Health and safety
Code Principle 7
Team members have to remain healthy and safe if they are to help those more directly affected by disaster.
Risks will be taken. A good test is whether the possible benefits justify the risks. For example driving at night may be justified for a medical evacuation if the patient might die otherwise, driving at night to go to co-ordination meeting is not so easily justified.
As a programme manager:
- lead by example – if you are working long hours, becoming irritable and at times irrational, what will the team think?
- beware of slipping standards – the team will get used to taking risks and regard it as normal, and start taking even bigger risks.
Stress
It is normal that there is a heightened level of stress. It becomes a problem when the performance or health of a team member is affected.
- This may be caused by long-term stress of working very hard in difficult conditions over a long period.
- Alternatively it may be caused by just one particularly traumatic experience.
Stress can cause burn out, it can also lead to medical evacuation.
Security
Humanitarian workers face significant risks which threaten their lives and well-being – these range from traffic accidents (the most common cause of death or injury) to criminality and targeted attacks (the most likely causes of death or injury to be reported in the media ). Managing these risks is an organisational and individual responsibility. As the programme manager you have a key role to play.
Burn out
Long working hours without any time off combined with poor working and living conditions can lead to team members working less and less efficiently. If no action is taken, they can reach a stage where they are physically and mentally unable to work any more without taking an extended or indefinite period of leave. Recognising the signs of imminent burn out in your team members, and yourself, is important.
Evacuation
Individuals or teams may have to be evacuated from the programme due to illness or concerns for security. Both policy and practice on evacuation are generally dependent on the type of contract held by a team member, this can be cause for disquiet among staff which can turn to distress during an evacuation where some staff may be left behind. Thinking through and establishing a well-understood policy is important.
See also: Leading cause of H&S issues among relief workers in Resources