HEALTH AND SAFETY ASSIGNMENT

Ai A list of the key legislation relating to health and safety in a social care setting.

M1 – I am also going to describe how health and safety legislation, policies and procedures promote the safety of individuals in a health or social care setting.

All of the above mentioned legislations are crucial part of health and safety. Every piece of legislation describes not only clear guidance of responsibilities but also how should we maintain health and safety to eliminate risks for the people using social care settings. It is very important for us to follow health and safety policies and procedures to eradicate risks from workplace and maintain safe working environment.

Legislations/codes of practice relating to general health and safety in a health or social care work setting are: The Health and Safety at Work Act 1974; Riddor 1995, COSHH (Control of Substances Hazardous to Health); Manual Handling operations regulations 1992; Health And Safety (First aid regulations 1981); Fire protection (Workplace) Regulations 1997; Food Safety Act 1990; Personal Protective Equipment and Management of Health and safety at work regulations 1999.

In this assignment you will demonstrate your knowledge and understanding of health and safety in social care settings. You will use case studies to show your awareness of the legislative framework, identify hazards and assess levels of risk. You will demonstrate your awareness of the use of care or support plans and risk assessment in social care. You will investigate topical issues, examine incidents and make assessments of the appropriateness of the actions taken and you will prepare materials to enhance the safety awareness of others.

In conclusion, there are many hazards within health and social care, some of which are more easily avoided than others. These hazards can all have serious effects on the life of service users, from infection to possible death, these are especially dangerous especially when they develop into either intentional or unintentional harm or abuse. This shows how important it is that hazards and risks are frequently assessed and managed to ensure the safety of all that work at, live in or visit health and social care

According to the Health and Safety Act 1974 employers have to reduce risk ‘so far as it is reasonably practicable’ which means that employers have to make sure they look after health and safety procedures in the workplace and try to prevent the risk of incidents occurring in the organisation. Employers must safeguard the health and safety of individuals that work for them as well as customers/clients that could be visiting the premises.

The Act is known as an ‘enabling Act’, which means that other legislation can be made under it. The framework of legislation is based on Acts of Parliament being passed and Codes of Practice and Guidance being made under these to explain, in greater detail, the requirements of the Act itself.  The Health and Safety in Employment Act does not specify how particular hazards should be made safe, rather it allows for workplaces to find alternative ways ensure that their hazards do not cause harm. The practices contained in approved codes of practice are recommended are acceptable ways to prevent harming in particular situations.

1. All of the machines should be provided with all nessesary guards and with protective devices.

Researcher reviewed that adoption of health and safety measures is important to implement in any workplace as it promotes well-being and disease free environment. As per Health and Safety Act 1974, workers can be assigned for individual responsibility and it can be applied to both employers and employees. This act also ensures that any safety tool or measures cannot be hampered as it is for general interest of staffs, clients and visitors (Zanko and Dawson, 2012).

The main reason for the work Health and safety act 2011 (WHS) is to provide a nationally constant scheme, by which to secure the health and wellbeing of workers. The WHS was created to protect workers and other persons from harm when in a working environment. It also serves to curtail working risk and enhance safety protocols. The WHS provides a framework for the continuous improvement of standards in worker health and safety. The main objectives of the WHS are to secure the health, safety and welfare of persons at work and to protect persons at a place of work against risks to health and

The roles and responsibilities of regulatory bodies which monitor and enforce the legislative framework for health and safety

Health and Safety Regulations aim to improve safety in workplaces, making employers and employees equally responsible for ensuring that they protect themselves and others from accident and injury. The regulations refer to such things as clean kitchens, safety guards on machinery etc., If an employee is injured at work because of breaches of these rules then compensation can be awarded. Most health and safety legislation places place the responsibility of health and safety on the employers. The responsibilities may however be delegated to other competent persons such as fire warders, first aiders and care takers but the employer still

Daily health and social carer are in touch with legislation, policies and procedures. The aim of the social carer or family supporter is to provide a qualitative service to the individual. This essay will consider the ways in which health and safety requirements have an impact on the customer and the work of practitioners in the health and social care sector. There will be a range of examples regarding the work place to underpin how health and safety legislations are implemented in the health and social care workplace.

According to Health and Safety at Work Act (1974) also known as (HASW), it’s the primary legislation covering health related in England. Under this Act it’s important that employers undertake risk assessment, communicate health and Safety to their employees and anyone who may be affected by its activities. It also requires employee’s’ to maintain the working environment, handling dangerous substances and to be provided with suitable training to ensure health and safety in workplace and to be provided with any personal protective and safety equipment free of charge (HSE, 2011).