This act also gives environmental health officers the power to:
- Enter any premises, which contains food to investigate any possible offences.
- Inspect food to see if it is safe.
- They are also allowed to take samples of the food.
- They can detain suspect food and ask a magistrate to condemn it.
- A health officer can also take photos or videos to have as part of their evidence.
- Examine, look and if necessary seize records in whatever from they are stored.
How does this law protect staff and clients in a health and care setting?
This law protect staff and clients in a health and care settings so that consumers are protected and the public health of people is protected from any goods, which are damaged and contaminated. If this law was not implemented there would be loads of places out of business because they are not a safe working environment.
The bibliography.
- The Environmental Health Department Wealden District Council- Food Safety and the Law hand out.
The Food Safety (General Food Hygiene) Regulations 1995.
This regulation sets legal standards relating to the conditions and practices in food businesses. All rooms in which food is prepared, stored or cooked has to be clean and kept clean and also be kept in good conditions. These rooms have to be capable of being well lit and ventilated and steps have to be taken to keep out pests like rats, mice and insects.
All equipment used in a care setting must be kept in good condition and be kept clean and hygienic. Sinks and separate wash hand basins must be available and easy to access for staff to use and must be supplied with hot and cold water. Rubbish and waste food must not build up.
Food must not be put at risk of being contaminated in anyway from bacteria, which may cause harm to the consumer. All food must be transported in a way and in conditions that would not put it at risk of being contaminated.
Any water used in a care setting must be of drinking quality. Any one working in a care setting must demonstrate high standards of personal hygiene. They must keep themselves clean and wear clean and washable protective clothing.
Staff must report any illness to the manager of the setting who will put them on duties where they will not pose a risk to the food. While working in a care setting you should make sure that all cut and grazes with a clean waterproof dressing preferably brightly coloured. Staff working in a care setting must be trained in food hygiene.
The regulation also requires all care settings to undertake an assessment of all the hazards.
How does this law protect staff and clients in a health and care setting?
This law protects staff and clients in a health and care setting because it makes sure that rooms which food is prepared, stored or cooked has to be clean and kept clean and also be kept in good conditions. This stops any food from being contaminated and will protect the health of the staff and clients.
The bibliography.
- The environmental health department Wealden District Council- food safety and the law hand out.
Manual Handling Operations 1992.
This law is about safe lifting. Poor lifting techniques result in many thousands of lost working hours due to injury. As a result the Health and Safety Executive has set out guidelines to follow to avoid muscular and skeletal injury.
- Think about the lift. Where is the load to be placed? Do you need help? Are handling aids available?
- Get ready to lift. Stand with your feet apart.
- Bend the knees. Keep the back straight. Tuck in your chin. Lean slightly forward over the load to get a good grip.
- Get a good grip on the load and lift smoothly.
How does this law protect staff and clients in a health and care setting?
This law enforces safer moving and handling practises in the work place. This law also covers training in safe techniques and use of lifting equipment. This law protects people in my work placement because there are big boxes with toys in that are heavy and the children may pick them up but there are signs on them saying pick up with care.
The bibliography.
- Health and social care book 1- BTEC national
Reporting of injuries, diseases and dangerous occurrences regulations (RIDDOR) 1995.
As you can see there are a number of regulations aimed at preventing injury and illness. Sometimes, however, accidents do happen and when they do occur at a place of work they must be reported. The RIDDOR (reporting of injuries, diseases and dangerous occurrences regulations) 1995 require the reporting of work related accidents, diseases and dangerous occurrences. For example all of the following have to be reported:
- Deaths
- Major injuries
- Accidents resulting in over three days of injury
- Diseases such as food poisoning
- Dangerous occurrences such as a dangerous chemical spillage
- Gas leak
How does this law protect staff and clients in a health and care setting?
This law protects staff and clients in a health and care setting because this information enables the staff to ascertain why, where and how risk occurs and to investigate serious accidents and near- accidents. This law can help and advise organisations on how to prevent or reduce injuries, ill health and damage to property.
The bibliography.
- Health and social care book 1 BTEC National.
- BTEC First Children’s Care, Learning and Development.
Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulation 1999.
There has to be a manger for health and safety so that employees and clients are kept safe. The Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulation 1999 has to make sure that employees are doing what they are required to do, which is to manage the Health and safety at Work Act. The main requirement is to carry out a risk assessment. Employees with 5 or more workers need to carry out records of each significant finding of a risk assessment.
How does this law protect staff and clients in a health and care setting?
This law protects staff and clients in a health and care setting because if there was no manager for health and safety the place will be closed down and there will be loads of accident’s not being managed. Carrying out risk assessments protect staff and clients because you are able to find out if there are any risks in your work placement and put into place ways of preventing the hazard.
The bibliography.
- Health and social care book 1- BTEC national
Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations (COSHH) 2002.
Legislation called COSHH cover substances that can cause ill health. COSHH lays down a step-by-step to approach the precautions to prevent illness or injury from dangerous substances. Substances must have labels on them, which are clearly labelled. Thousands of people are exposed to hazardous chemicals at work every day if the exposure is not properly controlled or prevented, it can cause serious illness and also result in death. This is unacceptable in a children’s care setting. Products such as cleaning products could be a risk to the children because of poisoning.
