Western Health Employee Enhances Safety Training in Facilities’ Kitchens

May 3, 2011

During North American Occupational Health and Safety Week, Western Health is recognizing the efforts of one of its employees to make the workplace safer for her co-workers. Vicky Rideout, who works in the kitchen at Western Memorial Regional Hospital and had previously been injured, is passionate about ensuring safety messages are understood by all.

Rideout was part of a team that developed safework practices and found an effective way to deliver the important messages in the workplace, by creating videos. She recorded her co-workers completing tasks using correct techniques and provided the audio explaining the process while the video is playing. The videos are played continuously on large digital photo frames with audio capacity, which are strategically placed at safety stations within the kitchens at Western Memorial Regional Hospital and Corner Brook Long Term Care Home.

"Incorporating ways to enhance adult learning through visual recognition, the videos have helped staff's understanding of the practices, even during the filming stage," says Laeora Ryba, Regional Director of Nutritional Services, who nominated Rideout for an award at the NL Healthcare Boards Workplace Safety Conference. Rideout won the 2011 Healthcare Innovative Safety Solution award for her efforts. "Each employee is required to have training in these practices and Vicky felt the messages were not being understood as clearly as possible and thought of a way to make the message clearer. Frontline supervisors have found it easier to demonstrate the correct process by showing the video rather than giving staff a written procedure."

The videos are run on a continuous loop throughout the workday reminding staff of the correct techniques and how to perform tasks safely and efficiently. More safework practices videos are being developed so that staff can perform their work safety.

"This initiative has resulted in a positive change in the safety culture and greater awareness of safety among our Nutrition Services employees," says Cynthia Davis, Chief Operating Officer. "It has generated a lot of staff interest and involvement and we have found staff directed initiatives can be inspiring. When safety messages are being heard and correct procedures are learned we can reduce the number of workplace incidents and accidents. It is fitting that Ms. Rideout's work was awarded because it is an innovation in our kitchens." Efforts are underway to expand this concept and install digital picture frames at all Nutritional Services Departments at Western Health facilities throughout the region.

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For further information:
Heidi Staeben-Simmons
Director of Communications
Western Health
637-5252  
heidistaebensimmons@westernhealth.nl.ca