Nurses, nurse aides, EMTs and paramedics, pharmacists, dietary, environmental services, maintenance, lab assistants, office support, x-ray technicians, and others. All of these essential workers are Steelworkers.
Health care workers are a growing segment of the union. They work in hospitals, nursing homes, clinics, doctors’ and dentists’ offices, laboratories, and ambulance corps. They are indispensable members of their communities. They protect their neighbors, and the USW protects them.
These are not the workers that come to mind when people hear “United Steelworkers.” But, as our members know by now, USW is much more than steel. The union has developed resources to assist our health care members in their work to ensure they stay safe and healthy on the job.
The dangers
While health care workers protect others, their jobs can be quite hazardous. Some health care jobs have as high as 3.5 times the rate of lost time injuries as other workers!¹
It was common knowledge during the COVID pandemic that health workers were on the front lines and were at great risk of infection. Unfortunately, infectious diseases during extraordinary circumstances are not the only risks faced by these workers. They continue to be at great risk of injury or illness caused by a variety of working conditions.
Health care workers face an array of hazards
Chemical and pharmaceutical exposures. There are a variety of chemicals and pharmaceuticals used in health care. Everything from cleaners and disinfectants to pharmaceuticals to laboratory chemicals can cause illnesses if workers are not properly protected from the risks.
Back strains, sprains and other ergonomic issues. More than half of health care workers will experience back pain. The rate of back injuries is often higher than construction, mining and manufacturing. Most back injuries in health care come from lifting or repositioning patients. These jobs can be made safer through the use of safe patient handling equipment and proper staffing.²
Workplace violence. Health care workers (along with social service and educational service workers) suffer the highest number of non-fatal injuries caused by workplace violence. It is the only industry where workplace violence incidents are on the rise. As stark as that is, it is widely believed that incidents of workplace violence are underreported among health care workers. Health care workers are assaulted by patients, visitors, contractors and anyone else who has access to their facilities. Prevention includes everything from better design of the physical space to increased staffing to enforcement of protective policies.³
Slips, trips and falls. Slips, trips and falls are a major source of injury for all workers. Health care workers historically have higher injury rates than most occupations. Slips, trips and falls cause strains, sprains and broken bones. They often require time off of work to heal and in some cases can be life-altering and career-ending. The top reasons for these injuries arise from:
- Contaminants on the floor
- Poor drainage: pipes and drains
- Walking surface irregularities
- Weather conditions: ice and snow
- Tripping hazards: clutter, loose cords, hoses, wires and medical tubing
- Improper use of floor mats and runners⁴
Needlesticks and other infectious disease exposures. The very nature of their work puts health care workers at risk of exposure to a variety of infectious diseases. Prior to 1991 when OSHA passed its bloodborne pathogen standard, nurses, housekeeping and others were at risk of contracting disease by getting stuck with contaminated needles. Since the standard was enacted, conditions have improved greatly. Needles are designed to retract, making accidental sticks less likely. There are additional precautions in place where sharps are in use.⁵
Other infectious diseases are airborne. These can include everything from flu to COVID to tuberculosis. Depending on how the disease is transmitted, how long it lives in the air or on surfaces, and what procedures the patient is undergoing, there are a variety of precautions that can be put in place.
Stress and burnout. High levels of stress can cause both physical and mental health injuries. There are many sources of stress among health care workers such as long hours, exposure to sick, distressed and dying people and their loved ones, and hazardous working conditions all contribute to stress and burnout. Understaffing is a big contributor to each of these injuries.⁶
The Tony Mazzocchi Center can help
The TMC offers classes specifically designed for the health care sector. Our training is facilitated by worker-trainers and staff from health care. They include critical information on recognized hazard in health care, hazard identification and hazard control, as well as ways to use the union to build a health and safety committee, and ways to use safety and health to build the union.
USW District 11 Director and Chair of the USW Health Care Workers Council Cathy Drummond said, “Health care workers face a variety of hazards on the job, including injury, illness and burnout – all while grappling with one of the highest rates of workplace violence of any industry.”
"Our union is proud to provide a wide variety of resources to help keep health care workers safer and healthier on the job, including the educational opportunities available through the USW’s Tony Mazzocchi Center."
“As together we improve workplace safety, we’re building a stronger future for health care workers and patients alike,” Drummond said.
A health care facility that is made safe for workers also improves patient safety.
References
- kburke. (2024, December 6). BLS Finds Healthcare Worker Nonfatal Injuries Increase, Are Higher Than Any Other Sector - Healthcare Workforce Coalition. Healthcare Workforce Coalition. https://healthcareworkforce.org/news/bls-finds-healthcare-worker-nonfatal-injuries-increase-are-higher-than-any-other-sector/
- Preventing Back Injuries in Health Care Settings | | Blogs | CDC. (2008, September 22). Cdc.gov; CDC.gov. https://blogs.cdc.gov/niosh-science-blog/2008/09/22/lifting/
- Addressing Workplace Violence Starts with Data. (2024, September 25). Ihi.org. https://www.ihi.org/insights/addressing-workplace-violence-starts-data
- Slip, trip, and fall prevention for healthcare workers. (2020). Www.cdc.gov. https://doi.org/10.26616/NIOSHPUB2011123
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2020, March 16). CDC - Stop Sticks : Sharps Injuries - NORA. Www.cdc.gov. https://www.cdc.gov/nora/councils/hcsa/stopsticks/sharpsinjuries.html
- CDC. (2024, May 10). Risk Factors for Stress and Burnout. Healthcare Workers; CDC. https://www.cdc.gov/niosh/healthcare/risk-factors/stress-burnout.html
Other Sources Reviewed
Health care and social assistance, 2016-2020 : U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. (n.d.). Www.bls.gov. https://www.bls.gov/iif/snapshots/isn-health-care-and-social-assistance-2016-20.htm
Nursing assistants, 2016-2020 : U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. (n.d.). Www.bls.gov. https://www.bls.gov/iif/snapshots/osn-nursing-assistants-2016-20.htm
Preventing Back Injuries in Health Care Settings | | Blogs | CDC. (2008, September 22). Cdc.gov; CDC.gov. https://blogs.cdc.gov/niosh-science-blog/2008/09/22/lifting/
