Electrics
We read through the leaflet from the HSE about maintaining low risk electrical appliances which are the sort of appliances we are likely to work with in the Health and social are setting. We learned to wire a plug correctly.
We then looked at another HSE document “Electrical Safety and You”
It is important to be aware of the electrical hazards. It can kill, cause fires, and injuries. We should be aware of to know how to reduce these electrical hazards.
My explanation: Reading the documents stated, it made the people on the course aware that electrical can be hazardous with things like fire starting, and electrical shocks.
Hazardous substances (COSHH)
The Health and Safety Executive Website says:
“Using chemicals or other hazardous substances at work can put people's health at risk. So the law requires employers to control exposure to hazardous substances to prevent ill health.”They suggest 8 steps to assess and control the risk.
It generally means that it is the employer’s responsibility to protect their employers from substances that may harm them.
I have given 8 steps and given an example of how they might be used to control a hazardous substance used in a health care situation. My situation is
Step Risk Assessment Health And Social Care Situation Example Handling Soiled Linen
1 Assess the risks Staff or Patients Could Catch Infection form soiled linen.
2 Decide what precautions are needed Must be removed from patients as quickly as possible and Mustn’t Be Handled By Workers.
3 Prevent or adequately control exposure Wear PPE. Personal Protection Equipment. For example gloves, apron.
4 Ensure that control measures are used and maintained Staff should be trained and notices displayed.
5 Monitor the exposure Any Accidental contact Must Be Recorded By Supervisors.
6 Carry out appropriate health surveillance Health Check on staff who handles the clothes.
7 Prepare plans and procedures to deal with accidents, incidents and
emergencies Clean Up Trolleys and staff must be ready to clean up any accidental spillages.
8 Ensure employees are properly informed, trained and supervised Keeping records of training.
My explanation: Making sure all chemicals that are hazardous to health are kept out of the way of residents, if training is required to use the substances then the training should be given. Making sure that is there’s any spillages of any kind of substances hazardous to health that they are cleaned up straight away.
The Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations 1995 (RIDDOR)
These regulations place a legal duty on:
• employers;
• self-employed people;
• people in control of premises;
to report work-related deaths, major injuries or over-three-day injuries, work related diseases, and dangerous occurrences (near miss accidents). The easiest way to do this is by calling the Incident Contact Centre (ICC)
As an employer, a person who is self-employed, or someone in control of work premises, you have legal duties under RIDDOR that require you to report and record some work-related accidents by the quickest means possible.
You must report:
• deaths;
• major injuries;
• over-3-day injuries – where an employee or self-employed person is away from work or unable to perform their normal work duties for more than 3 consecutive days;
• injuries to members of the public or people not at work where they are taken from the scene of an accident to hospital;
• some work-related diseases;
• dangerous occurrences – where something happens that does not result in an injury, but could have done;
• Gas Safe registered gas fitters must also report dangerous gas fittings they find, and gas conveyors/suppliers must report some flammable gas incidents.
RIDDOR applies to all work activities but not all incidents are reportable. If someone has had an accident in a work situation where you are in charge, and you are unsure whether to report it just call the Incident Contact Centre (ICC)
My explanation: All accidents and any illnesses that are going around have to be reported to the Incident Contact Centre, there is the list of things that need to be reported. Gas fitters have to report any dangerous gas fittings they find as it could harm.
Work Placement Example: If a child has fallen over and broken an arm, this has to be reported to the ICC
The food safety
These are the FOOD SAFETY ACT 1990The Food Safety (General Food Hygiene) Regulations 1995 and summarised it into 10 Points for Food Handlers
1. All food premises must be well lit, ventilated, and free from rubbish and it’s protected against infestations. The room should be easy enough to clean when needs to be cleaned.
2. All the equipment used should be cleaned well and kept in good repair so that there’s no risk of food poisoning.
3. Personal hygiene of the cook is important.
• Always wash your hands after using the toilet, before handling food and
between handling raw and cooked food.
• Cuts and boils should be covered with a blue waterproof dressing.
• Food handlers should wear clean, protective clothing including a suitable hair cover.
4. All food rooms should have a good supply of hot water, liquid soap, and disposable paper towels or hot air dryer.
5. Food handlers should avoid handling food in the way that cross contamination can occur. Separate equipment and work surfaces must be used when handling raw and cooked food. Also a separate wash hand basin must be provided solely for the use of washing hands.
