exposure individually; however an integrative approach to address such complex and interconnected determinants has rarely been considered in strategy development. It is important to acknowledge that the single risk factor approach cannot adequately address the workplace health and safety needs of HCWs, particularly for those working in emergency departments (EDs). An ED is one of the riskier workplaces in hospitals because the nature of the work and complexity of workplace conditions produce great threats to the physical and psychological health of HCWs in the process of care delivery.