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Individual needs within the health and social care sectors. Hazards in health and social care environments. What is the difference between a hazard and a risk?. Hazard is the object that could potentially hurt someone Risk is the harm it could do.
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Individual needs within the health and social care sectors Hazards in health and social care environments
What is the difference between a hazard and a risk? • Hazard is the object that • could potentially hurt someone • Risk is the harm it could do
The Health & Safety Executive suggests the following five-point process: • for Hazards • Decide who might be at harm, and how. • Evaluate the risks arising from the hazards and decide whether more should be done. • For example in a nursery: • Hazard – adult-size tables • Risk – children might hurt themselves on the corners • Level of risk to children – high • Minimise risk – buy small tables designed for children • Risk – adults could hurt themselves on the corners • Level of risk to adults - low
Record your findings. – using an assessment form. This should show that: • Checks have been made • Hazards have been dealt with • The number of people affected has been considered • Precautions have been taken to reduce the risk. • 5.Review your assessment from time to time and revise if necessary.
Hazards in care settings Hazards are all around you, but carefully managed they will do no harm. A safety audit in your chosen care setting will identify hazards and their associate risks and show how risks can be minimised.
Toys • Toys are not unsafe but can be the cause of some accidents for example: A toy intended for an older child is given to a younger child or a toy that has been left in the wrong place and people trip over them. • Toys are involved in over 40,000 accidents each year (Royal Society for the prevention of Accidents, 2005). • All toys bought in the UK must conform to the Toy Safety Regulations 1995.
Control of infectious diseases • Protective Clothing must be worn when: • coming into contact with bodily fluids or wastes. • Disposing of waste. • Caring for someone who is being treated for an infection. • Changing soiled linen. • Hand washing – the most important way to prevent cross – infection is to wash your hands • Wearing gloves will offer a protective barrier against infection.
Fire Precautions (Workplace) Regulations 1997 BUILDING EVACUATION PROCEDURES IN THE EVENT OF FIRE OR BOMB ALERT: • Raising the alarm • On hearing the alarm: Staff in senior positions proceed to control point All other staff: Close windows and doors etc Assist able colleagues Check the locality is clear • Assembly points • DO NOT re-enter the building until you are told it is safe to do so.
Manual Handling Operations Regulations 1992 • Poor lifting techniques result in many thousands of lost working hours due to injury. • The Health & Safety Executive (HSE) has set out guidelines to follow to avoid muscular and skeletal injury.
Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations (RIDDOR) 1995 • Information provided to the HSE can be used to perform risk assessments. • Every workplace should have an accident report form.
Control of Substances Hazardous to Health (COSHH) Regulations 2002 • The law is designed to ensure that employers control exposure to hazardous substances in the workplace. • A member from the workplace should be responsible for implementing the guidelines of COSHH