Ontario Nurses' Association Media Release ******************** After lengthy negotiations, the Ontario Nurses' Association (ONA) and North Bay General Hospital have reached a settlement on a number of health and safety grievances filed in 2003.
After lengthy negotiations, the Ontario Nurses' Association (ONA) and North Bay General Hospital have reached a settlement on a number of health and safety grievances filed in 2003.
"It has been a very long process, but ONA believes the measures included in this settlement will help to improve the health and safety of all the staff of North Bay General Hospital," says ONA President Linda Haslam-Stroud, RN. "Keeping registered nurses safe from workplace injury, illness and violence continues to be a top priority for this union, and we think this agreement goes a long way to improving awareness of the issue throughout North Bay General Hospital."
ONA filed several of the grievances in the spring of 2003, following the discovery of problems with the installations of new anesthetic gas machines at the hospital's Scollard site. Later that year, there were elevated levels of Nitrous Oxide detected at the McLaren site. The hospital has admitted no breaches of the Collective Agreement or of the Occupational Health and Safety Act, and the union has not conceded these issues. However, both sides have agreed that they will work together to improve the health and safety of all workers at the facility.
The comprehensive settlement includes a series of measures through which the hospital and ONA can work toward health and safety improvements. These include seminars for hospital management, the board of directors and anesthesiologists on their obligations under the Occupational Health and Safety Act, training for operating room and PACU staff about the health and safety aspects of anesthetic gases, and ensuring the hospital and ONA work together with the facility's Joint Health and Safety Committee and Ontario Safety Association for Community and Health Care (OSACHC) to review and revise anesthetic gas policies, and the policy regarding assignment of pregnant employees to this unit. The hospital will be responsible for ensuring that the work practices of everyone working in the OR/PACU, including anesthesiologists, nurses and surgeons - protect health and safety.
Other measures include:
- Reviewing and revising the hospital's overall health and safety policies and programs with the Joint Health and Safety Committee and OSACH as needed
- Developing an intranet site at which employees can access the hospital's health and safety policies
- Regularly monitoring the workplace ventilation and anesthetic gas levels and making results accessible to staff
- Immediately notifying the Joint Health and Safety Committee and nurses in the OR/PACU if elevated levels of anesthetic gas are detected
- Clarifying the roles of nurses, respiratory therapists and anesthesiologists with respect to responsibility for the anesthetic gas machines.
North Bay General Hospital is also to communicate to ONA members the obligation of workers to report health and safety concerns without the fear of reprisal, and the duty of the hospital to take every precaution reasonable to protect workers and promptly respond to their health and safety concerns.
"This agreement obligates North Bay General Hospital to be responsible for ensuring that the work practices of everyone working in the operating room and PACU - including anesthesiologists, surgeons and nurses - are safe," says former ONA bargaining unit president Rhonda Millar. "We trust this agreement will pave the way for a safer work environment so that we can continue to provide care for our patients without fearing for our own health and safety."
ONA is the union representing 52,500 front-line registered nurses and allied health professionals working in Ontario hospitals, long-term care facilities, public health, the community and industry.
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