Healthcare Safety Toolkit Library

The ESF-8 Portal was created by the Louisiana Department of Health (LDH) as a resource featuring tools and applications that are utilized to gather Emergency Status information on facilities licensed by the department. This resource has step-by-step instructions on how to submit and utilize the ESF-8 portal for emergency preparedness purposes and during statewide or local emergencies.

Healthcare organizations are great role models of healthy environments in the community. Healthcare facilities are encouraged to become 100% tobacco-free to protect patients, staff and visitors from secondhand smoke. This resource provides tools to transition to a tobacco-free organization.

Wet floors pose a significant slip/trip/fall hazard in hospitals. While mopping floors is a key component of any infection prevention program, the wet floor that results can be dangerous if proper precautions are not taken. This tool is an excellent document to train new hires in the Environmental Services department as well as a quick reminder for existing staff.

Insects and pests that enter your organization can bring in bacteria and contaminate surfaces, equipment and supplies. This article is an excellent overview of common ways insects and pests enter your organization and how you can prevent it or at least control it. It is an excellent tool to help develop environmental services practices to assist with infection prevention.

This resource provides a log for documenting fire drills conducted throughout the organization on a quarterly and a shift-by-shift basis. It is important to conduct fire drills and maintain documentation of the drills conducted in an easy-to-read format as a reference for surveyors.

This resource provides a template for ILSM measures and a checklist for developing a policy and procedure when interim life safety is needed to ensure the safety of all.

Although it is healthcare's goal to maintain a safe environment at all times, violence remains a significant concern today. It is vital to implement processes to prevent workplace violence. Security practices can include an array of methods. The following documents provide best practices and alternative approaches that may be applied when handling violent encounters.

Reducing the risk of encountering an active shooter situation is important to any business, especially healthcare. These resources provide tools on how to plan what to do in the event of an active shooter/violent situation.