Final answer:
The safety officer should evaluate staff understanding of PPE use, observe work areas to ensure PPE availability and proper usage, keep accurate records of work-related incidents, and ensure PPE is provided at no cost to the workers to monitor ongoing compliance with Occupational Safety and Health Standards.
Step-by-step explanation:
To monitor ongoing compliance with the Occupational Safety and Health Standards for personal protective equipment (PPE) in a medical setting, the safety officer should focus on several key strategies. Firstly, evaluating staff understanding of PPE use through training and competency assessments is critical, ensuring that medical employees not only have access to PPE but also possess the necessary knowledge to use it correctly. Secondly, the safety officer should observe work areas to confirm that PPE is readily available and is being used as per the guidelines. This entails conducting regular inspections and shadowing staff to ensure compliance. Tracking the correct and consistent usage of PPE in real-world scenarios provides immediate insight into whether employees are protected as required. Thirdly, maintaining accurate records of work-related injuries and illnesses helps to identify any trends or deficiencies in PPE use that may need to be addressed. Finally, it is important for hospitals to provide required personal protective equipment at no cost to workers, which involves periodically reviewing inventory levels and availability to prevent shortages that could compromise safety. Ensuring compliance involves a combination of proactive observation, training, inventory management, and record-keeping.