1998 Annual Report
OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH & SAFETY COMMITTEE
Committee members
Ms. Ingrid Abbott-Permell
Technical Coordinator, Support Services/Safety
Co-Chair
Ms. Denise Clarke
Senior Laboratory Technologist/Laboratory Safety Officer
Co-Chair
Ms. Joycelyn Chandler
Training & Development Coordinator, Human Resources
Dr. James Hospedales
Director
Staff Medical Officer
Ms. Catherine Eastman
Office Services Coordinator
Ms. Marlene Francis
Epidemiologist
Ms. Jan Wilson
Maintenance Coordinator
Mr. Michael Morais
Technologist, Entomology
Mr. Anthony Bayley
Trinidad Public Health Laboratory
Safety programme
The following programme elements were enhanced during 1998
Crisis Management
A draft of the Crisis Management Workplan was developed and consists of the following
elements
 | Management Support |
| Crisis Management Team |
| Emergency Consequence Evaluation |
| Communication Networking Systems |
| Command Centre |
| Evacuation Procedures |
| First Aid Programme |
| Emergency Response Procedures |
| Training |
| Drills |
| Plan Implementation |
| Plan Review and Update |
Sections of the plan developed during 1998 are as follows-:
- Emergency Consequence Evaluation – Draft evaluation documented
- Communication Networking Systems
| updated listing of all staff and short list of senior staff |
| Emergency Management Profile listing all area chiefs and areas of responsibility |
| Emergency Block Profiles posted throughout the compound |
| Evacuation |
| Listing of Alarm Notification Systems |
| Documented Evacuation profiles for the entire compound |
| Detailed evacuation routes and evacuation maps prepared for the main administration
building, all laboratories, procurement and maintenance |
| Emergency shut down procedures for the main utilities documented (gas, water and
electricity) |
| Emergency Response Procedures |
| Documented procedures for Hurricane Preparedness |
Listing of emergency equipment and supplies (fire extinguishers, chemical spill
response supplies, personal protective equipment)
Occupational Health & Safety Committee
The Terms of Reference for the Committee were finalised and implemented detailing the
committees purpose and functions, constituency, duties of members and guidelines for
conducting meetings and record keeping.
Training/Internal
Training was conducted for CAREC staff as follows:
| Chemical Spill Control – Clean-up Procedures |
| Office Ergonomics – Working Safely and Productively |
| Job Safety Analysis |
| IATA Dangerous Goods Regulations Workshop – 78% of the participants passed the
internal certification exam |
External Training/Lectures
| Laboratory Safety Orientation – CAB International Workshop |
| Laboratory Safety Orientation – CASMET Students |
| Caribbean Health Risks from Asbestos – Caribbean Asbestos Forum |
Accident/incident reports
Twenty-one (21) accident/incident reports were received during 1998. Ten (10) of these
resulted in injury or illness, four (4) resulted in property damage and there were seven
(7) incidents or near misses. Analysis of the accidents/incidents for 1998 revealed
inadequate control in the following areas
| Process Management (47%) |
| Task observations (24%) |
| Training/Compliance with safety regulations (9%) |
| Purchasing control (5%) |
| Health Control Programme (5%) |
| Manufacturers defect (5%) |
| Emergency Preparedness (5%) |
TABLE 1
| MONTH |
INJURY/ ILLNESS |
PROPERTY DAMAGE
LOSS OF PROCESS |
INCIDENTS |
TOTAL |
| JANUARY |
|
|
2 |
2 |
| FEBRUARY |
|
|
|
|
| MARCH |
5 |
|
3 |
8 |
| APRIL |
|
|
1 |
1 |
| MAY |
1 |
|
|
1 |
| JUNE |
2 |
|
1 |
3 |
| JULY |
|
|
|
|
| AUGUST |
|
|
|
|
| SEPTEMBER |
1 |
|
|
1 |
| OCTOBER |
|
2 |
|
2 |
| NOVEMBER |
1 |
1 |
|
2 |
| DECEMBER |
|
1 |
|
1 |
| TOTAL |
10 |
4 |
7 |
21 |
| 