Hazards and the Growing Need for Safety in Community Healthcare
Table of Contents
Top hazards facing home and community healthcare workers
Essential safety strategies for community healthcare workers
Real-world safety solutions for community care providers
Case study on Seasons Health Therapies
What can be done to help health care lone worker stay safe?
Why support systems matter for lone healthcare workers
Understanding Canadian lone worker safety regulations
Quick safety tips for healthcare workers working alone
Protect your team with confidence
Workplace violence is a recognized hazard in workplaces almost everywhere. It is an officially identified occupational risk by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) in the U.S. as well as the Canadian Occupational Safety and Health Agency (CCOHS), which found that healthcare workers are five times more likely to be attacked than employees in other industries.
According to OSHA, workplace violence is defined as any act or threat of physical violence, harassment, intimidation or other disruptive behavior that occurs at the workplace. Has anyone in your organization experienced this?
As an increasing number of health authorities move towards providing more and more care in the comfort of the patient’s home, so does the incidence of assaults and abuse towards these health care workers who are venturing into the community alone to provide the needed care.
“According to OSHA, workplace violence is defined as any act or threat of physical violence, harassment, intimidation or other disruptive behavior that occurs at the workplace.”
Top hazards facing home and community healthcare workers
To provide these increasingly complex community services, we must address the many safety issues and hazards these nurses face. According to a 2017 study from the Canadian Federation of Nurses Unions, “compared to other workers, nurses experienced far higher rates of serious violence,” finding that six in 10 members (61%) have had serious problems at work with at least one type of workplace violence in the previous 12 months. These are staggering figures, and while no official studies have been performed on community nursing and violence, experts have found that physical and verbal violence is significantly higher in the community than in a traditional hospital setting.
There are significant benefits to treating the patient in the comfort of their own home, but in addition to violence, there are also unique risks that health care and social service workers face when providing treatment away from the security of the hospital or clinic. These can include:
Unique hazards home and community care workers face include:
Chemical hazards like hazardous drugs, and cleaning and sterilizing agents.
Biological hazards like infectious diseases, blood-borne pathogens, needle penetration injuries, and bodily fluids.
Physical hazards like slips, trips, falls, and back injuries.
Unhygienic and potentially dangerous conditions include violent patients, lack of clean water, hostile or unclean animals and even the increased risk of accidents with long commute to the home.
Last but certainly not least, emotional and mental health hazards like stress, physical and verbal abuse and violence, and feelings of vulnerability and isolation in the demanding work.
Essential safety strategies for community healthcare workers
The threat of violence and other workplace hazards are difficult to control in the vulnerable environment of a patient’s home. There are, however, basic steps that can be taken to increase the safety of these workers:
Trust your intuition
While difficult to test its effectiveness, home health managers encourage their team to “use their gut” and intuition when assessing if a situation is safe or not. According to a research series from the International Association for Healthcare Security and Safety Foundation, a home health manager should encourage team members to trust their judgment and avoid situations that don’t feel “right,” and for managers to honor that call.
Do the proper training
The US Bureau of Labor and Statistics estimates that community healthcare employment grew 55% in between 2006 and 2016, establishing the area as one of the most rapidly growing healthcare sectors of the past decade. To keep the workforce safe amidst this major growth, community and home nurses need to be trained in well-researched protocols that will keep them safe during dangerous situations. Examples of this include developing a written plan for ensuring personal safety, educating nurses on the risks of their job and how to assess the safety of their environments, and educating staff on the signs of drug use and threatening body language.
Assess the risks and prepare yourself
As mentioned above, a key component to safety while working in the community is assessing any potential risks and preparing yourself appropriately. Questions should be asked like, “Is their parking near the client’s home?” “Do I need any equipment such as a lift to provide the needed care?” “Is the neighbourhood known for criminal activity?” “Does the client have a history of violence?” Once the safety risks are assessed, then the nurse and manager must explore ways to mitigate those risks and hazards.
Utilize available tools and technology
One effective way to mitigate any threats and safety hazards is to use any resources and technology that can help the worker in an emergency. This includes a lone worker safety app with a panic button, or a voice activation tool on the identification badge. Local law enforcement may also have maps of the area showing the levels of crime and violence that have taken place in the past, allowing the community healthcare worker and their manager to prepare appropriately.
Real-world safety solutions for community care providers
SafetyLine is a lone worker safety app that has number of valuable features to protect community workers. For years, Seasons Health Therapies in Kamloops has been depending on SafetyLine to protect its team who are out in the community.
Community healthcare workers face unique risks that demand proactive safety measures. Use our Lone Worker Safety Solution App to ensure their safety, and explore our pricing options. Visit our FAQ page for additional insights and discover the benefits of our solutions. Protect those who care for others with our advanced lone worker safety devices.
