Case Study 4 - Revising the procedure

Jenny works in a transitional care facility. It provides services for older people who have been in hospital for acute care and are not yet well enough to go home. Jenny works in the administration department. Jenny's department is responsible for ordering and storing stationery for the entire facility.

The procedure reads as follows:

SAFE WORK PROCEDURE - DELIVERIES AND STORAGE OF STATIONERY

The administration staff will be responsible for accepting and storing stationary orders.

Procedure:

• When stationery orders are delivered, check the content of the delivery to ensure it matches the delivery docket.
• Sign the delivery company's documentation.
• Immediately move stationery received into the storeroom. If the box is too heavy, ask another worker to assist with moving the box.
• Unpack the stationery and store it as follows:
  • Small items for everyday use - store on low and middle shelves.
  • One box of photocopy paper to be split into individual reams and stored on easy to reach shelf.
  • Remainder of boxes of photocopy paper to be stored (in boxes) on top shelf.
  • Staff must use the ladder provided to lift the boxes onto the top shelf.

Yesterday Jenny received a large order of stationery. She was busy with other work so she asked Martin to help her so she could get through it faster.

One of the boxes was very heavy, so Martin said he would move it to the storeroom. Jenny offered to help, but he said he was fine. Unfortunately, Martin tripped over his own feet when he was moving the box and fell down the small step that led into the storeroom.

He had to be taken to hospital - he had fractured his wrist.

After all the drama of Martin's accident died down, Jenny decided to put all the stationery away herself.

She had almost got everything done, but the last items were six boxes of photocopy paper. Jenny used the ladder as instructed by the procedures to put the boxes on the top shelf. By the time she got to the fourth box she was exhausted - it was hard work lifting boxes up a ladder!

Just was she was about to put the box on the shelf, her foot slipped on the ladder step. She fell onto the floor - thankfully the box did not hit her! However, Jenny still ended up with cuts on her leg from the metal ladder, and lots of bruises and a very sore ankle and arm.

Naomi is the new manager of the neighbourhood centre. She has been on the job for not even two weeks. She is horrified that two accidents could occur on the same day, and in the same place.

Naomi investigates the incidents and, when she reads the procedure, she is shocked at the manual handling processes that staff are being advised to carry out. She is surprised there hasn't been more serious accidents.

She knows the procedure must be fixed immediately!

How would you ensure your colleagues and managers are aware of this new procedure?