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Strikebound: a dispute involving hospital linen
Author(s) -
Lacy Carol A.,
Brown Noel G.,
McDonald Malcolm I.
Publication year - 1985
Publication title -
medical journal of australia
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.904
H-Index - 131
eISSN - 1326-5377
pISSN - 0025-729X
DOI - 10.5694/j.1326-5377.1985.tb113593.x
Subject(s) - medical emergency , business , engineering , operations management , medicine , political science , management , economics
On September 6, 1984, industrial bans were placed on the movement of linen within The Royal Melbourne Hospital. Initially, linen was stored in ward areas and, later, on hospital balconies. The dispute was not settled for 14 days; by this time, 25 beds and the Emergency Department had been closed. Stockpiled “soiled” and “infectious” linen bags posed a major safety risk. Once the bans were lifted, linen was removed and laundered under supervision, according to a carefully planned programme, in order to minimize the exposure of patients and staff members to potential cross‐infection. Recommendations are made to cover infection controj aspects associated with industrial disputes of this nature.