Level 2 Diploma in Health and Social Care Dementia Pathway

Describe the factors to take into account when planning healthy & safe indoor & outdoor environments & services.

‘Health and Safety at Work Act or ‘HASAW’ is an act put in place by the UK parliament and is the main piece of health and safety legislation. This sets out that employers have a duty of care to all employees to protect their health, safety and welfare at work’.

What are your responsibilities under current health and safety legislation, standards and guidance, eg the Health & Safety at Work Act (and any other relevant legislation).

Answer – The Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 is the main piece of the health and safety legislation in Great Britain. It provides the legal framework to promote and encourage high standards in the workplace.

The Health and Safety at Work Act was put in place in 1974. This primary legislation covers occupational health and safety ensuring employees and employers are safe within their working environment.

Outcome 1 Understanding the different responsibilities relating to health and safety in social care settings.

Employers must provide a safe working environment for all of their employees. The legislation states it is an employer’s duty "to ensure, so far as is reasonably practicable, the health, safety and welfare at work" of all their employees as well as others on their premises, including temps, casual workers, the self-employed, clients, visitors and the general public.Workers health is paramount within an organisation, employers must ensure that all workers health is not affected by the work they are doing and put in place all necessities to prevent this. The Health and Safety at Work Act sets out specific standards which can add costs to a business, however these costs are considered essential for the safety of all workers. Most of the costs come from training staff about health and safety and putting in place procedures to maintain this. This act prevents unfair unsafe working conditions which in turn reduces the likelihood of accidents or injury at work. If a worker has injured themselves at work due to something which could have been otherwise prevented by the company had the followed the guidelines of the Health and Safety at Work Act they company may be required to pay out for the injury. For those who employ five or more staff, employers must also keep and revise a written record of health and safety policy and consult

The Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 is the primary piece of legislation covering work-related health and safety. It sets out a lot of your employer’s responsibilities for your health and safety at work.

| HSE is the national independent watchdog for work-related health, safety and illness. They are an independent regulator and act in the public interest to reduce work related death and serious injury across Great Britain’s workplaces. They provide information on all industries and the topics that they may need to cover.

Section 2 of the HSW Act deals with employersʹ duties, and states: ʺIt shall be the duty of all employers to ensure, so far as is reasonably practicable, the health safety and welfare of all their employees whilst they are at work.ʺ

1.1 - Explain the legislative framework for health, safety and risk management in the work setting. The Health and safety at Work etc. Act 1974 is the major piece of the health and safety legislation in Great Britain. It provides the legal framework to promote, stimulate and encourage high standards.

Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974 (also referred to as HSWA, the HSW Act, the 1974 Act or HASAWA) is the primary piece of legislation covering occupational health and safety in Great Britain.

Health and safety legislations and regulations are implemented in own work settings because there will always be a possibility of accidents happening which may damage someone’s health and all work will expose people to hazards, however the health and safety legislations and regulations are put in place and used so that these risks and hazards are under control and so everyone’s health (staff and children) are safe at all costs.

Understand how health and safety legislation is implemented in the health and social care workplace

In 1974, the Health and Safety at Work Act, also referred to as HSWA, was put in place to make further terms for securing the health, safety and welfare of a person within a working environment, making it the prime piece of legislation to cover the occupational health and safety in Great Britain. Everybody within a workforce has the duty to obey the act in order to promote, stimulate and encourage high standards of health and safety so that themselves, their employees, their fellow peers and the members of the public feel safe. Employees must be provided with the appropriate clothing and equipment for their own safety and protection. Additionally, all machinery that is used, if needed, should be of high standards and regularly checked to make sure that it is still suitable for use.