About Us
The Canadian Healthcare Housekeepers' Association
Serving healthcare workers since 1957
Formed in 1957, OHHA has been dedicated to the advancement of healthcare housekeeping
As an integral part of the healthcare team for patients and residents in healthcare facilities in Ontario. The Ontario Healthcare Housekeepers’ Association (OHHA) is now taking its mission to represent healthcare housekeepers and environmental services professionals across Canada. To better reflect its new national goals, the association will now be known as the Canadian Healthcare Housekeepers Association (CHHA).
As CHHA, the association is now focused on representing housekeeping professionals across the country. CHHA will now offer opportunities for housekeeping management staff, lead hands, and frontline staff through standardized educational programs and networking opportunities.
The Importance of Cleaning Standards for Healthcare Facilities
The primary goal of the environmental services program is to protect patients/residents /clients, staff, and visitors from exposure to potential sources of infection. This goal is achieved through the implementation of standards and transmission-based precautions and using effective cleaning and disinfection practices.
Healthcare-associated infections are infections that occur within any setting where healthcare is delivered. Healthcare-associated infections affect 4% to 10% of patients and result in significant harm to patients/residents/clients.
Maintaining a safe, clean, and hygienic environment and minimizing microbial contamination of surfaces, items and equipment within the healthcare environment is increasingly recognized as an essential approach to reducing the risk of healthcare-associated infections for all patients/residents/clients/visitors and staff within healthcare settings.
The healthcare facility should have written policies that outline the expectations for environmental cleanliness and the methods that will be used to achieve this goal. The policies should be reviewed and updated regularly, in response to changes in the facility’s patient population, staffing levels, or physical plant.
Reducing the risk of transmission of infection from the healthcare environment requires the cooperation of all staff in the healthcare setting. It also requires an appropriately staffed, trained, educated, and supervised environmental services program. To reduce the risk of transmission of microorganisms from the environment requires the cleaning and disinfection of all surfaces and items in the healthcare setting on a regular basis.
What is PIDAC Environmental Cleaning
PIDAC Best practice standards set out in the PIDAC document provide criteria for cleanliness in healthcare settings that may be adopted by environmental service managers for their use or the use of contracted service providers.
The PIDAC document is intended to provide best practice standards for environmental cleaning for all healthcare settings and is used by those who have a role in the management of cleaning or environmental services for the healthcare setting.
This includes administrators, supervisors of HSKP/Environmental service departments, infection prevention and control professionals, and supervisors of construction and maintenance projects in healthcare facilities; public health; and those responsible for overseeing environmental cleaning in the clinical office setting.
The PIDAC document is widely used in Ontario healthcare facilities but has been adopted by many other provinces and territories in Canada.
The Ontario Healthcare Housekeepers’ Association Inc. (OHHA) now the Canadian Healthcare Housekeepers’ Association, A Division of ISSA (CHHA) joined with PIDAC and were present at all stages of guideline development. CHHA courses meet all requirements set out in the PIDAC document for education and training as outlined here:
Loyalist College is pleased to partner with Canadian Healthcare Housekeepers Association (CHHA) under the Skills Advanced Ontario – EOCC Healthcare program to provide jobseekers and incumbent workers in Eastern Ontario with education in Environmental Aide, and to support learners in securing employment within the healthcare sector.
Loyalist College
Our partnership with CHHA was productive, innovative and easy. Their leadership was open to innovation, flexible and on-the-mark with their insights and guidance. As a result, our joint initiative was effective and impactful. Their EVS program was relevant and accessible and assisted our clients to enhance their skills and become more competitive in a tight labour-market.
Hospitality Workers Training Centre
St. Lawrence College has enjoyed a very successful partnership with the CHHA over the past few years, providing training opportunities to Job Seekers to work in this very important sector and to upskill those already working in the industry.
St. Lawrence College
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We are available to answer any questions you may have and encourage you to contact us through email or phone at your convenience.
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