* Secure the workplace health, safety & welfare of employees * Protect persons (including the general public) at or near workplaces from risks to health & safety arising out of work activities * Ensure that expert occupational health & safety advice is available to employers, employees & contractors * Promote work environments that are adapted to the health & safety needs of employees * Provide workplaces that are free from unnecessary stress & that are secure * Foster cooperation & consultation between employers & employees on matters related to employee health, safety & welfare. Assessment Activity 3: 1. Explain, in your own words, what Duty of Care means to you. Duty of Care is a legal requirement; in which a person must take all means possible to ensure the health, safety & welfare of themselves, workers, general public & contractors, by anticipating possible causes of injury & illness & undertaking prompt actions to remove or minimise these risks, as is reasonably practicable. 2.
The Act, when first introduced, provided an integrated system dealing with workplace health and safety and the protection of the public from work activities. By placing duties upon employees, employers, the self-employed, manufacturers, and importers of work equipment and materials, the protection of the law, rights and responsibilities are available and given to all in a workplace. An employer has a general duty to, as far as is reasonably practicable, safeguard the health, safety and welfare of employees by ensuring that places and equipment are safe; safe handling, storage, maintenance and transport of articles and substances; provision for employees of information, instruction, training and supervision; a safe working environment and adequate welfare facilities; safe access and a safe system of work. The Health and Safety Poster must be displayed in the setting. COSHH – The Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations 2002.
This legislation’s primary goals are: To ensure the health, safety and welfare of people at work To protect others from risks arising from the activities of people at work To control the use and storage of dangerous substances To control the emission into the atmosphere of noxious or offensive substances Other legislation relating to health and safety in social care are as follows The Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1992, which supports the health and safety act. The Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations (known as COSHH) which ensures safe storage and usage of any substances that could harm other workers or service users. The Manual Handling Regulations of 1992, which sets out methods and requirements to be met when manually handling objects, as well as people. The Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations 1985 (known as RIDDOR) outlines what is required to be recorded and reported. Food safety act 1990 Personal Protective Equipment at Work Regulations (PPE) 1992 Lifting Operations and Lifting Equipment Regulations (LOLER) 1998 Explain how Health and Safety Procedures protect those in social care settings Health and Safety in social care settings is paramount and procedures should
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.
1.2Describe the main points of health and safety policies and procedures. The main points of health and safety policies and procedures is to follow them by agreed ways of working between employees and employers as well as other outside person(s).Ensuring approved codes of practice within the health and social care setting, in which relate to health and safety. These include recording and reporting procedures; such as how we deal with accidents and / or injuries, as well as emergency and / or first aid situations, for example the administering of first aid only if trained to do so. Other policies and procedures include, general working conditions and the environment we work in, to report and record any “unsafe” conditions, including the use of any equipment that maybe used, adhering to regulations in regards to use of such equipment, whether it be electrical / mechanical, such equipment that may be used when moving and handling, which in turn have own set of guidelines, policies and procedures to adhere to. There are also many other policies and procedure that must be adhered to, own personal safety as well as their
- To report any injuries or illness. - To tell your employer if something happens that might affect your ability to work. The employer/manager -To make the workplace safe. - To prevent risk’s to health. -Ensure that machinery is safe to use.
An employer’s responsibilities are based on duty of care of the people in their workplace – that is staff, service users and anyone else who comes to the workplace. The main points of the health and safety Policies and procedures agreed with the employer are Agreed ways of working, Who is responsible for monitoring each aspect of H&S, The aims of the policies, Details of regulations, How the organisation aims to reduce risks, Training and procedures used to reduce risks, Arrangements for fire, first aid and emergencies and Control measures for hazards – such as medication. 3. As a support worker employee, I take Health and Safety seriously and the welfare of others in also paramount, so my main responsibilities include taking reasonable care of myself and others, wearing the correct PPE. I also have to use equipment correctly, including chemicals and substances.
There are many regulations, laws and guidelines dealing with health and safety. You don’t need to know the detail but you do need to know where your responsibilities begin and end. The law places certain responsibilities on both employer and employee for example it is up to the employer to provide a safe place in which to work, but the employee also has to show reasonable care for his or her own safety. Employers have to provide a safe workplace ensure that there is safe access to and from the workplace provide information on health and safety provides health and safety training, undertake risk assessments for all hazards. Workers must take reasonable care for their own safety and that of others co-operate with the employer in respect of health and safety matters not intentionally damaging any health and safety equipment or material provided by the employer.
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 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. It also states employers must provide other appropriate training such as food hygiene and first aid, courses will ensure staff members have the knowledge to complete tasks correctly which will eliminate/minimize risks. Another example is from the Personal Protective Equipment Regulations, wearing PPE and