SAFETY, HEALTH, RISK MANAGEMENT AND RIGHT TO KNOW

The AWAIR Program is intended to:

1. Establish an executive policy statement (we’re committed to safety)
2. Develop strategies to reduce workplace accidents and injuries
3. Provide for the safety inspection of worksites
4. Establish enforcement strategies to insure compliance
5. Provide for a training program (blood borne pathogens)
6. Provide for the assessment and control of hazards

Strategies to reduce workplace accidents and injuries:

Once each year; CRS sites will conduct an exercise to list together 3-4 workplace conditions or behaviors that can cause accidents and/or injuries.  In turn the supervisor will elicit solutions from the participants to address these conditions or behaviors.  The results will be sent to the vice president of administration for review and any follow up action necessary.

Inspections of Work Sites:

Home Safety Inspection Checklists will be used by CRS site staff to identify potential conditions that might also cause accidents or injuries.  These checklists are to be completed once every two months and sent to the vice president of administration for review and any follow up actions necessary.

Enforcement Strategies:

Employees who fail to follow safety rules or requirements will be subject to employee discipline as described in HR policies.

Training:

The primary training for safety in the workplace is blood borne pathogens.  Otherwise CRS sites will acquaint employees with local safekeeping practices.

Assessment and Control of Hazards:

Mains’l prohibits use and storage of hazardous materials.

Safety Coordinator:

The safety coordinator for Mains’l is the vice president of administration.

Food and Food Safety:

The manager of each home is responsible for the coordination of:

1. Food served to those persons receiving services meets the special dietary needs of each person as prescribed by their physician or dietician,
2. Three nutritionally balanced meals each day are served or made available to each person along with nutritious snacks available between meals.
3. Written menus are developed and adequate along with appropriate groceries and purchased and available’
4. Food is handled and properly stored to prevent contamination, spoilage, or a threat to the health of the person with all left overs labeled with identifying the contents and the date stored.

Goods Provided by the Agency:

The manager of each home is also responsible to ensure that:

1. Individual clean bed linens appropriate for the season and the person’s comfort, including towels, washcloths, and window coverings on windows for privacy are provided for each person receiving services,
2. Linens and in good repair and functional to meet the daily needs of persons living in the home and communicate any linen needs to the senior manager.
3. Household items for meal preparation and cleaning supplies to maintain the cleanliness of the home are available on site.

The senior manager for each home checks to verify that each person has clean and adequate supply of linens in good condition during their scheduled quarterly site visits and documents such on the Site Visit Checklist.

Personal Items:

The manager for each home is responsible to assure that:

1. Each person has an adequate supply of hygiene items appropriate to their specific needs and supplies are replenished as needed,
2. Each person’s personal hygiene supplies are not shared with other persons,
3. Personal health and hygiene items are stored separate from other personal items in a safe and sanitary manner.

Pets and Service Animals:

The manager of each home is responsible to assure that:

1. Pets and service animals within the home are immunized and kept in good health as required by state and local laws,
2. A record of immunizations and veterinary visits is kept on file at the site for each animal,
3. A person and the person’s legal representative are notified, before admission, of the presence of and kind of pets in the home.

Control of Pests and Vermin:

All staff will remain vigilant keeping an eye open for any signs of insects or vermin.  If sighted or suspected, staff will immediately report that information to their supervisor.  The supervisor will evaluate the report, gather any additional information needed, conduct a site visit and report their findings to the senior manager or maintenance.

The senior manager with consultation with the vice president of administration will immediately summon an exterminator to report to the site within 24 hours.  Exterminators have protocols on treating homes and sites on addressing furnishings, furniture and household structures and environments.  This includes the extermination of bed bugs for which there is a specific protocol.