OMNI creates safer homes for residents, staff: Dowdall
Long-term care provider credits employee leadership, multifaceted training approach for improved safety record
Wednesday, January 10, 2007 -- Natalie Miller
OMNI’s 16 long-term care homes are safer places in which to live and work as a result of intense safety training and employee buy-in, says the company’s manager of human resources.

April Dowdall credits a multi-faceted training approach and staff leadership at the home level for the outcome which includes fewer on-the-job injuries and a dramatic reduction in the number of Workplace Safety and Insurance Board (WSIB) claims.

“People are working more conscientiously and there are fewer injuries,” says April.

OMNI closed out 2005 facing $650,000 in surcharges through the NEER ratings and this year is looking at a $50,000 rebate.

Looking to improve its safety record and create better environments in its long-term care homes, OMNI embraced a number of safety initiatives in 2006.

“We took a multi-pronged approach,” says April.

OMNI participated in the Safety Group training program sponsored by a number of different organizations including Dunk & Associates, which works closely with the WSIB.

Two people from each home, the administrator and a second manager, took part in the Safety Group training program, along with April, who represented home office. There were four training sessions throughout 2006, which involved education in five different safety elements. Common to all who took part in the education was ‘Lock out Tag out’ training which essentially is a procedure to properly mark equipment that has malfunctioned to prevent it from being used.

OMNI zeroed in on four other elements that were most relevant to the long-term care environment: a policy statement for health and safety, the early and safe return to work program, infectious disease as it pertains to personal protective equipment and the joint health and safety committee.

While management attended the training sessions the work did not end there. Increased documentation, training and leadership at the home level were the driving forces behind OMNI’s success, says April.

“It’s important we focus on the efforts of the administrators and the management team,” says April. “They’re the ones who had to get traction in the homes. Certainly we should recognize our employee group.”

In 2006, OMNI also worked with the Ontario Safety Association for Community & Healthcare, non-profit organization that offers consulting services. “They helped with identifying the areas we need to improve.”

OMNI also introduced its revised health and safety manual re-named ‘Safety First’ to better reflect its philosophies and safety initiatives, says April. The establishment of safety resource centres – central stations in each home where all the safety information is located – has been recognized as a best practice.

April also points to training in 2005 led by representatives from WSIB that familiarized employees and management with the early and safe return to work program as having a positive impact as well.

“Everyone shares in the (successes) of what we’ve accomplished as an organization.”

OMNI continues the Safety Group training in 2007 with four additional educational sessions.