A report by the Spanish Labour Inspectorate has revealed irregularities in the measures taken in Osakidetza against the coronavirus. ElDiario.es has collected an 82-page document highlighting that at times there have been some infections of 4.1% of Osakidetza’s total staff – according to this week’s data, 800 workers.

The report gives reasons to think that things have not been done well, according to ElDiario.es. The analysis of how the risk assessment was carried out at the Galdakao Hospital, for example, confirms this opinion: Although the first health worker who died from COVID-19 was working at this hospital, part of the risk assessment, related to the increase in infections, was carried out in June, shortly before the assessment of the decrease in the number of infections. “This shows that the increase in the pandemic was not made, but a posteriori,” the report notes.

The Labour Inspectorate document highlights the "irregularities" identified in the OPE. “There are no organisational or collective protection measures,” according to the report. In addition, he underlined the differences between the different hospitals, as the same protocols have not been used and have not been implemented simultaneously in all of them. “It is clear that not all possible measures have been taken,” the report states.

Over 12 hours in contact with COVID-19

The report also addresses specific issues that should be improved by the CAV health system. For example, it has not been evaluated how the number of working hours and rest times influence the risk of infection of the virus. The Labour Inspectorate considers that “it is not acceptable to use the need to reduce the number of workers who may have contact with the virus to avoid measures limiting working hours”. Among other measures, it has found it unacceptable that workers working in the areas of hospitals in contact with COVID-19 make shifts of more than 12 hours because, among other things, a person who has worked so hard prevents compliance with hygiene protocols.

In addition, the report highlights the supply problems that have occurred in the first wave of the virus, particularly in the area of protective equipment. The report also faces Osakidetza with the lack of records of the reused materials and the lack of follow-up of them. Although the Labour Inspectorate has understood that access to materials was initially difficult, other preventive measures have also been lacking.

Corrective action and questions in Parliament

The Labour Inspectorate has proposed to Osakidetza a series of measures to deal with these health irregularities. These measures, which must be complied with, give the Basque public health system a deadline ending on 5 December. Among the proposed measures are the transfer of ten minutes of cleaning to workers before meals or the failure to exceed twelve hours of working hours in circuits in contact with COVID-19.

The report has also come to the fore in the CAV Parliament. EH Member Bildu Rebeka Ubera recorded on 30 November a number of questions addressed to the Health Advisor of the Basque Government on the measures that the regional executive will take in relation to some conclusions of that report.