News
26th January, 2021
SAFETY ALERT – Heat protocols for PPE
Members working in full PPE face significant discomfort as well as dehydration, heat stress and heat related illness as the temperature rises.
As members will be well aware, we are heading towards warmer months with temperatures in Mildura and Swan Hill already predicted to hit 30+ degrees this weekend.
The Victorian Ambulance Union Incorporated (VAU) has previously raised concerns about members working in PPE in warmer weather with Ambulance Victoria’s (AV) Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Tony Walker. This has been a standing issue in the VAU’s monthly meeting with the AV CEO.
The VAU has also raised this issue with the Healthcare Worker Wellbeing and Infection Prevention Taskforce which is looking at the issue across both emergency and non-emergency patient transport (NEPT) sectors. PPE breaches and inadvertent exposure is far more likely to occur in circumstances where members are suffering from exhaustion and heat stress.
The VAU has been working with WorkSafe and the Department of Health and Human Services to produce new protocols for health care workers wearing PPE during warm weather. This will be released soon.
Members are advised to fill out an incident report or HSCS for any occurrence relating to heat stress or illness and dehydration because of wearing PPE. It is important that this data is captured.
It is also important to raise this concern with your Health and Safety Representative. This is especially important for our NEPT members. Please notify us if you experience significant heat-related injury this weekend and over the coming months.