Examine the roles and responsibilities of key people in the promotion of health, safety and security in a health and social care setting

Sophie Louise Kelly – page

P4 – Under the Health and Safety at work act 1974, both managers and employees should hold certain responsibilities. Health and safety laws and regulations may seem complicated and rather theoretical as well as being very far removed from hands on care, but they are extremely relevant to the work health and social care workers do. If health care workers fail to comply with them, they may be disciplined by their employer or even prosecuted.

There are four main responsibilities for employees to abide by when working in a health and social care setting. All of these responsibilities are made to ensure and promote health and safety at work for all.

The first thing employees must carry out is to adhere to instructions relating to the operation of a site and equipment. This means all employees must read, understand and carry out all policies and procedures.

There are many policies that health and social care settings must create using the HASWA 1974 as a guideline. These may include first aid, manual handling or food preparation regulations. Each employee should also ensure that they use materials in line with recommended procedures. All staff, at all times should use correct procedures and policies to analyse what equipment they must use, for any given task. Tasks such as lifting a disabled or obese service user to or from bed could be used in this situation. The employee should first read their workplaces Manual Handling Regulations to work out how to carry out their task whilst keeping themselves and the service user safe. They should then decide whether to use a hoist, transfer boards or slip-sheets. This procedure would also apply to other tasks such as food preparation or medicine administration. By going through this procedure with any tasks they are given, employees will help to promote a healthy, safe and secure workplace.

Another responsibility employees have is to ensure that they utilise protective clothing and equipment as directed. Protective equipment includes items such as, latex gloves, facemasks; protective clothing covers, or even assault alarms. Employees will be instructed as to how and when to use all items, and should then take every opportunity to utilise them.

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The final responsibility that all health and social care employees have, to promote a healthy, safe and secure workplace, is to ensure that they do not misuse anything provided for health, safety and welfare. This takes into account all other responsibilities as well as many other issues. Service providers should ensure all files are used correctly and that they are in a known place, they should check that all equipment is being used in conjunction with all recommended policies and that they are all in good working order. By checking all things there are very few ways anything can be misused.

When employees have been informed about policies and procedures, they should be able to complete any task or activity assigned to them, to ensure a health, safe and secure workplace for all.

Managers also have a multitude of responsibilities, to ensure they run a safe and secure workplace.

The first is to maintain a safe working environment for all staff. All managers are responsible for their staffs welfare and safety. They must provide for the adequate health and welfare for employees, this includes providing suitable first aid provisions and a registered first aid administrator on site, there should be at least one first aid provider to every 50 people in a health and social care setting. All managers should also keep an eye out for, and show particular awareness of employees who are pregnant, post childbirth, breast – feeding, returning from sick leave or disabled. A manager should also ensure that they make the workplace and working practise as safe as possible, ensuring that, at least the minimum safety standards are enforced.

The second responsibility all managers have is to ensure that all staff adheres to policies, procedures and instructions put in place by the workplace. All managers should have a written health and safety statement and bring this to the attention of employees; however, this is only 100% necessary if there are more then five employees based in the building. Managers should provide and display written safety information and instructions so they have precautions for all situations and staff can therefore always control any given situation. Managers trying to ensure that all staff adheres to policies, procedures and instructions should take severe measures when they are disobeyed. The only reason any member of staff should even think about breaking regulations is when it is in the very best interest of the patient or service user’s aid, when they are acting in good faith. All other forms off disruption or disobedience should be punished. The manager must ensure this punishment is appropriate and fair.

The third responsibility all managers in a health and social care workplace have is to provide appropriate training in all aspects of health and safety including staff practises and work methods. There are many ways to do this, the first is training courses and another is practical experience. Many managers may also establish protocols or written statements describing the particulars about how a procedure or process should be carried out. These protocols should be for all health and safety issues, including emergencies, specifically relevant to that workplace. First aid training is also a relevant training scheme that all health and social care workers must undertake.

The fourth responsibility all managers have is to explain hazards and safe working practises to new employees before they start work. Before employees have even started, managers must take future employees around the building or office stating practical hazards and must explain any hazards brought about by patients and service users, i.e. mental health hospitals, or drug abuse workers. Managers must also ensure all employees are trained in how to maintain, store and use equipment, materials and substances correctly, they must also provide adequate protective and safety equipment to use once they have been trained.

The fifth and final, of my examples of manager’s responsibilities is the recording and reporting of all accidents. All managers must have a RIDDOR file; this is a record of all incidents concerned in The Reporting of Injury, Disease and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations 1995. All managers must carry out and record formal risk assessments of potentially hazardous situations to employees and service users. All managers must co – operate fully with health and safety officials and inspections. These inspectors will also check all RIDDOR and COSHH files.

Overall, both managers and employees have a great deal of responsibilities in order to run and promote a healthy, safe and secure workplace. If all responsibilities are undertaken and completed it will in turn create a comfortable, safe and ultimately happy workplace.

Sophie Louise Kelly – page