Health and safety representatives have the responsibility to make and manage risk assessments.

by ellyharvey98gmailcom (student)

Roles and Responsibilities

Health and safety representatives:

Making risk assessments: Health and safety representatives have the responsibility to make and manage risk assessments. They are responsible for educating employees of the surgery to ensure they recognise both hidden and more obvious health and safety issues, and keeping them at the top of workplace and branch agendas. Risk assessments are a legal requirement for businesses with five or more employees to do. The level of detail in a risk assessment should be proportionate to the risk and appropriate to the nature of the work. For example they would visit the doctor’s surgery, assess the areas that are required to have a risk assessment, and either makes a risk assessment or check and analyse one that has already been made.

For example, in a doctor's surgery, the health and safety representative would be required to carry out risk assessments on all areas of the building necessary, and analyse and minimise any risks. They would also be required to regularly check the risk assessments are up to date and that the control measures are being put into practice in the correct way, e.g. that the cupboard in the waiting room is always kept locked when not in use, and that the magazine rack is kept tidy.

Working with others to ensure health, safety and security: Health and safety representatives have the responsibility to encourage engagement between themselves, employees, employers, outside organisations etc. to discuss how issues can be solved. They can work in partnership with other organisations and employees/managers/employers to ensure positive outcomes when dealing with potential health and safety issues in the surgery.

For example, in a doctor's surgery, the health and safety representative would hold regular, for example monthly, meetings to engage with other employees and outside organisations to discuss how control measures are being put into place and analyse whether any of the staff need any extra training.

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Employees:

Following organisational safety and security procedures: Employees have the responsibility to follow the health and safety regulations set by their employer, to ensure they take care of their own health and safety whilst in the workplace, take care of others ' health and safety (co-workers and/or service users), to follow training they have been given and to co-operate with others to ensure health and safety legislations are adhered to and regulation standards are met.

For example, in a doctor's surgery, this could be the receptionist following the evacuation procedures in the event of a fire, ...

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Employees:

For example, in a doctor's surgery, this could be the receptionist following the evacuation procedures in the event of a fire, and calmly telling everyone in the waiting room what to do, and calmly handling the situation according to regulations and procedures.

Reporting of and maintaining records of incidents and emergencies: According to the RIDDOR legislation, work places are legally obliged to keep records of any accidents that occur, or any incidents which have potential to cause harm. These accidents can then be investigated and control measures put in place to reduce the risk of accidents happening again. This means that it is the employees' responsibilities to report and maintain records of any incidents and report these to the health and safety executive when required to do so.

For example, in a doctor's surgery, this would apply to the person/persons who have been appointed the job of recording any accidents and incidents. It would be this person's responsibility to keep a legible record of any incidents that happen anywhere on the site of the doctor's surgery.

Service users:

Following organisational safety and security procedures: Service users in any place must take responsibility for their behaviour at all times and ensure their behaviour isn't breaking any rules of the place they are in. This is for their own health and safety, the health and safety of other service users around them, and the health and safety of employees and staff they are being cared for by. They must follow the rules set by the health and social care setting and be prepared to be asked to leave if they do not do this.

For example, in a doctor's surgery, in the waiting room, the service users would be expected to sit quietly and not be loud or cause disruptions to other service users and visitors, as this would be seen as rude and disrespectful in a waiting room. It is the service user's responsibility to behave appropriately and follow any instructions given by staff.

Working with others to ensure health, safety and security: Service users also have the responsibility to work with others to ensure the health, safety and security of not only themselves, but those around them too, for example other service users, employees, visitors etc. This means behaving appropriately and following the rules and instructions given by the employees that are in the service users' best interests.

For example, in a doctor's surgery, if there was a fire or a similar event that would require the building to be evacuated, it would be the service user's responsibility to follow the safety procedures and do as they are told by the members of staff who are in charge as they are specially trained to deal with such incidents.

Local authority:

Minimising risks: It is the local authority's responsibility to monitor all the health and safety practices in the areas they are required to do so. They must regularly check that employers are following health and safety legislations properly, managing health and safety risks in their workplace, and that the standards of the care that they are providing to service users meet regulation standards, doing these checks regularly will, in turn, minimise the risks in the workplace.

For example, in a doctor’s surgery, the local authority would have to ensure everything is being done properly with regard to risk management, and they check the risk assessments and analyse and evaluate the effectiveness of the control measures they are usi ng to minimise these risks.

Dealing with incidents and emergencies: It is the local authority’s responsibility to deal with emergencies and risks when they are needed to do so, for example when an incident escalates out of the hands of the staff, and they may need to call emergency services. This is when an incident or emergency becomes the local authority’s responsibility.

For example, in a doctor's surgery, if an elderly person fell down the stairs and was bleeding a lot, someone would have to call emergency services which would be under the local authority, and they would have to come and deal with the incident.

NHS trusts:

Reporting of and maintaining records of incidents and emergencies: NHS trusts have the responsibility to oversee everything that the doctor’s surgery does, and ensure that they are doing things properly and according to regulations. If they find that this is not the case then they have the responsibility to address it and either do something about it themselves or report it to the local authority to deal with, who may force them to shut down.

For example it would be the NHS trust’s Responsibility to actually visit the doctor’s surgery and assess how well they are doing things and managing risks etc. They would then report back to the local authority what is being done so that they can keep a record of everything, analyse and evaluate it to ensure everything is being done properly.

Others (visitors):

Understanding limits of own responsibilities: Visitors to health and social care settings must ensure they keep themselves safe. They should do this by being able to understand their own limits of responsibilities and not do anything that could be seen as putting themselves in any danger or risk of harm. They might want to help someone else or get involved with something but they must be able to assess a situation and have a good judgement of whether their actions will put themselves or anyone else in danger, and if so, not do it.

Minimising risks: Visitors to health and social care settings must play their part in minimising risks for themselves and for others around them. They must behave appropriately and not do anything that could put themselves or anyone around them at risk.