'The injured employee wasn't NSH staff'
A workers’ union has claimed that Nova Scotia Health (NSH) “would take no action” following an attack on two security guards at a hospital earlier this month.
The Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) said that, on May 14, NSH confirmed its Joint Occupational Health and Safety Committee (JOHSC) would not be involved because “the injured employee wasn’t NSH staff,” but that the incident would be discussed at its next meeting.
“I’m disappointed but not surprised,” said CUPE Nova Scotia President Nan McFadgen.
The incident occurred on May 6 at the Colchester East Hants Health Centre in Truro.
A 16-year-old male splashed bleach in the face of one security guard, and hit another in the torso, CBC previously reported.
Both guards suffered serious injuries which required medical treatment, according to the Truro Police Service.
The suspect was arrested at the scene and is facing numerous charges, including assault with a weapon and assault causing bodily harm.
“Security workers aren’t the only contracted workers in hospitals now that [Premier Tim] Houston has pushed ahead with his privatization agenda,” said McFadgen. “So does that mean the NSH won’t step in if a travel nurse gets hurt, or a contracted lab tech or x-ray technician?”
CUPE said that the Houston government has expanded the use of public–private partnerships across all areas of health care, “hiring private companies to provide long-term care, transitional care, and even build the QEII expansion.”
“If the NSH is going to hire private companies to provide services for them, they should have to follow the same processes they would for any other employee,” said McFadgen. “They shouldn’t be able to bring these companies into our health care system and then wash their hands of them when there’s an issue. That’s not the way to protect our hospitals or our health care workers.”
NSH provided the following statement to Canadian Occupational Safety.
"We care about the safety of everyone in our facilities and remain committed to ensuring a safe and secure environment for patients, visitors, and staff alike. We are saddened and concerned that two Paladin security guards sustained injuries in an alleged assault by a visitor to the Colchester East Hants Health Centre in Truro on May 6. The Truro Police Service has confirmed that a person has been charged in connection with the incident. The investigation remains ongoing, and we are working closely with the appropriate authorities.
Our immediate priority is the well-being of those affected. Counselling services have been made available to staff, and we’ve encouraged anyone in the community who may need support to seek help. We are deeply grateful for the swift action, courage, and compassion demonstrated by on-site staff in responding to the situation. A thorough review of the incident is underway, in collaboration with Nova Scotia Health Security, Occupational Health, and Paladin Security.
Please also refer to Monday’s release announcing the AI-powered security pilot at the Colchester East Hants Health Centre emergency department. This initiative is part of our broader effort to enhance safety and support on-site security teams."