6. Raw and cooked food should always be kept apart so as to avoid cross contamination.
7. Food must be kept piping hot or cold to prevent the growth of bacteria. Refrigerators should operate at 5°C or colder. Freezers should operate at -18°C or colder.
8. All illness should be reported to your supervisor.
9. Smoking is NOT allowed in food rooms.
10. A fine should be placed on any person found guilty of an offence under these regulations, and in extreme cases an inspecting officer has the power to close the premises down immediately.
My explanation: This means that the kitchen area must be clean, all the equipment must be in a good way and there should be enough soap, water and paper towels for hand washing. There are ways of avoiding cross contamination and the premises can be shut down completely if convicted of not acting under these regulations.
The Health and Safety at Work Act 1974
The Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 imposes general duties on everybody connected with work. The Act contains:
- Regulations- these are legally binding and give details to act on and exemptions,
- ACOPs (Approved Codes of Practice) – these are an accepted way to meet regulations, they are not legally binding but are quasi legal;
- Guidance Notes – these are not legally binding and have no legal standing but are recognised as a supplement to ACOPs.
Sections 19 and 20 of the act appoint Her Majesty’s Inspectors and give them the power to act.
The general duties contained in the Health and Safety at Work Act are:
Section 1: States the general purposes of Part 1 of the Act, which are to maintain or improve standards of health and safety at work, to protect other people against risks arising from work activities, to control the storage and use of dangerous substances and to control certain emissions into the air.
Section 2: Contains the duties placed upon employers with regard to their employees. These are outlined more fully below.
Section 3: Places duties on employers and the self-employed to ensure their activities do not endanger anybody (with the self-employed that includes themselves), and to provide information, in certain circumstances, to the public about any potential hazards.
Section 4: Places a duty on those in control of premises, which are non-domestic and used as a place of work, to ensure they do not endanger those who work within them. This extends to plant and substances, means of access and egress as well as to the premises themselves.
Section 6: Places duties on manufacturers, suppliers, designers, importers etc. in relation to articles and substances used at work. Basically they have to research and test them and supply information to users.
Section 7: Places duties upon employees and these are outlined more fully below.
Section 8: Places a duty on everyone not to intentionally or recklessly interfere with or misuse anything provided in the interests of health, safety and welfare.
Section 9: Provides that an employer may not charge his employees for anything done, or equipment provided for health and safety purposes under a relevant statutory provision.
Employers
Section 2(1) Ensure the health, safety and welfare of employees while at work.
Section 2(2)(a-e) Without prejudice to the above, the matters to which the duty extends include:
(a) Provision and maintenance of safe plant and safe systems of work.
(b) Arrangements for ensuring safe means of handling, use, storage and transport of articles and substances.
(c) Provision of information, instruction, training and supervision
(d) Provision of a safe place of work and provision and maintenance of safe access and egress to that workplace.
(e) Provision and maintenance of a safe working environment and adequate welfare facilities. (Note: The above duties are all qualified by the term "so far as is reasonably practicable".)
Employees
Section 7 (a-b) it shall be the duty of every employee while at work:
(a) To take reasonable care for the health and safety of himself and others who may be affected by his acts or omissions at work.
(b) To co-operate with his employer or any other person, so far as is necessary, to enable his employer or other person to perform or comply with any requirement or duty imposed under a relevant statutory provision.
(Note: These duties have been extended by duties contained in the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999.)
The Safety Policy
Under Section 2(3) of the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974:
Every employer shall prepare (and as often as may be appropriate revise) a written statement of his general policy with respect to:
a) The health and safety at work of his employees; and
b) The organisation and arrangements in force for the time being for carrying out that policy, and bring the statement and any revision of it to the notice of all his employees.
The above duty has been modified by the Employers' Health and Safety Policy Statements (Exception) Regulations 1975 to exempt employers, who, for the time being, employ less than five employees, from the need to have a written policy (although not from the need to have a policy as such).
The Health and Safety Policy should contain:
- A General Statements of Intent, dated and signed by the owner or chief executive.
- The Organisation, who is responsible for doing what with regard to health and safety.
