VGH pharmacist Faith Uchida likens workplace health and safety to air passenger safety. “The advice is always the same,” she says. “If the oxygen masks drop, you should place yours on first, then you can help the person sitting next to you. As health care workers, it can be difficult to balance patient safety with personal safety, but if we can’t keep ourselves safe and healthy first, how can we protect our patients?”
Faith is co-chair of the VGH Central Joint Health & Safety Committee. Together with co-chair Ian Clearie, senior manager, facilities, she and the team help keep us — and by extension our patients — safe and healthy, and every year they help us celebrate North American Occupational Safety and Health Week (NAOSH Week).
Event attracted more than 200 people
This year’s VGH celebration was held on May 8, and it was the biggest and best ever, says Faith. With more than a dozen displays — many interactive — attendance exceeded 200 people. Participants included:
- the BCNU, HEU and HSA
- departments and support services, including Infection Control, Emergency Management, Fire Management and our Employee & Family Assistance Program
- WorkSafeBC
“This event is a great opportunity to meet some of the people integral to our safety at work,” says Faith. “It’s a fun, social environment where you can learn something new — like how to extinguish a fire – and celebrate the people working every day to protect our health and safety.”
Even bigger and better next year
Next year, Faith is determined to make the event even bigger and better, still. And with the help of her fellow committee members, she’s confident they’ll succeed.
“When it comes to the importance of workplace health and safety, we’re all on the same page,” she says with a smile.