The effects of hazardous substances on children and staff include:
- Poisoning by drinking toxic liquids from bottles, which people could think contain water or soft drink, which can result in fatal results.
- Cancer, which can appear many years after first exposure to cancer causing substances at work.
- Infections from bacteria and other micro-organisms.
How does this law protect staff and clients in a health and care setting?
This law protect staff and clients in a health and care setting because is prevents people from near fatal injuries and ill health because this law is giving you ways in how to protect your self from substances hazardous to health regulations.
Bibliography.
- BTEC First in Children’s care learning and development.
Regulations.
Adult to child ratio.
Day care and education settings for children are regulated by OFSTED.
OFSTED Standards:
- Safety: precautions to prevent accidents, incidents and abuse.
- Equipment: ensuring equipment is well maintained and safe.
- Organisation: ensuring that all adults, space and equipment are available to meet all needs.
- Physical environment: ensuring premises are safe and suitable.
- Health: health promotion and prevention of infection.
One important standard is relates to the ratio of adults to children in a health care setting. The registration requirements of the care setting will state the number of children allowed on the premises at any one time and the ratio of adults to children.
The ratio varies between age groups and settings like the table below. This is important because one person can’t look after seven children and be a first aid if one of the children gets hurt because there is no one to look after the other children.
At least two adults should be present, even if there are only a few children. Two adults should be in the room during the day and one of the adults should be a qualified first aider.
How does this law protect staff and clients in a health and care setting?
This law protects staff and clients in a health and care setting because if some one gets injured there is some one else in the room to look after the children. This law also gives clear guidelines on the number of adults that should be present when looking after children.
Bibliography.
- BTEC First in children’s care learning and development.
Safe moving and handling regulation.
Every time you bend to pick something up reasonably heavy you are at risk of injuring your back- especially if it is a wriggling child or you have to twist or turn while carrying the child.
Poor manual handling causes more than one in four of all reported injuries. If you are in a care setting, which involves a lot of moving and handling you, should have training to make sure you do it in the safest way possible.
How does this law protect staff and clients in a health and care setting?
This law protects staff and clients in a health and care setting because it prevents the injury to the staff and clients in the setting and it also tells you how to move equipment properly and patients.
Bibliography.
- BTEC First in children’s care learning and development.
Risk assessment.
Accidents to children are common that it is too easy to assume that nothing can be done to stop them from happing. It is impossible to prevent every single bump and graze.
Risk assessments have to be carried out in all public places, care setting to make sure that people are not injured unnecessarily. When a risk assessment is carried out the qualified person doing it has to think about the hazards and the risks.
- Hazard: something likely to cause harm.
- Risk: the seriousness of hazard and likelihood to cause harm.
How does this regulation protect staff and clients in a health and care setting?
This regulation protects staff and clients in a health care setting because if risk assessments were carried out every body in the setting wont be getting hurt because there should be no risks in the care setting if the risks assessments have been carried out properly.
Bibliography.
- BTEC First in children’s care learning and development.
Safe use of equipment and materials regulation.
Safety checks.
Checks should be made in all the following areas and checks should be made during the course if the day. This is so that no one it hurt or injured during the course of the day.
Building and maintenance.
- Doors opening into entrances and exits from the building must not be capable of being opened by young children.
- Emergency exits must be clear and easy to open from the inside of the building.
- Floors should not have any lose flooring.
Cleanliness of the general environment.
- There should be a high standard of cleanliness throughout the building other wise there could be a chance of cross infection and contamination.
- Spillages should be immediately cleaned up because it some one does not see it they could slip and hurt themselves.
- Toilet areas should be regularly checked and cleaned because of all the germs and bacteria they contain.
Food preparation areas.
- All staff dealing with food should have a food hygiene certificate so they know how to deal with certain food like raw meat.
- All regulations relating to food storage should be followed because if they are not followed if can lead to food going off and people can get food poisoning.
Safe storage and use of equipment.
- Cupboards at child’s height should not contain cleaning items, knives, tools or any other dangerous items because they could reach them and hurt themselves or others around them.
- Toys with very small parts should be kept well away from children under the age of three because they can be a choking hazard.
- Children should not be able to touch radiators and other items with give out heat because they can burn themselves.
Outdoor areas.
- Outdoor slides, swings should have safe matting provided and should be checked for safety. This is so if a child falls they are a bit more protected and wont hurt themselves as much if they fall.
- Gates should not be able to be opened by young children because if they are able to be opened by the children a child could run away and if the setting is near a road there could be an accident.
- Sandpits should be covered when not in use because animals can get into them.
Working practices that promote health and safety.
- Adults must not leave any bags and coats contain medicines within reach of children because a child can take the medication as it could cause fatal damage.
- Adults must not bring hot food or drink into the room with young children because if they are knocked the hot drink or food could spill over the child and could burn them.
- Stair should have gates fitted at the top and bottom so a child is unable to fall down the stairs.
- Children should be supervised when using equipment out side because they could fall and hurt themselves.
How does this law protect staff and clients in a health and care setting?
This law protects staff and clients in a health care setting because it is telling staff and clients how to use equipment properly and do things properly.
Bibliography.
- BTEC First in children’s care learning and development.