News
18th February, 2020
HEAT HAZARDS and DOUBLE LOADING – make your health and your patient’s health a priority
The Victorian Ambulance Union Incorporated (VAU) were made aware of an NEPT crew working on a 43-degree day. The crew were dispatched a city to country transfer with no working air conditioning. The patient was loaded and made aware of the issue as they left.
Transporting a patient under these conditions, on a day of this temperature, poses many risks to both the crew and the patient. Workplace temperatures that are too high can contribute to fatigue and heat illness. It does not have to be a scorching day for temperatures inside a vehicle to soar within minutes.
DOUBLE LOADING – NEPT crews are regularly asked to double load patients picking up or going to different destinations.
Company KPIs should not come with a cost of compromising the health and safety of your patient/s. At 29 degrees the temperature inside a closed car reaches 44 degrees in 10 minutes and a body temperature of 40 degrees is critical. After 20 minutes, the heat inside rises to 60 degrees. You wouldn’t leave a child or a dog in a hot car, why would you leave the elderly in one?
Your employer has a duty to provide you and your patients with a safe environment, be aware of these sections in the OH&s Act and WorkSafe Compliance Codes.
Occupational Health and Safety Act (2004) – Division 2 – Main duties of Employers
21 (c) maintain, so far as is reasonably practicable, each workplace under the employer’s management and control in a condition that is safe and without risks to health
(d) provide, so far as reasonably practicable adequate facilities for the welfare of employees at any workplace under the management and control of the employer;
23 Duties of employers to other persons
1. An employer must ensure, so far as is reasonably practicable, that persons other than the employees of the employer are not exposed to risks to their health or safety arising from the conduct of the undertaking of the employer.
Worksafe Compliance Code – Workplace Amenities and work environment
126. All heating and cooling facilities need to be serviced regularly and maintained in a safe condition.
The VAU strongly advises members to not feel pressured into working in a substandard vehicle. Leaving dogs and children in cars is dangerous, dispatch requesting you do the same to your elderly patients is abysmal. The summer is not yet over, and your health and safety should be of paramount importance.
This includes vehicles where the air conditioning is only functional in the front of the vehicle. It is not enough to be told by management to just, ‘turn it up high and blow air to the back’ because there’s no spare vehicles.
If you have any questions or wish to advise the VAU of any NEPT specific safety matters you are welcome to send an email to [email protected]. Or contact your NEPT Organisers:
- Kerry McLean [email protected] 0480 194 783
- Bruce Fine [email protected] 0480 194 711
In Solidarity,