“In our organization, we use SafetyLine for all of our on-the-road-people – so anybody in the field,” says Dawn MacKenzie, Clinical Director, Seasons Health Therapies. “They are using (the SafetyLine) app on their mobile phones and are checking into SafetyLine every hour...just to make sure they’re safe. "
Learn more about Seasons Health Therapies’ experience with SafetyLine, and visit our previous blog, Are Health and Community Care workers classified as Lone Workers?
“In our organization, we use SafetyLine for all of our on-the-road-people – so anybody in the field,” says Dawn MacKenzie, Clinical Director, Seasons Health Therapies. “They are using (the SafetyLine) app on their mobile phones and are checking into SafetyLine every hour...just to make sure they’re safe. "
Case study on Seasons Health Therapies
What can be done to help health care lone worker stay safe?
Before developing a lone worker safety program, regularly check the regulations in your area. Some Canadian jurisdictions have specific laws around working alone.
According to the Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety, there are many steps that can be taken to help ensure the safety of the lone worker:
Avoid having a lone worker whenever possible, especially for jobs with a recognized risk.
Perform regular hazard assessments of your workplace.
Talk to workers about their work. Get their input about the work they do and possible solutions.
Investigate incidents at your workplace and learn from incidents in similar workplaces.
Take corrective action to prevent or minimize the potential risks of working alone.
Provide appropriate training and education to both the lone worker and the person tasked to respond if there is a concern.
Report all situations, incidents, or 'near misses' where being alone increased the severity of the situation. Analyze this information and make changes to a company policy where necessary.
Establish a check-in procedure. Make sure that regular contact is kept with all workers. Establish ways to account for people (visually or verbally) while they are working.
Schedule higher risk tasks to be done during normal business hours, or when another worker capable of helping in an emergency is present.
Why support systems matter for lone healthcare workers
The final reason is key in this case because health care workers do not have the support and protections that they would in a traditional workplace environment.
“But SafetyLine Lone Worker can provide that needed support and protection,” says Heather Touhey, Chief Executive Officer of SafetyLine Lone Worker. “When a nurse or health care worker goes into a patient’s home, they’re vulnerable to several unique risks. SafetyLine keeps them connected to a monitor who can watch their back while providing the worker with an accessible, easy-to-use way to call for urgent help should something happen.”
Understanding Canadian lone worker safety regulations
Lone worker regulations and legislation in Canada varies across provinces and territories, creating a potentially complex compliance picture for healthcare employers and organizations. Federally, the Canada Labour Code makes sure that employers manage the health and safety of all employees; including people working alone. This entails conducting hazard assessments, implementing emergency procedures, and proactively preventing workplace violence and harassment.
Most provinces have additional lone worker-specific additions and laws. For example, British Columbia and Alberta both require employers to implement check-in procedures and assess risks for employees working alone. However, Ontario and Nova Scotia do not have lone worker-specific legislation but still require general occupational health and safety compliance.
Failing to protect lone healthcare workers can result in serious consequences, including increased WCB premiums, fines, legal action, or even criminal charges under the Westray Bill (Bill C-45). This federal law imposes criminal liability on organizations and individuals who fail to take reasonable proactive steps to prevent harm and injury to workers.
To remain compliant and keep workers safe, healthcare employers must:
Conduct regular, thorough hazard assessments for lone workers
Implement (and practice) written safety procedures and check-in systems
Thoroughly train staff on emergency response and violence prevention
Monitor and document safety practices regularly
Quick safety tips for healthcare workers working alone
In addition to implementing the support of SafetyLine and the assigned monitors, you can also:
Make sure you protect your belongings and work gear by locking car doors and keeping any bags or valuables out of sight.
Make sure your cell phone is accessible at all times in case your safety is threatened by a patient and you can use hit the panic button or shake for an emergency with the SafetyLine app.
Using the SafetyLine app, make sure you check in so your managers and monitors know that you are working and where.
If it’s your first time visiting a home, make sure you have clear directions so you aren’t wandering around an unfamiliar neighborhood.
Be cautious around pets and animals on the patient’s property.
“SafetyLine will care for you while you’re caring for others,” Heather says. “It’s an affordable, easy-to-use means to provide the best care possible.”
Protect your team with confidence –
Schedule your free lone worker safety consultation today and discover how SafetyLine can keep your healthcare professionals safe in the community.
Lone Worker FAQs
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SafetyLine is designed for employees who work alone in isolation, with clients or members of the public, and/or alone in hazardous environments. It helps organizations monitor and protect lone workers while ensuring compliance with local safety regulations.
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SafetyLine provides tools to monitor lone workers, automate check-ins, and respond to emergencies, helping employers meet legal obligations under Canadian and international lone worker safety regulations.
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No. SafetyLine is user-friendly and designed for easy adoption across web, mobile, and satellite platforms. Minimal training is required to get started.
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Regular check-ins with supervisors, access to counseling, peer support, and training in situational awareness can help reduce feelings of isolation and stress. Employers should foster a culture of safety and support.
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Common risks include workplace violence, infection exposure, slips and falls, mental health strain, and delayed emergency response. These hazards are amplified when working alone in patient homes or remote areas.