Related Links
- IAEA radiation protection of the patient (RPoP)
- WHO patient safety
- WHO radiotherapy risk profile
- Comprehensive Audits of Radiotherapy Practices: A Tool for Quality Improvement Quality Assurance Team for Radiation Oncology (QUATRO)
- Comprehensive Audits of Radiotherapy Practices: A Tool for Quality Improvement Quality Assurance Team for Radiation Oncology (QUATRO) (Russian Edition)
- Additional references
Safety of Your Staff
A radiation oncology facility represents a potentially dangerous workplace for staff, with many possible occupational hazards. In order to create a safe working environment for staff, affirmative actions are required by both management and individual workers.
Actions required by management include the following
- Ensuring that all equipment is well maintained, particularly with regard to radiation and electrical safety
- Ensuring that the workplace is safe, with adequate lighting and ventilation
- Ensure that placards, posters and barriers are erected to inform staff of hazards and to prevent entry to restricted zones.
- Ensuring compliance with relevant Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) regulations
- Development of an orientation program for new staff
- Requirement for training for new tasks and re-training for existing tasks
- Development of a safety culture throughout the organisation
- Development and support of a quality improvement program for risk management and a quality cycle for quality improvement
- Development and support of an incident reporting system that ensures all incidents and near misses are investigated promptly, with remedial action as appropriate.
- Initiate and support drills and emergency preparedness exercises.
Actions required by individual workers include
- Develop attitudes and behaviours that are aligned and contribute to a safety culture
- Being aware of the implications of their own actions
- Observe all OHS and other policies and procedures within the organisation
- Use the recommended manual handling technique
- Practice universal precautions for infection control and added precautions as required
- Maintain vigilance for hazards and promptly report any issues
- Be aware of emergency response procedures and participate in drills and emergency preparedness exercises
- Anticipate and avoid potentially dangerous or hazardous situations
- Be aware of access to security personnel.
Remember, staff should be the greatest asset of an organisation. A safe organisation is likely to be an efficient organisation.