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  • #75762
    Anonymous
    Inactive

    Author:
    Anonymous

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    Good Morning,

    Can anyone please help clarify the following question regarding the sink workstations.
    In our facility, the decontamination sink is fixed system that is used by staff of varying height i.e. 5 feet to 6 foot 7. The staff who currently use the sink have issues with pain every day due to the sink. Our current fixed sink also only have one bowl to wash and rinse equipment.
    The Perioperative NUM and myself have been trying to have the sink workstation changed to an ergonomically designed double bowl sink which is height adjustable, for the past 7months. We have taken the AS/NZS 4187:2014 standards to both Infection Control Co-coordinator and Corporate Services Director who believe they don’t have to replace the current fixed sink with an ergonomically designed double bowl sink that is height adjustable.
    Have I read and interpreted the AS/NZS wrong?
    Statement posed to me this am “Why would people ripe out perfectly good sinks; sure other hospital’s wouldn’t be replacing their sink”.

    Cheers

    Michelle Punton | Infection Control CNC
    Infection Control
    Portland District Health
    Bentinck Street, Portland VIC 3305

    [PDH logo with tagline 2016_EMAIL]

    We respectfully acknowledge the traditional custodians, the Gunditjmara peoples; we pay our respects to all Aboriginal community Elders past and present who have been an integral part of this region’s history.
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    #75764
    Anonymous
    Inactive

    Author:
    Anonymous

    Position:

    Organisation:

    State:

    Hi Michelle,
    Perhaps you can tackle this from a work health safety issue perspective. Have your WHS reps do an assessment of the sink and encourage staff are suffering from pain to put in incident reports. This could help build a case to have the issue rectified.

    Cheers,

    Kelly
    I acknowledge the traditional owners of the land on which we work and live, and respect their ongoing custodianship of the land. I pay respect to Aboriginal people, and Elders past and present.

    [cid:image001.png@01D3593E.B14EC410]

    Kelly Barton
    Infection Prevention & Control Officer
    RN BHSc (Nursing). Grad Cert (Infection Control)(Advanced Acute Care). Nurse Immuniser.
    P Reduce, re-use, recycle. Please consider the environment before printing this e-mail.

    Good Morning,

    Can anyone please help clarify the following question regarding the sink workstations.
    In our facility, the decontamination sink is fixed system that is used by staff of varying height i.e. 5 feet to 6 foot 7. The staff who currently use the sink have issues with pain every day due to the sink. Our current fixed sink also only have one bowl to wash and rinse equipment.
    The Perioperative NUM and myself have been trying to have the sink workstation changed to an ergonomically designed double bowl sink which is height adjustable, for the past 7months. We have taken the AS/NZS 4187:2014 standards to both Infection Control Co-coordinator and Corporate Services Director who believe they don’t have to replace the current fixed sink with an ergonomically designed double bowl sink that is height adjustable.
    Have I read and interpreted the AS/NZS wrong?
    Statement posed to me this am “Why would people ripe out perfectly good sinks; sure other hospital’s wouldn’t be replacing their sink”.

    Cheers

    Michelle Punton | Infection Control CNC
    Infection Control
    Portland District Health
    Bentinck Street, Portland VIC 3305

    [PDH logo with tagline 2016_EMAIL]

    We respectfully acknowledge the traditional custodians, the Gunditjmara peoples; we pay our respects to all Aboriginal community Elders past and present who have been an integral part of this region’s history.
    ________________________________

    ———————————————————————————————————————————————
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    #75763
    Jenny Bourne
    Participant

    Author:
    Jenny Bourne

    Position:

    Organisation:

    State:

    Michelle,

    Many years ago when I was first managing the Sterilizing Department in a major hospital and AS4187 was new and I was aware of this poor ergonomics, we introduced various height metal stand to place in the sink and then placed a large plastic rinse trough on top of the stand. This used less water, water was changed frequently and Staff did not have to bend deep into the sink to do the decontamination cleaning. Feedback from staff was almost immediate relief from the back strain. We also added anti fatigue matting to the floor to assist with the sore feet & legs from standing at the sink for long periods.

    Jenny Bourne RN MHSc CICP-E
    Education & Environment Coordinator
    Canossa Services
    169 Seventeen Mile Rocks Road Oxley QLD 4075
    Phone 0449 199 223
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    Good Morning,

    Can anyone please help clarify the following question regarding the sink workstations.
    In our facility, the decontamination sink is fixed system that is used by staff of varying height i.e. 5 feet to 6 foot 7. The staff who currently use the sink have issues with pain every day due to the sink. Our current fixed sink also only have one bowl to wash and rinse equipment.
    The Perioperative NUM and myself have been trying to have the sink workstation changed to an ergonomically designed double bowl sink which is height adjustable, for the past 7months. We have taken the AS/NZS 4187:2014 standards to both Infection Control Co-coordinator and Corporate Services Director who believe they don’t have to replace the current fixed sink with an ergonomically designed double bowl sink that is height adjustable.
    Have I read and interpreted the AS/NZS wrong?
    Statement posed to me this am “Why would people ripe out perfectly good sinks; sure other hospital’s wouldn’t be replacing their sink”.

