DNV GL tailors its infection prevention standard and services - designed for US hospitals - for use by businesses in the US.
The current Certification in Infection Prevention (CIP) program for hospitals is based on standards and guidelines from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the World Health Organization, the US Occupational Safety and Health Administration, and the ISO 9001 Quality Management System standard.
Gary Davis, DNV GL - Business Assurance Regional Certification Manager for The Americas, says the company is collaborating with industry leaders to define bespoke critical program requirements incorporating US national requirements and legislation that companies must comply with to continue operations. Sectors involved include travel, nursing homes, sports, manufacturing and hospitality.”
There is no limit to the number or kinds of industries that can participate, ranging from food and beverage, transportation and hospitality to construction, manufacturing and automotive sector. The protocols are certifiable by an independent third party. The certification communicates trust to all stakeholders, such as authorities, employees and consumers.
“Our hospital customers know better than anyone the importance of dealing daily with infection risk,” says Mr. Davis. “They rely on employing standardized practices that can be leveraged by other industries. At the end of the day it’s about people being safe and productive. The bespoke protocols transfer industry-grade infection prevention requirements and knowledge to other industries.”
DNV GL - Business Assurance is the second largest accreditor of US hospitals and is a leading certification body for quality and safety standards across multiple industries. DNV GL created CIP to help hospitals manage and reduce the risk of infections within their facilities, protecting staff as well as patients and families from unnecessary exposure or contamination. The program involves a yearly third-party audit that certifies whether the hospital is indeed following the guidelines and reducing infection rates.
The industry specific protocols define reliable processes and requirements that organizations can implement and rely upon to limit the mystery, fear and guesswork of dealing with a disease outbreak, whether it’s the annual flu or new disease like COVID-19.
“The critical issue is confidence in properly safeguarding employees as they return to work and providing proof that your operations are safe,” says Mr. Davis, “A bespoke protocol provides a robust industry-specific framework for identifying and dealing with potential risks.”
As critical as reaching post-COVID normalcy is, the benefit of DNV GL’s efforts are likely to be long term, and long lasting.
“Once coronavirus testing is commonplace, and even when a vaccine is available, our approach to workplace safety will never be the same. As a business community we can learn from the current situation, and with new tools be prepared to deal effectively with this and any next challenge of this kind,” says Mr. Davis.
The long-term big picture is something DNV GL excels at. The company has been in continuous operation since 1864, building a global reputation for helping customers assure the safety and performance of their people, facilities and supply chains.