Valérie joined RATP in 1994 to work in occupational medicine and create a dedicated industrial toxicology unit. Its role is to contribute to ensuring that any product that RATP employees come in contact with is innocuous. The unit laid the groundwork for RATP’s current Occupational Health Service (OHS). It is now comprised of 30 occupational physicians and 40 nurses dedicated to preventing all types of risk: toxicological, psychosocial, epidemiological, caused by new technology, etc. The OHS also provides advice to RATP’s executive management and guidance regarding jobs and organisation evolution.
Valérie has been an occupational health coordinator since 2013: “In addition to providing regular medical check-ups for the employees in my catchment area on metro line 1 and on the northern section of RER line B, I work in the field along with my physician and nursing colleagues. We raise awareness among RATP teams regarding prevention topics (healthy lifestyle, cardiovascular risks, sleep, etc.), we provide them with defibrillator training and we adapt work stations for disabled employees.” As coordinator, her role is also to work on standardising practices within the OHS by leading work groups and conducting regular scientific monitoring. Therefore, with due regard to each physician’s independence, she defines the team’s lines of work according to the national recommendations and OHS observations in the field. “My position stands at the crossroads of medicine, work, sociology, psychology as well as human resources,” she explained. “It’s fascinating work!”
An unwavering commitment during the health crisis
The entire OHS was notably mobilised during the health crisis to support RATP and its employees in preventing Covid-19 and its associated risks. The team made itself available to RATP staff and managers, listening to their concerns and providing advice, notably through a telephone helpline available seven days a week from March to June.
The OHS also carried out significant work regarding health monitoring to develop recommendations for the company, including, for example, the homologation of disinfection and cleaning products. The service created documentation containing prevention advice adapted to the work situations and files destined to guide management in recording cases and breaking contamination chains. OHS employees also contacted RATP personnel returning after a period of Covid-19-related sick leave to ensure that they were not infectious and provide them with personalised advice.
Medical checkups that could not be rescheduled were maintained, either in person while applying barrier measures or via videoconference. Moreover, after a first successful workplace vaccination trial launched by the French Ministry of Labour, RATP’s occupational health service now offers the Moderna messenger RNA vaccine to all its employees. RATP personnel widely registered for the provided timeslots within the first few weeks. The vaccination campaign will continue throughout the summer.