- The Arrangements, in practice these are often divided into general arrangements (fire procedures, emergency procedures, first-aid facilities, emergency procedures, risk assessment arrangements, etc.) which apply to all employees and specific arrangements (how to use certain pieces of equipment, how to handled certain substances, etc.) which only apply to specific employees.
Source: http://www.healthandsafetyclick.net/health_and_safety_at_work_act.cfm
The Data protections act
The Data Protection Act (1998) was drafted to ensure the privacy of personal information stored electronically on computers nationwide. The Act aims to "promote high standards in the handling of personal information, and so to protect the individual’s right to privacy".
Anyone holding data relating to living individuals in electronic format (and in some cases, on paper) must follow the Act's 8 data protection principles:
The 8 Principles of Data Protection
Under the DPA, personal information must be:
• Fairly and lawfully processed
• Processed for specified purposes
• Adequate, relevant and not excessive
• Accurate, and where necessary, kept up to date
• Not kept for longer than is necessary
• Processed in line with the rights of the individual
• Kept secure
• Not transferred to countries outside the European Economic Area unless there is adequate protection for the information
The DPA included the creation of an Information Commissioner to maintain a list of data controllers and details of the type of personal data stored by each controller. This is a process described as "notification
Management of Health and Safety of Work (MHSW) Regulations, 1999
MHSW Regulations have been effective since December 1999. These Regulations are in addition to the duties laid down under Health and Safety of Work Act 1974:
- The article will be useful reading if you are;
- A safety representative;
- A health and safety professional or;
- Interested in health and safety.
Introduction
The MHSW regulations have been put in place in order that you take care of all those you work in conjunction with – employees, contractors, clients or customers. The aim of the regulations is to reduce damage by assessing all potential risks and to create action plans for emergencies.
Compliance with industry specific regulations will normally be sufficient. However, where MHSW Regulations go further than those of more specific legislation, extra measures will be required in order to comply.
Who do the regulations apply to?
Employers have a duty to asses all risks for all workers, including mobile and home workers Seafarers and young people performing temporary or short-term work in family businesses or domestic service are exempt from protection.
A summary of the regulations: (for employers):
- You must review risk assessments periodically and make modifications if there are any significant changes in working practices or equipment
- If safety procedures can ever be improved, appropriate steps should be taken accordingly.
- You are expected to take reasonable steps to familiarise yourself with the hazards and risks in your workplace
- Work must be organised. A set pattern of rules and regulations usually means more systematic work and less chance of accidents
- Training should be given in such a way that hazardous situations can be avoided. For example: Lengthening of working day, removal of taking screening breaks etc for meeting deadlines should be avoided.
- You must ensure that the significant hazards are identified, and that the actual working practices are addressed and if need be, changed so as to reduce any risk.
We suggest that:
- If the use of advanced technology helps in reducing risks, make use of it;
- Your employees should do the work that best suits them;
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Risk prevention should also show in your business policies which would in turn show how serious you are in ensuring the of your employees;
- Give priority to those measures which protect the whole workplace and all those who work there; i.e. give collective protective measures priority over individual measures.
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The existence of an active or culture needs to be assured.
Safety representatives
There are numerous references to the role of safety representatives and other employee representatives in the guidance with stronger indications that consultation with representatives is required.
Carrying out assessments
Employers should select employees to perform tasks such as planning, organisation, control, monitoring and review of health and safety arrangements. Employers are encouraged to take into account the views of employees and safety representatives.
You should select the most competent employees for the job. External specialists can be used if required or a combination of internal and external personnel may be appropriate. Mistakes by competent persons do not free employers from liability for breaches of statutory duty.
Employers must maintain contact with external services particularly first aid and emergency services who provide medical care and rescue work. Employers should establish written procedures for workers to follow when faced with serious and imminent danger and which acknowledge that situations arise when workers must act on their own initiative in proceeding to safety. Employers should explain clearly when workers should stop work and move to a place of safety.
What an assessment must include
There is a greater detail required in the new regulations. Risk assessments should identify the period of time for which they will remain valid. They should take account of the views of employees and safety representatives. A risk assessment should now:
- Identify hazards;
- Identify who might be harmed and how;
- Evaluate the risks from the identified hazards;
- Record the significant findings in a retrievable form, and;
- Provide for review and revision.
The record should be retrievable for use by the employer in reviews and for safety representatives and other employee representatives and visiting inspectors.
