MRSA infection an occupational hazard
Discuss about the Workplace Safety Plan for Bacterial Infection Hazard in a Piggery and Abattoir Setting.
Occupational safety is one of the major concerns of both workers, employers, labor and human rights among various governments (World Health Organization, 2006). The working environment is associated with a variety of risks that affect the health, productivity and may endanger the life of the worker. A conducive workplace is a necessity to enhance productivity among workers which in turns acts as an incentive for motivation-enhancing the achievement of set goals. Workplace safety is, therefore, an essential aspect of any employment. A range of workplace risks can be controlled if proper mechanisms to avert them are formulated and put in place. The hazards associated with work can be categorized into physical, biological, chemical, hazardous drugs, radiations, shift work, stress, and violence and the ergonomic risks (Gorman et al., 2014). However, the biological hazards especially those caused by a microorganism such as bacteria are widespread due to their ubiquitous nature that increases chances of contraction (Brown et al., 2017). Furthermore, these bacterial instigated infections that eventually cause diseases have reduced chances of successful treatment since that have mutated into antibiotic resisting strains. An example of such contamination is the Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) that is common in a range of environments for example hospitals and most recently associated with the presence of animals or animal products (Morris et al., 2012). Mover, they are the now the most endangering type of infection that is likely to occur whenever a human comes into contact with an animal, for example, the pets. The health risks associated with MRSA infections can be lethal highlighting the need to devise an occupational health management plan for this infection. The piggery units and their slaughterhouses have a high prevalence of this bacteria predisposing those working in this environment to great risks (Casey et al., 2013). In this article, the MRSA infection as a health hazard at the workplace, which is the Corowa piggery and abattoir of Australia will be discussed. Also, a management strategy for this workplace menace will be developed as well as be described.
Irresistible maladies have been persistent with humanity since it first occurred. Stable settlements and vicinity to creatures containing pathogens to flourish and spread amongst other animals and people and irresistible infections are sparked unmistakable impacting on life and leading to the demise of the individual (Whitmee et al., 2015). There started the sharing of bacterial species amongst the animals and people, and co-advancement of pathogens with their hosts. It is estimated that more than 60% of the developing human pathogens originate from creatures (Cutler, Fooks & Van Dar Poel, 2010). Staphylococcal contaminations are of significance in both human and veterinary medicine. Staphylococcus aureus is a noteworthy occupant or transient colonizer of the skin and the mucosa of humans and primates. So often the bacteria thrive on living creatures, despite the fact that different types of Staphylococci also typically colonize. Whenever S. aureus obtains passage into the host, it can influence an assortment of diseases, from gentle skin contamination to hazardous intrusive disorders. Staphylococcus aureus can speedily form protection any anti-infection therapy through various clinical utilizations (Blair et al., 2015). Mutating against methicillin which demonstrates protection from all beta-lactam drugs was first revealed in 1961. Methicillin resistance is because of acquiring of the mecA quality, which encodes for another protein designated as PBP2a. This protein is crucial in the synthesis of substances very fundamental in building the bacterial cell divider. PBP2a has a low proclivity for β-lactam antimicrobials and gives protection from methicillin and the other beta-lactams (Blair et al., 2015).
Details of the workplace
MRSA has for some time been viewed as the model of multidrug-safe nosocomial pathogens, causing diseases in clinics and social insurance offices. Towards the end of the 1990s, another MRSA showed up abruptly in an alternate setting. The new MRSA strain, assigned (CA) – MRSA can cause diseases in young and generally healthy people, demonstrating abnormal harmfulness and ability to spread (Dai et al., 2013). As of late, MRSA developed as a persistent colonizer of animal populaces, perhaps supported by the substantial anti-toxin use in this animals. In nourishment, primarily in pigs, another MRSA strain with zoonotic potential has been appeared and is called domesticated animals related to MRSA. S. aureus gets Iron, a first bacterial supplement, from hemoglobin, following lysis of dark red cells as a result of the effect of S. aureus hemolysin. Hemoglobin is discharged and bound to a surface receptor, the iron surface determinant B (IsdB), before being debated. This receptor has a higher proclivity for human hemoglobin than for the hemoglobin of different warm-blooded creatures. This clarifies, in any event to some extent, why S. aureus flourishes within sight of human blood and why people are for the most part the particular host for S. aureus (Pishchany et al., 2010).
The Corowa piggery and slaughterhouse is the largest pig raring farm in the southern hemisphere. It has a total of a total of about 45,000 sows and with its abattoir having one million slaughters per year making it the largest pork provider in Australia. Its exact location is Corowa in the New South Wales in the Redlands road (Corowa Piggery & Abattoir, n.d.). The piggery and abattoir have about 300 workers that include the butchers, security officers, veterinaries both animal nutrition and pork inspections, general cleaning workers, the pig feeders and those in the administrative roles. Among these workers 74% are men and women form 26 percent. The dominant employees are lack higher institution qualifications, and the remaining are professionals that either supervise the other workers, hold the top positions and perform technical functions such as treatment of the pigs. Those that come from humble socioeconomic backgrounds form the more substantial proportion. The firm operates for 24 hours with scheduled shifts and may run only for twelve hours in times of reduced demand for the pig product. The pigs and their products, as well as wastes, are the conventional sources of the MRSA bacteria. Therefore, the exposure frequency to this hazard is high since throughout the work hours the employees are handling the pigs, their products or their wastes.
