5.3 Occupational Safety and Health
Occupational Safety Risk Management
Upholding the core values of “loyalty and responsibility, treating patients like family,” Zuoying Armed Forces General Hospital remains committed to a people-centered service philosophy. On the foundation of legal compliance, we continuously improve our safety and health management systems. We are committed to following all regulatory requirements, actively promoting risk management and continuous improvement in the workplace. We firmly believe that education and training are essential to ensuring the safety of both employees and patients. Therefore, we continuously enhance professional training for staff to ensure that every member is equipped to handle various challenges, while creating a safer and healthier working environment—fulfilling our responsibility and care toward both patients and employees.
Occupational Safety and Health Management System
To prevent occupational injuries and protect the safety and health of employees, Zuoying Hospital established an Occupational Safety and Health Committee in accordance with the Occupational Safety and Health Act. The committee is chaired by the hospital superintendent, with the deputy superintendent of administration serving as the vice chair. The committee consists of 21 members, with more than one-third representing labor. The committee holds meetings once every quarter to discuss and provide suggestions on safety and health policies, as well as to review, coordinate, and raise safety-related matters. All review outcomes are announced through the hospital affairs meetings and the occupational safety section on the internal website to ensure that employees are well-informed and can jointly maintain a safe and healthy working environment. Due to administrative oversight, only one meeting was held in the fourth quarter of 2024, instead of four meetings throughout the year. The hospital plans to introduce and obtain ISO 45001 certification in 2025 to improve and enhance the execution and management of occupational safety and health practices.
The hospital has established the “Occupational Safety and Health Management Plan and Self-Inspection Plan of the Zuoying Armed Forces General Hospital” and actively promotes it by following the steps of identification, evaluation, development, execution, and monitoring. First, we identify the existing human resources and budget conditions in the workplace. Based on the evaluation results, we develop appropriate safety and health plans. Then, we review the execution content using the “Self-Inspection Form for the Occupational Safety and Health Management Plan and Self-Inspection Plan,” and utilize monitoring mechanisms to continuously track the progress of implementation. Adjustments and improvements are made as needed to ensure the effectiveness and timeliness of the plan. To further enhance management standards, the hospital plans to obtain ISO 45001 Occupational Safety and Health Management System certification in 2025. In addition, our occupational safety and health management system covers all in-hospital employees (918 people), outsourced personnel (137 people), and contractors performing operations within hospital-controlled areas, ensuring that no gaps exist in health and safety protection for all personnel.
Hazard Identification, Risk Assessment, and Incident Investigation
To ensure that employees work in a safe and healthy environment, the hospital follows the Ministry of Labor’s “Regulations for Monitoring the Working Environment” and “Permissible Exposure Limits for Workplace Environments.” A Work Environment Monitoring Plan has been established, and monitoring is conducted every six months. The monitoring covers: Indoor carbon dioxide concentration, Noise levels, Concentrations of organic solvents and specific chemical substances. In addition, in compliance with the Ionizing Radiation Protection Act, the hospital performs annual ionizing radiation monitoring to ensure: The dose rate inside controlled areas does not exceed 10 microsieverts per hour, The dose rate outside controlled areas does not exceed 0.5 microsieverts per hour, According to the Radiation Protection Safety Standards, the occupational exposure limit for radiation workers: Must not exceed 50 millisieverts per year, Must not exceed 100 millisieverts over five years. The hospital provides radiation workers with lead protective equipment, conducts monthly individual dose monitoring, and performs annual health examinations to prevent radiation-related health hazards.
Occupational Injuries and Occupational Diseases
In 2024, the hospital recorded a total of 6 occupational injury incidents, including falls and patient assaults. From 2022 to 2024, the number of occupational injuries has shown a continuous downward trend, reflecting the effectiveness of our efforts in occupational safety and health management and our success in reducing the risk of workplace injuries. In addition, there were no cases of occupational disease reported in 2024.
As for data related to occupational injuries and diseases involving outsourced personnel, such information is reported directly to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration by the respective outsourcing companies. Therefore, the hospital is not responsible for collecting or managing those statistics. We will continue to monitor and strengthen workplace safety measures to provide all employees with a healthy and worry-free working environment.
Open Communication Channels for Occupational Safety
During work operations, if employees identify any immediate hazards, they have the right to stop work or leave the site at any time and must report the situation immediately to their supervisor or the Occupational Safety and Health Office. Employees may also raise concerns during the monthly Occupational Safety Committee meetings, allowing issues to be communicated to hospital management. We are committed to creating an open and safe environment for reporting and encourage employees to speak up about potential safety risks or illegal activities.
To protect whistleblowers, the hospital strictly maintains the confidentiality of their identity and ensures that no identifying information will be disclosed. We have clearly stated policies that prohibit any retaliation—such as dismissal, demotion, pay cuts, or any other punitive action—against whistleblowers for reporting issues. We are fully committed to safeguarding the legal rights, contractual rights, and all other entitlements of whistleblowers. We aim to provide a supportive, respectful, and fair environment where every employee feels confident to speak up.
Building a Healthy Workplace
Employee Health Checkups
Zuoying Armed Forces General Hospital recognizes the importance of employees’ physical and mental health to the quality of medical care. Guided by our core values of care and support, we are committed to creating a safe and healthy work environment. We not only comply with legal requirements but also plan and carry out more comprehensive health checkups each year based on employee needs. The goal is to detect and manage potential health risks early and regularly monitor employees’ health to ensure that everyone can work in their best condition.
In 2024, a total of 629 employees completed health checkups. Additionally, for employees working in special work environments, we strengthened the implementation of special health screening items to ensure their operational safety and physical and mental well-being. We continue to pay close attention to their welfare. We firmly believe that caring for every employee’s health is the foundation for providing patients with higher-quality care and achieving shared growth between the hospital and its staff.
Protecting Employee Health
Zuoying Armed Forces General Hospital actively supports the Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s promotion of the “Four Major Labor Health Protection Programs” and fully implements the following key programs: the Maternity Protection Program, the Prevention Program for Diseases Caused by Abnormal Workloads, the Ergonomic Hazard Prevention Program, and the Prevention Program for Unlawful Infringement During Duty. These programs aim to ensure full health and safety protection for employees in all work environments through systematic management and continuous monitoring. Understanding that employee health and safety are the foundation of medical service quality, the hospital is committed to creating a workplace culture that values both physical and mental well-being and continues to strengthen workplace health protection to provide a safe, supportive, and respectful work environment.
Zuoying Armed Forces General Hospital also follows the guidance of the Health Promotion Administration, Ministry of Health and Welfare, to regularly hold health seminars on topics such as sports injury prevention, understanding dementia, body management, and healthy eating out. In 2024, a total of five health seminars were held to enhance employees’ health awareness and self-care abilities. To further support the physical and mental well-being of staff, employees actively formed Yoga, Pilates, Running, and Badminton clubs, and are encouraged to participate in exercise and wellness activities after work on Tuesdays and Thursdays, as well as on Saturday mornings. These activities not only help create a healthy and positive workplace culture but also improve employees’ physical and mental health through exercise, while strengthening team cohesion and collaboration.
