Assessment of Safety and Hazard Management Practices and Emergency Preparedness among Employees in Hospitals of Nepal

Abstract

Background: Hospitals in Nepal operate in the environment that is vulnerable to biological, chemical, physical, ergonomic, psychosocial, fire, and disaster risks. Being prone to earthquakes, floods, landslides, fires and disease outbreaks, Nepal needs hospital-based employee safety and disaster preparedness programs. Objectives: This paper will present evidence on occupational and environmental risks, practices of safety and hazard management, disaster preparedness, organizational issues and knowledge gaps of selected hospitals in Nepal. Methods: This is a narrative review based on research articles specific to Nepal, disaster preparedness literature, and selected guidelines on occupational safety, infection prevention and control, biomedical waste, and hospital disaster preparedness. Evidence is provided thematically. Results: Evidence reveals a number of risks and issues related to occupational and environmental safety, including needlesticks, infection prevention and control, personal protective equipment, biomedical waste, psychosocial issues, and preparedness for emergencies. While 84% of 25 hub hospitals have disaster plans, only 33% of hospitals with disaster plans had fire safety measures. Assessment of three public hospitals through Hospital Safety Index placed them in category B, which means that they have moderate safety and preparedness. Conclusion: Hospital safety requires implementation, not policies. Regular training, simulation exercises, hazard assessments, availability of resources, communication, incident command systems, occupational health services, and monitoring are critical for preparedness and resilience. Novelty: This paper brings together the topics of occupational safety, infection prevention, environmental health, disaster preparedness, and hospital resilience in the same Nepalese context.