Assignment 307 Answers
Assignment 307
Task A
Ai) Key legislation relating to health and safety in a social care setting: * Health and safety at work act 1974 * Manual handling operations regulations 1992 * The Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations 2002 * Reporting injuries, diseases and dangerous occurrences * First aid regulations 1981 * Management of health and safety at work regulations 1999
Aii) Health and safety policies and procedures protect people using health and social care settings in a variety of different ways. Some policies and procedures are fundamental tools that shape the way the service providers deliver their care or support. Health and safety policies and procedures protect service users by ensuring that they are not exposed to preventable, dangerous situations. For example; in my work setting, many of the companions work on the farm. The farm team does vigorous health and safety checks on the working environment and equipment to ensure that it is safe for use for both service users and providers. If these checks were …show more content…
not completed, one risks exposing others to dangerous situations, which could have otherwise been prevented. Policies and procedures ensure the continual maintenance and renewal of regulations relating to the provision of work and work environment to ensure that the safety of those involved in the delivery and receiving is maintained at all times.
Aiii) Health and safety policies and procedures are also implemented to protect the service providers in a given work setting. Related policies and procedures give clear and detailed instructions as to what to do in the case of a health and safety related issue. Health and safety policies also ensure that staff members are well informed of the procedures relating to health and safety matters and provide training and guidance when necessary. Policies and procedures relating to health and safety also provide people with information regarding the risks involved in any given health and safety related task. For example, manual handling policies and procedures are put in place to minimise the risk of injury when completing manual handling operations. Policies and procedures provide service providers the necessary responsibilities and limitations of their job description and deliver detailed guidelines on how to best handle certain situations.
Aiv) Although there are a great number of health and safety related policies and procedures in any given social care setting, the responsibilities between the different individuals vary hugely depending on who you are and what relationship you have within the service. Social care providers for example have a responsibility to follow regulations, policies and procedures relating to the provision of their care in order to deliver a high standard of personalised treatment to service users. They should also take reasonable measures to ensure that they do not put themselves in unnecessarily risky situations. Employees should also adhere to their companies risk assessment management policies and be aware of the individuals they are supporting own personal support or care plans to ensure they are not exposed to risks that may jeopardise their health and safety. Employees should also adhere to the documentation processes that are in place at their work setting to preserve the health and safety of the people they are supporting. For example; filling out an incident form when a dangerous incident has occurred. Employers on the other hand have a very different role, they are required by law to provide safe and hygienic working environments and offer items of personal protection where necessary. Employers are also legally obliged to provide safe and well-maintained working equipment and offer adequate training to staff and service users where necessary. Employers also have a legal obligation to provide information relating to matters of health and safety, for example, providing a health and safety poster in work environments. They also need to ensure that this information is readily accessible for all who need it; this can include adapting information for those who have communication issues. However, people that are not employed by the company or are not using the service, for example, visitors, volunteers or contractors have less detailed responsibilities in that they are only required to ensure that they do not put themselves in unnecessarily risky situations – providing the employer has taken steps to inform them of the risks that they may come into contact with. For example, using ‘wet floor’ signs if there has been a flood or spillage that may cause someone to slip. Av) In some situations it is necessary for the service user to take risks. It is important that they are fully aware of the potential advantages and/ or disadvantages of taking a particular risk. For example, one person I support is deemed to have both the physical and mental capacity to go horse riding and so he was required to make the decision whether he would like to take part in that activity. After being informed of the risks and benefits involved he was able to make an educated decision. By consenting to the activity he also consented to taking the responsibility oh his own health and safety whilst taking part in that activity.