Some of the occupational hazards include injuries when handling the pigs, slips, stress due to long hours of treating animal and their products as well as fatigue that result from the manual work involved. However, the most unnoticed and common hazards related to this working environment is the contraction of MRSA infections. The manual work carried out here, for example, restraining the animals when moving them maybe into the slaughtering chamber poses injury risks to the workers. Such injuries result in wounds that act as a point of entry for the bacteria predisposing the workers to the MRSA infections (Schuerer & Kaup, 2012). Handling the pigs’ manure and urine where this bacteria is prevalent exposes the cleaners or any other worker to bacterial infection (Locke, 2013). Furthermore, the slaughterhouse wastes for example blood have a high possibility of contact with the butchers and the workers that park and move the product before for supplying hence further occupational risks.
The workers of the stockyard and slaughterhouse firm do not use protective clothing such as gloves, and other protective garments. In the process of their duties, they come into contact with the sources of infection. At the start of responsibilities the workers can be in their full gear however others remove them in the process while still at work. One of the factors contributing to this complacency is lack of education and detailed precautionary measures as well as steps that can ensure one is protected from the information. Since the less learned workers dominate this since there are high chances of ignorantly acquiring the infection. Furthermore, the working area is less spacious increasing possibilities of contact with untidy walls, the animals and other workers with contaminations as they move. The legal framework requires that for multi-resistant organisms, the wearing of protective clothing be fully implemented and strictly supervised by those in charge of the facility. Before handling any potential source of infection, one must be in the protective attire otherwise one should not be allowed to perform any duties without the protective gear. Also, provide spacious working space to avoid close contact with contaminated materials, surfaces and other people (Sehulster et al., 2003). The underlying loophole is the failure to ensure that the workers are in their work gear by the management before they commence or continue with their duties. This is the complacency that requires a long lasting solution that will ensure all the workers are protected from the possible MRSA infections.
The principal reason for the Corowa piggery and abattoir being predisposed to MRSA infections is due to inadequate or lack of appropriate information on MRSA infections and their health impacts. The other reason is the lack of frameworks to make both the animals and the working environment free of these bacteria. The occupational safety plan begins with educating all the workers on this health hazard. Printed descriptions and effects of the danger will be hanged of glued on the pass ways to enhance continued remembrance of the impending risks of infection. Also, have a more significant and comprehensive description of the uncertainty in the typical places of assembly, for example, the changing rooms. Along with the information, a rule of no working unless one is a protective gear will be in place. Supervisors of various sections in the stockyard and the slaughtering parts will oversee the establishment of this regulation. The source of resources for this plan is the management of the facility.
The other section of attention is the disinfection of the animals, their residences and the one handling them with an appropriate disinfectant, for example, concentrated alcohol. Even in treating these animals one must have his or her complete protective gear worn. The sources of these bacteria are all over the environment since they are ubiquitous. Therefore, sterilization of the working areas is necessary by using, for example, sodium hypochlorite. This activity will be assigned to the cleaners who will be on duty for 24 hours to ensure no dirt is found on the premises of this facility. The above plan will complement the other workplace safety regulation. The objectives of the program are to sensitize and create awareness among workers of their health hazard, help them adhere to already available rules and cultivate in them the culture of being observant to protective measure.
After a routine check on the workers’ response to the plan, periodical check for adherence will help determine whether it has been successfully implemented. However, a comprehensive study to characterize workplace bacteria will be done after every three years to check on the types and amount present in this environment. The tools will include swaps from various surfaces for cultural development. Then the data will be analyzed using tools of analysis appropriate.
Conclusions
Workplace safety is a responsibility of everyone which has tremendous benefits to the worker, the employer and over to the country’s economy. The varied workplace health risks are associated with many adverse effects ranging from affecting the health of the worker to for some cases, death. One of the typical work environment hazards is the MRSA infection with a variety of adverse effects on the health of the infected worker. For example, they cause sore wounds on infected people and can lead to anemia since these bacteria destroy the red blood cell. The MRSA infection is commonly associated with environments with animals especially the pigs beside the hospital environments. The Corowa piggery and slaughterhouse handles many pigs per a day, therefore, a place with high MRSA infection possibilities. The protective strategies already in this firm have so far been neglected to hint at the impending danger to the workers. The ignorance is as a result of undervaluing the effect of such infections. Creating awareness and cultivating a culture of adhering to the health hazard management program is the best approach to this danger. Also, periodical evaluation of this plan is necessary to evaluate its success to enhance a consorted effort towards creating a working, friendly workplace free of infection hazards.
References
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