State of Oregon: PSW-HCW - Health and Safety

OHCC Trainings- Protecting Health and Safety

Protecting your health and safety while working as a homecare and personal support worker is very important. OHCC encourages workers to take the following courses:

Preventing Disease Transmission*

This course is usually offered in-person, but to protect the health and safety of attendees during the pandemic, the course is offered as a two-hour webinar. The course covers:

Causes of infectious disease and routes of transmission
COVID-19 information
Standard precautions, proper hand-washing techniques, and protective personal equipment (PPE)
Reducing risks
Housekeeping and caregiving best practices

*This course counts towards earning 2.5 hours of safety-type credits for the Professional Development Certification.

National COVID-Ready Caregiver Certification Course**

This course was developed by Nextstep and is offered through OHCC free-of-charge for homecare and personal support workers. This 2.5 hour course offers video modules and features Dr. Vin Gupta, a nationally recognized COVID-19 expert. The course covers:

COVID-19 basics
Protecting yourself and others from COVID-19
Personal protective equipment (PPE) and temperature taking
Tools to reduce stress and anxiety
Caring for older adults and those at risk
Cleaning surfaces
What to do if you become ill
Knowledge check

Those who successfully complete the course will earn a National COVID-Ready certificate.

**This course counts towards earning 2.5 hours of safety-type credits for the Professional Development Certification.

Important Information About Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19)

Fact Sheet: Flu Season and Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) Prevention for Homecare and Personal Support Workers

Arabic, Russian, Simplified Chinese, Somali, Spanish, Traditional Chinese, Vietnamese

Fact Sheet : Frequently Asked Questions About COVID-19 for Homecare and Personal Support Workers

Arabic, Russian, Simplified Chinese, Somali, Spanish, Vietnamese

Fact Sheet: Frequently Asked Questions about Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) for Homecare and Personal Support Workers

Arabic, Russian, Simplified Chinese, Somali, Spanish, Vietnamese

Fact Sheet: Infographic and New Policy: COVID-19 Mask and Cloth Face Covering Guidance for Consumer-Employers and Homecare Workers.

English Large Print

Arabic, Cambodian, English Large Print, Farsi, Korean, Romanian, Russian, Simplified Chinese, Somali, Spanish, Traditional Chinese, Vietnamese
COVID-19 Interim Infection Control Guidance Home Care Workers (also in Spanish)
ODDS COVID-19 Information
Guidance on Use of Homemade Masks or Face Coverings by the Public to Prevent Spread of COVID-19: April 4, 2020
Homecare and personal support workers who have lost hours because of COVID-19 can apply for the Hardship PTO Benefit through the Homecare Worker Supplemental and BenefitsTrusts

Centers for Disease Control (CDC) Resources

Guidance on the prevention and treatment of COVID-19 (also in Chinese and Spanish).
Handwashing Guide (also in Spanish)
Handwashing Video (also with subtitles, no audio)
Recommendation Regarding the Use of Cloth Face Coverings
The Science Behind Hand Washing (also in Spanish)
Use of Cloth Face Coverings to Help Slow the Spread of COVID-19
Wildfire smoke and COVID-19

City of Portland and Multnomah County Health Department Resources

The video Help Stop the Spread of COVID-19 is presented by the City of Portland and the Multnomah County Health Department and is offered in 38 languages.

Infection Control Resources

*The Self-Study courses listed above are non-credit courses for HCWs/PSWs

Injured on the job?

Homecare workers and personal support workers who are represented by Service Employees International Union (SEIU) Local 503 are eligible for workers' compensation coverage for injuries that occur on the job.

For more information about what to do if you are inured on the job, please download the "What to do if you are injured on the job" flyer found on SAIF's website.

The flyers are available in the following languages and formats:

English
English for visually impaired
Spanish
Russian
Vietnamese
Arabic
Simplified Chinese
Traditional Chinese
Somali
Korean

801 Claim Form

To request an 801 Claim Form or for assistance with filing a claim, please contact:

Kelly Rosenau, Workers' Compensation Coordinator
Oregon Home Care Commission
550 Capitol St. NE
Salem, OR 97301
Phone: 503-378-3099
Toll-free: 888-365-0001
E-mail: kelly.k.rosenau@dhsoha.state.or.us
workerscomp.ohcc@dhsoha.state.or.us

When seeking medical attention

Complete Form 827, Worker's and Physician's Report.

Managing your claim and getting back to work.

Forward the completed 827 report to:
SAIF Corporation
400 High St. NE
Salem, OR 97312

Phone: 800-285-8525
Fax: 800-475-7785

Learn more about filing a claim and the claim process

Safety Manual

The Safety Manual provides important information about health and safety. It is designed to help homecare and personal support workers stay safe and avoid injuries, illnesses, and hazards while providing in-home services. The manual is a tool for you to use along with the health and safety classes offered by the OHCC. It’s a good idea, to review the “Workers’ Safety Supply List” in the manual and keep supplies on hand.

Please take the time to review the Safety Manual and register for our health and safety training classes.

Quit tobacco

The Quit Line is a telephone and web-based counseling service to help Oregonians quit using tobacco and nicotine products.

Flu prevention

People can spread the flu even if they don't know they’re sick. The flu can be more serious for some people, including older people, young children and people with certain health conditions. Learn more about preventing the flu.

PSW-HCW

Health and Safety

​OHCC Trainings- Protecting Health and Safety