Project 11

Compliance of health care facilities in the Western Cape with the National Core Standards occupational health and safety and infection prevention and control measures and reliability of the assessment instrument

Lead researchers

  • Brynt Cloete, student investigator, University of Cape Town (UCT)
  • Rodney Ehrlich, UCT
  • Annalee Yassi, UBC

Study description

The South African Occupational Health and Safety Act of 1993 (OHSA) requires that an employer shall provide and maintain a working environment that is safe and without risk to the health of their employees. Occupational health and safety is concerned with employee health, safety and wellbeing and fostering a healthy and safe work environment. Infection prevention and control  has long been a responsibility of health facilities on the Duty to Care principle, and is concerned with preventing hospital acquired infections and factors related to the spread of infection within health care settings. In order to promote health and safety of its healthcare workers, the Western Cape Department of Health performed workplace assessments. This study will determine the degree of compliance of health facilities in the Western Cape with infection control and occupational health measures and determine if compliance with such measures is related to other factors.