- February 3, 2019
- Posted by: Sage Shield Safety Consultants
- Category: Overseas Occupational Health And Safety News

A Coquitlam psychiatric healthcare facility has actually been fined over $600,000 for failing to keep a safe office after 2 nurses were assaulted by patients last spring.The Forensic Psychiatric Hospital– a 190-bed facility that deals with psychologically ill clients who have actually been implicated of crimes– has actually been the subject of many office assaults and complaints.WorksafeBC checked out two separate events including assaults on
nurses in March of 2018. A lengthy examination concluded with the biggest great levied by the company in its history, according to the B.C. Nurses Union(BCNU ). Union officials say the recuperating nurses stay physically and mentally shocked
while violent attacks on members and personnel still occur at the site.”Numerous nurses at that site have actually been victims of violence,” said Christine Sorensen, the BCNU president.”[ Nurses tell me] they go to work every day afraid that they’ll be hurt once again. “The great totals$646,304.88 and the BCNU may request that the funds be invested into work environment security and
avoidance programs. A history of violence This isn’t the very first time the medical facility has actually been hit with a fine. Given that 2014, the medical facility has paid nearly$100,000 in overall for other safety-related infractions.Last summer, two nurses were assaulted by clients at the Coquitlam hospital within the same week. In 2012, a nurse was stabbed at the site.The assaults have ignited require more safety defense officers on website.”I think each of those occurrences might have been avoided with the appropriate staffing, with the suitable resources in place
to supervise and reroute specific clients who were beginning to intensify and appear to be moving towards physical violence,”said Sorensen.WorksafeBC stated the size of the$600,000 fine partly reflects the company’s history of repeat security violations. A new action strategy According to the medical facility, which is run by the Provincial Health Services
Authority, precaution have actually been put in location over the previous 9 months.Following the 2018 events, the medical facility commissioned an
external review into its services, which triggered an action plan to enhance safety.As of September 2018, the health center has actually employed extra gatekeeper, improved training and included more medical personnel.
Because time, the variety of WorksafeBC claims has actually dropped, according to a main declaration from the hospital.”As an outcome of these changes we announced
in the fall and others in our action strategy, aggressive occurrences have actually decreased considerably, “stated Lynn Pelletier, vice president at B.C. Mental Health and Compound Usage Services, in an emailed statement.”This strategy in place has actually been co-developed with the unions,”adds Pelletier.
Source
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/coquitlam-psychiatric-hospital-fined-600k-after-nurses-attacked-1.5000787