The policies and procedures are set out in the workplace in order to maintain a safe place for work and to ensure all aspects of care and legal framework are covered. The health and safety policies and procedures are also used in the workplace in order to check that employees are using them appropriately in practice. The health and safety policies and procedures also covers safeguarding, reporting of accidents, fire prevention, security, health and safety, food safety, storing medicines and waste disposal etc. The main health and safety responsibilities of social care worker: My responsibilities are to take all of the health and safety trainings relevant to my work role and cooperate with others on health and safety issues. Wear personal protective clothing and ensure that I know how to use equipment for doing care related tasks.
- Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulation 1999 – Emphasize what employers are required to achieve under the Health and Safety at Work Act. - Health and Safety (First Aid) Regulation 1981 include amendment on 2009 - The Electricity at Work regulations 1989 - Manual Handling Operations Regulations 1992 – Sets out requirements for manual handling and moving and handling of people. - Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations 1995- sets out what needs to be reported. - Communicable diseases and infection control - Working Time Regulations 1998 - Care Standard Act 2000 - Control of exposure to Hazardous to Health 1999 - Food Safety Act 1990 and Food Hygiene Regulations 2005. - Environmental Protection Act 1990.
Duty of care also means that all needs of the individual are being met this includes • personal hygiene • Food and water • Entertainment • Social needs • Medication. Employers also have a duty of care too, Their duty of care is to make sure that all of their employees have and safe and healthy working environment. How duty of care affects social care workers? Duty of care can affect social care workers because they have to maintain a high level of care. This is done by following policy and procedures, Being able to recognise dangers and risk withing the work setting.
COSHH – The Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations 2002. The regulations are in place to ensure that the general requirement of an employer is to protect employees and other persons from the hazards of substances used at work by risk assessment, control of exposure, health surveillance and incident planning. COSHH requires settings to label all of hazardous substances clearly and ensure that they are stored correctly and out of harm’s way. At my setting we keep a copy of the COSHH handbook in our Health and Safety
Reporting of Injury, Disease and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations (RIDDOR) is relevant as it requires that any infection or disease that is work Related be recorded and reported. There are regulatory bodies such as the Health and Safety Executive (HSE), National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) and the Food Standards Agency (FSA) that produce standards to guide and inform infection prevention and control practices. The HSE is an independent regulator for work-related health, safety and illness; provide information and advice to reduce risks of accidents occurring in the workplace including the spread of
They are also responsible for any visitors to their premises such as customers, suppliers and the general public. The employer is also responsible for providing PPE , and training for employees. 2. Understand legislation and policies relating to prevention and control of infections 3.2 Outline current legislation and regulatory body standards which are relevant to the prevention and control of infection The current legislation and regulatory body standards for the prevention and control of infection are: * Health & Safety at Work Act 1974 * Control of Substance Hazardous to Health Regulations 2002: which require a risk management-based approach to infection control in Workplace environments. * The Management of Health & Safety at Work Regulations 1999.
Unit 8 – Manual Handling 1.1 – Identify legislation relating to general health and safety in a health and social care work setting. You are generally covered by the Health and Safety at work act 1974 (HAWAWA). 1.2 – Describe the main points of the health and safety policies and procedures agreed with the employer. -To make the workplace safe, - To make sure all machinery is stored and used correctly, - Make sure all protective clothing is being used, - To report all injuries, - To take reasonable care of your own health and safety, - To co-operate with your employer. 1.3 – Outline the main health and safety responsibilities of: Self -To take reasonable care of your own health and safety.
Unit 15 Understand health and safety in social care settings 1. Identify legislation relating to health and safety in social care settings 1.1 All health and safety regulations are governed by The Health & Safety Commission and Executive (HSC/E) who makes sure all requirements from local, national and European legislation are adhered to. The Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 is the primary piece of legislation covering occupational health and safety. Under this Act, the employer, the workers and the individuals being supported have responsibilities to ensure safety is maintained in the workplace. My employer displays a copy of this Act on premises.
Assignment A0 In this assignment I will be documenting my knowledge and understanding in safety, security and legislation. Health and safety at work act 1974 – this act was put into place to aid the protection of employers, employees and others (i.e. patients) in the work place, by securing a safe, healthy environment and being aware of the welfare of people in the working environment. As an employer it is your duty to ensure where it is reasonably practical that certain regulations are adhered to such as providing up to date training, information and supervision for all employees. Insuring the working environment is safe and providing correct welfare facilities.
Health and Safety within a social care setting Key legislation relating to health and safety in a social care setting Health and safety at work act 1974 Safety representatives and safety committees’ regulations 1977 COSHH - Control of substances hazardous to health regulations 2002 Personal Protective Equipment at work Regulations 1992 RIDDOR - Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations 2013 Manual Handling Operations Regulations 1992 Food Hygiene Regulations 2005 How health and safety policies and procedures protect people who use social care settings and people who work in social care settings All legislations mentioned above are very important to ensure the health and safety of people who use social care settings. Every piece of legislation describes not only clear guidance of responsibilities but also how we should maintain health and safety to eliminate risks for the people who use care settings. For example, Food Hygiene Regulations 2005 explains the responsibilities whilst handling food to avoid contamination and food poisoning which protects the people who use care settings. Another example is from COSHH which explains the responsibilities involving handling hazardous substances such as reducing using hazardous substances which will reduce exposure level as much as possible. Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 states that employers must provide manual handling training and maintain any equipment used for manual handling tasks therefore protecting staff as following the correct procedures will eliminate any risks of injury.