Preventive and protective measures
The regulations focus on preventive and protective measures. These include:
- Avoiding risks;
- Evaluating risks which cannot be avoided;
- Combating risks at source;
- Adapting work to the individual, especially as regards the design of workplaces, the choice of work equipment and the choice of working and production methods, with a view, in particular, to alleviating monotonous work and work at a pre-determined work-rate and to reducing their effect on health;
- Adapting to technical progress;
- Replacing the dangerous by the non-dangerous or the less dangerous;
- Developing a coherent overall prevention policy which covers technology, organisation of work, working conditions, social relationships and the influence of factors relating to the working environment;
- Giving collective protective measures priority over individual protective measures;
- Giving appropriate instructions to employees.
Special procedures for younger employees
An employer who employs a child below school-leaving age must inform the parent or guardian of the child of the risks and the safety requirements derived from the risk assessment.
The duty of employers to perform risk assessments is extended specifically to cover young workers. This must take account of their lack of experience, the absence of awareness of existing or potential risks, or the fact that they have not yet fully matured. Employers may not employ young people for some types of work unless it is necessary for training, there is competent supervision and the risk is reduced to the lowest level reasonably practicable. Risk assessments need to be carried out before young people begin work.
New and expectant mothers
Employers must carry out an assessment of the risks to new and expectant mothers and to their babies. When necessary on grounds, employers may change the working conditions or hours of work of new and expectant mothers. Employers may suspend on full pay new and expectant mothers from work if their safety cannot be protected in other ways. Employers may suspend on full pay new and expectant mothers who work at nights upon the production of a medical certificate. An employer need not take any action until an employee notifies them that she is pregnant, has given birth within the previous six months, or is breast feeding.
Employers need to identify suitable alternative work that is available and offer it to new and expectant mothers rather than suspend them if preventive and protective measures are insufficient. Notification of an employer of pregnancy for the purpose of any statutory requirement, such as statutory maternity pay, constitutes sufficient notice under the MHSW Regulations. The employer must introduce appropriate safety measure immediately on notification. The employer can request confirmation of the pregnancy by means of a medical certificate and can discontinue safety measures if this is not produced within a reasonable time.
Managerial training
Host employers must ensure that people working on their premises who are self-employed or who work for other employees receive relevant safety information. This can be done by providing them with information directly or providing it to their employers, in which case the host employer must check that the information is passed on.
Managers should be aware of relevant legislation and should be competent to manage effectively. All employees, including senior management, should receive relevant training.
Conclusion
As with much regulatory legislation, it is unlikely that you will fall foul of it unless there is some reason for some person to investigate. In the case of H&S requirements, that is most likely to happen if either an employee complains to a tribunal or there is an accident.
Source: http://www.netlawman.co.uk/info/health-safety-work-management.php
Policies and procedures
To make sure that everyone is safe when working the employees have to follow the law. Due to the fact they have to follow the law, certain care settings will have the same procedure but will have modified it so that it fits with their settings. An example of this would be mealtimes; there may be different times to fit in with the patterns of the residents or what is on the menu. Policies and procedures are always being updated so that the right standard of care is being given. Every single person employed should read and understand all the regulations in their work place.
Health and social care delivery
The way the care is given is done so under the regulations, policies and procedures of the place of work.
Working Practises
There are nine important areas of working practises that need to be covered and these are included in below.
- manual handling techniques
- safety awareness
- providing health and safety information to the visitors
- ensure the right training has been undergone for if a fire occurs
- first aid training
- the use and maintenance of equipment
- food hygiene
- infection and the importance of washing hands
- to ensure the client’s property is safe
Risk assessment
Carrying out a risk assessment will let the person know how much of a risk that activity is. The Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations (1999) makes all employers risk assess their establishment and to do this do they have note down all the risks and who can be harmed from them, once identified the risks have to decide what can be done to get rid of the risk, you have to report what you have fond and put into practice what you have found, and then you may have to review your assessment after a while.
Roles and responsibilities of the employee and employer
The roles of an employer and those of an employee are different. Once employed the new staff member has to then do the job they’ve been appointed and they have to do it well as they could be messing with people’s lives, however, the job of the employer has to make sure they have appointed the right person for the job as they could get blamed for something they’ve done.
