Developing an educational safety program for pharmacy employees

The need for developing educational safety programs for pharmacy employees is discussed. A three-part program is offered as a guide for structuring a departmental safety program. Part I deals with environmental hazards such as wet floors, poor lighting, and cluttered walk areas. Precautions that should be taken to avoid accidental exposure to patients with communicable diseases are also included. Hazards that may result from improper handling of materials or equipment are addressed in Part II. Included are precautions for handling chemicals, needles, ladders, and electrical equipment. Proper methods of lifting heavy objects are also discussed. Part III details plans to protect staff members in the event of a fire. Plans for reporting fires and evacuating the pharmacy and hospital are discussed. The outlined program requires self-study by staff members during initial employee orientation, followed by annual retraining. Employees are tested and graded on safety topics, and training records are filed for future reference. The program outlined is thought to offer a simple yet effective means of acquainting staff members with established institutional and departmental safety procedures.