Infection Control Essay

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Unit 4222-264 Unit ICO1 Outcome 1: We have a duty of care as employees to take precautionary measures to prevent and control the spread of infection in the workplace. This involves working safely to protect ourselves, colleagues, visitors and individuals from infection and contamination. Some of the legislation and regulations that relate to the control and prevention of infection include: The Health and Safety at Work Act (HASAWA) The Control of Substances Hazardous to Health (COSHH) Also the Reporting of Injury, Disease and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations (RIDDOR). It is very important as employees that we are aware of this legislation so that we can work safely. In our workplaces we should have information provided in the health and safety file and COSHH file. As employees we should attend all necessary training regarding infection control and the prevention of. This training should be repeated every year. If you observe a member of staff cleaning body fluids and hazardous materials without protective equipment (PPE) you should report it to a senior staff member and not ignore it as this may cause infection to spread. All gloves and aprons that have been worn should be removed and disposed of correctly. All soiled items if disposable should be disposed of correctly. Effective hand washing is a good way to prevent infection from spreading. It is also important that all equipment is cleaned correctly to avoid cross infection, this is because infection can spread from one person to another through instruments, linen and equipment. 2: The employer has a responsibility to provide PPE equipment and to ensure the environment in which you work is safe, food preparation areas are clean and maintained to comply with food hygiene legislation. The employer should also provide training for all staff, along with yearly updates and regular supervision. The
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