    Cheers

    Michelle Punton | Infection Control CNC
    Infection Control
    Portland District Health
    Bentinck Street, Portland VIC 3305

    [PDH logo with tagline 2016_EMAIL]

    We respectfully acknowledge the traditional custodians, the Gunditjmara peoples; we pay our respects to all Aboriginal community Elders past and present who have been an integral part of this region’s history.
    ________________________________

    ———————————————————————————————————————————————
    * Think before you print *

    This email contains confidential information intended only for the person named
    above and may be subject to legal privilege. If you are not the intended
    recipient, any disclosure, copying or use of this information is prohibited. I (we)
    provide no guarantee that this communication is free of virus(es) or that
    it has not been intercepted or interfered with. If you have received this email in
    error or have any other concerns regarding its transmission, please notify
    Postmaster@swarh.vic.gov.au
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    #75766
    Andrew Ellis
    Participant

    Author:
    Andrew Ellis

    Position:
    State Coordinator, Sterilisation & Reprocessing

    Organisation:
    SA Health

    State:

    Hi Michelle,

    My answer to the question posed would be simply that they simply are not “perfectly good sinks” as described to you, in that they do not meet the ergonomic requirements of the task. Corporate services would expect this of their own workstations and furniture. RMD cleaning workstations facilitate specific tasks critical to effective instrument reprocessing, and the inability to perform it at a safe and comfortable height with easy view of the task, may lead to staff taking less time to clean and check an instrument, unwillingness to work at the manual cleaning station leading to instruments being left for a longer time and therefore impede thorough decontamination.

    Both of the CSSDs I have managed in my network have at one stage had only fixed sinks. We used “sink raisers” to alleviate some of the risk in each case, but this is a poor risk treatment. The Royal Adelaide was lucky enough to move entirely and be fitted out with adjustable height workstations, and The Queen Elizabeth will be redeveloping soon with a stipulation of the same.

    At TQEH, we came to an interim measure by obtaining funding for one double-bowl, adjustable height sink station with suitable fixtures. This was then dedicated to the stream of RMDs which are designated manual-only and for leak testing scopes, both of which are the known activities which most warrant ergonomic protection.

    Regards,

    Andrew Ellis
    Senior Project Officer, CSSD
    Central Adelaide Local Health Network
    L5, Royal Adelaide Hospital

    We are here to provide a quality Sterile Supply service that is patient-focused, reliable and personally accountable.

    Good Morning,

    Can anyone please help clarify the following question regarding the sink workstations.
    In our facility, the decontamination sink is fixed system that is used by staff of varying height i.e. 5 feet to 6 foot 7. The staff who currently use the sink have issues with pain every day due to the sink. Our current fixed sink also only have one bowl to wash and rinse equipment.
    The Perioperative NUM and myself have been trying to have the sink workstation changed to an ergonomically designed double bowl sink which is height adjustable, for the past 7months. We have taken the AS/NZS 4187:2014 standards to both Infection Control Co-coordinator and Corporate Services Director who believe they don’t have to replace the current fixed sink with an ergonomically designed double bowl sink that is height adjustable.
    Have I read and interpreted the AS/NZS wrong?
    Statement posed to me this am “Why would people ripe out perfectly good sinks; sure other hospital’s wouldn’t be replacing their sink”.

    Cheers

    Michelle Punton | Infection Control CNC
    Infection Control
    Portland District Health
    Bentinck Street, Portland VIC 3305

    [PDH logo with tagline 2016_EMAIL]

    We respectfully acknowledge the traditional custodians, the Gunditjmara peoples; we pay our respects to all Aboriginal community Elders past and present who have been an integral part of this region’s history.
    ________________________________

    ———————————————————————————————————————————————
    * Think before you print *

    This email contains confidential information intended only for the person named
    above and may be subject to legal privilege. If you are not the intended
    recipient, any disclosure, copying or use of this information is prohibited. I (we)
    provide no guarantee that this communication is free of virus(es) or that
    it has not been intercepted or interfered with. If you have received this email in
    error or have any other concerns regarding its transmission, please notify
    Postmaster@swarh.vic.gov.au
    MESSAGES POSTED TO THIS LIST ARE SOLELY THE OPINION OF THE AUTHOR, AND DO NOT REPRESENT THE OPINION OF ACIPC.

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