1. IAPA’s Work with PAHO’s Health, Safety & Well-Being Committee established August 2008 Elaine Posluns Senior Strategy Advisor, Corporate Development IAPA

2. PAHO’s Health, Safety & Wellness Committee
Elaine Posluns
Canadian Collaborating Centres Workshop Ottawa Oct.2009

3. HQ in Washington, D.C. Belize Jamaica Peru Equador Members represent:
Elaine Posluns
Canadian Collaborating Centres Workshop Ottawa Oct.2009

4. Role of the PAHO Health, Safety & Well-Being Committee (GIB #hq/fo-08-54)
Identify health & well-being issues existing in PAHO’s work environment or with PAHO employees
Make recommendations on specific actions to improve the working environment of all staff and to promote the involvement of all staff in health and safety issues
Provide technical expertise on well-being related policies directed at employee well-being or safety
Report to management on identified problems and progress on improving workplace health and safety
Elaine Posluns
Canadian Collaborating Centres Workshop Ottawa Oct.2009

5. Process
Needs assessment: identified need for Strategic Planning with Committee
Met with PAHO’s Well-being Committee to get commitment to a broader scope (2 new concepts)
Workshop to enhance their health & safety knowledge, complete an internal situational analysis (info re status of employees at PAHO), hear best practices, and build terms of reference, vision, strategy, action plan
Task Groups developed to work on developing action plan, timeline, budget
Hiring of Consultant to take leadership role in implementing the action plan
Elaine Posluns
Canadian Collaborating Centres Workshop Ottawa Oct.2009

6. Three Avenues of Influence
Physical Work Environment: where traditional occupational health and safety hazards (for example, chemical, musculoskeletal, electrical, and machine hazards) are recognized, assessed and controlled
Personal Health Resources: the resources, opportunities, and flexibility the organization provides in support of employees' efforts to improve/maintain their personal health practices
Organizational Culture:…the attitudes, values, and beliefs that are demonstrated in the workplace on a daily basis that affect the mental and physical well-being of employees
Elaine Posluns
Canadian Collaborating Centres Workshop Ottawa Oct.2009

7. Example…Office Ergonomics: Three Avenues of Influence
Policy on rest breaks
Reasonable workload
Flexible hours
Training on adjusting the workstation
Stretching exercises
Fitness classes
Need to integrate the 3 avenues. Here’s an example of what could be done re office ergonomics
Ergonomic chair
Document holder
Keyboard and mouse tray
Elaine Posluns
Canadian Collaborating Centres Workshop Ottawa Oct.2009

8. Managing Health & Safety: WSIB’s Model.
Program Elements:
LEADERSHIP
Health & safety policy
Objectives
Orientation
Safe purchasing
; ORGANIZATION
Roles and responsibilities
Health, Safety & Well-Being Committee
Supervisory Competence
HAZARD RECOGNITION AND ASSESSMENT
Incident investigations
Workplace Inspection
Hazard Reporting
Task Analysis
Records Review and Analysis
Indoor Air Quality Testing
Sound Exposure Testing
Ergonomic Assessments
MSD Prevention/Ergonomic
CONTROL ACTIVITIES
Housekeeping and Organizing
Proper lighting for tasks
Violence
Emergency Response Plan
Fall protection
Motor vehicle Incident prevention
First Aid
Return to work
Elaine Posluns
Canadian Collaborating Centres Workshop Ottawa Oct.2009

9. Risk Assessment Matrix
Minimal
Serious
Severe
Critical
Highly Likely C B A
Likely
Possible D
Unlikely
SEVERITY P R O B A I L T Y
In the workshop, we introduced the concept of a risk-based approach which is based on the probability (likelihood) and severity
Elaine Posluns
Canadian Collaborating Centres Workshop Ottawa Oct.2009

10. Vision:
The PAHO Health, Safety, and Well-being Committee envisions a workplace environment and conditions that address physical, biological, chemical, psychosocial, and mental risks to support the health, safety, and well-being of all PAHO personnel, and optimize their unique competencies and talents.
Participants decided to include both psychosocial and mental health, as it is refers to two different concepts based on the WHO latest position. Also, the term “personnel” was used instead of “staff” as it includes all those working at PAHO, independent of their contract status.
Elaine Posluns
Canadian Collaborating Centres Workshop Ottawa Oct.2009

11. Proposed Action Plan
1. Develop a comprehensive health, safety, and well-being policy, and program to include occupational health, safety, and well-being standards, measuring criteria/indicators, an implementation plan, evaluation mechanism, and resources…
2. Develop and implement an emergency mechanism to identify, record, and respond to all critical hazards… data collection system
3. Require that health, safety, and well-being be an element included in human resources performance reviews and the recruitment/hiring process.
4. Develop a communication strategy that is participatory and broad-based across the organization (all country offices and centers as well as other stakeholders).
5. Analyze best practices in health, safety, and well-being programs, policies, and initiatives, as well as use existing data on personnel health, safety, and well-being concerns to inform appropriate responses.
6. Mobilize one technical personnel member to carry out and help supervise the daily operations of the Committee…
7. Monitor the work of the Committee and the health, safety, and well-being status of PAHO personnel
This initiative must build a comprehensive program, policy, and conducive organizational environment in which personnel are free, supported, and encouraged to take advantage of workplace health, safety, and well-being initiatives. In addition, the Committee will work as a team with all levels of management to respond to personal wellness needs and wants and take action for prevention.
2. This emergency mechanism will be part of a routine data collection system for physical, biological, chemical, psychosocial, and mental hazards in the work environment, and data systematically collected and evaluated to devise appropriate intervention strategies.
Elaine Posluns
Canadian Collaborating Centres Workshop Ottawa Oct.2009

12. HS&WBC will focus on 3 avenues of influence and integrate them
Strategies:
HS&WBC will provide guidance and input to HR Management and Executive Management to develop and implement a health, safety and well-being plan
HS&WBC will focus on 3 avenues of influence and integrate them
HS&WBC will use a risk-based approach
HS&WBC will develop a health & safety & well-being program to ensure continuity and maintenance of the program
Concern about “fad of the month” and just doing awareness sessions or skewing it to wellness only.
Elaine Posluns
Canadian Collaborating Centres Workshop Ottawa Oct.2009

13. Rolling out to the regional areas Meetings/training of committee
Challenges
In a large, spread-out organization like PAHO, no full-time h&s position
Budget is miniscule
Rolling out to the regional areas
Meetings/training of committee
Maintaining the momentum
Another critical aspect of the Committee is extending its scope by formalizing local representation at every PAHO office and center, including each office building in Washington, DC. The development of Committees at each PAHO country office and center will ensure that the Committee has the capacity to efficiently respond to the health, safety, and well-being issues of all personnel. This workshop clearly demonstrated that each PAHO country office is shaped by distinct needs, and that the regional committee in HQ must focus on PAHO’s Washington, DC offices while local committees focus on their own country offices. To effectively function as a Committee, it is a priority that the flow of information between the regional and local committees is systematized. One technical person may be mobilized to help develop this process and others as outlined in the proposed action plan.
Elaine Posluns
Canadian Collaborating Centres Workshop Ottawa Oct.2009

14. The PAHO Dynamo Dr. Maritza Tennassee Elaine Posluns
Canadian Collaborating Centres Workshop Ottawa Oct.2009