Avi) Each of the following tasks should only be carried out by staff whom have received specific training. * Use of equipment. In health and social care settings you will come into contact with a wide variety of simple and complex equipment. You should never use equipment you have not been trained to use in order to preserve not only your own health and safety, but also the health and safety of the people you are supporting. For example, if you were to use a hoist to help someone get in the bath, but you were not trained on how to use the device; then you risk injuring the person you are supporting by not managing the equipment in the right way and you also put your own health and safety at risk as you may hurt or injure yourself if you do not use the device in the correct manner. Back injuries are common when using equipment designed to support another person. You will be held liable for any damage to yourself or others if completing manual handling tasks without adequate training. * First aid. You should not carry out first aid tasks unless you have been trained. This is because you may cause more injury or damage if you carry out a first aid procedure in the wrong way. For example, a casualty may be suffering from a cardiac arrest and they may urgently need medical assistance. If you are untrained you should not attempt to carry out chest compressions as you may hinder the person’s chances of recovery if you do so. If you are untrained in first aid and are supporting a service user who has a high degree of likelihood to receive first aid care then you should be supported by a member of staff who is trained to carry out first aid medical care to minimise the risk of the individual being put in harmful or dangerous situations. * Medication. You should never under any circumstances administer medication to service users unless you are trained to do so. This is because without training you run the risk of wrongly administering medication to service users, which can be potentially lethal. For example, without training you will not be aware of the recording and documentation processes, which you are legally obliged to complete when administering any form of medication. You will also be unaware of the individual’s own specific medication needs, you may inadvertently give someone medication that they are allergic to or medication that will affect any other medication they are taking. For example, if a service user is taking medicine containing aspirin or other pain medicines like ibuprofen while taking warfarin, it will increase the risk of internal bleeding, which is potentially life threatening. It is also important to be trained in medication administration because you need to know how to correctly handle the medication and be well informed of the procedures relating to the administering and handling of medication in the event of a refusal, recording error and so on. * You need to be trained on how to assist in moving and handling before completing such tasks because doing so without training will put not only yourself at risk but others as well. Completing manual handling operations without training may cause you to suffer from injuries and accidents, which could have otherwise been prevented. Incorrect manual handling is one of the most common causes of injury at work and can cause serious back and muscle damage. It causes work-related musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) that account for over a third of all workplace injuries. Heavy manual labor, awkward postures, manual materials handling, and previous or existing injury are all risk factors related to developing such disorders. For example, if you were to use a hoist but were not trained on how to do so, you risk injuring yourself by not using the equipment properly, but you also put the service user at risk as they may fall from the hoist due to your lack of training on how to support people using a hoist. * Emergency procedures. You should not carry out any emergency procedures unless you have been trained to do so because you will not be aware of the specific procedure in place. For example, if there was a fire, of course your main responsibility would be to ensure that the service users have evacuated the building, however if you were to tackle the fire yourself due to lack of training on how to best handle this kind of emergency, then you run the risk of jeopardizing your own health and safety. Being trained on how to handle emergency situations is vital because it ensures that you know the safe procedures and provides you with information regarding your own responsibilities in such an event. * You should not handle or prepare food until you have received adequate training.
This is because there are a huge abundance of regulations and risks involved in the handling and preparation of food for those receiving a service. If you carry out food preparation tasks without training you run the risk of jeopardizing your health and safety and the health and safety of the people that will be consuming the food. For example, if you are untrained in the matter you may not be aware that you should use different chopping boards for preparing different foods. If you used a chopping board to prepare raw chicken and then went on to use the same chopping board to prepare a salad you may run the risk of poisoning the people you are preparing food for. In such cases where cross contamination occurs, food poisoning, such as salmonella poses a high risk to health and safety and can be potentially life
threatening.
Avii) Fire – If you discover a fire you should first raise the alarm to the other staff members and the emergency services if necessary. The next thing you must do is to ensure that all the companions are evacuated from the building and assisted to the nearest assembly point. A register must then be taken by the delegated fire marshal to ensure that all the people in the house are at the assembly point. You should never under any circumstances re-enter the building until it is safe to do so.
To prevent a fire you should ensure that all facilities using naked flames are securely maintained and not used by companions that pose a risk after completion of an in-depth risk assessment. You should also be vigilant in ensuring that you do not create a potential fire hazard, i.e. – putting paper near a stove.
Gas leak – Gas fires, gas space heaters and boiling systems over fourteen kilowatts gross input should be kept in a sealed room away from sleeping environments. Each household displays a notice of the procedures to follow in the case or suspected case of a gas leak. If any person suspects a gas leak they must first raise the alarm. They must not use any matches or naked flames; they should not operate electrical switches or devices. You should then turn off meter control clock and/ or isolate the mains gas supply. You should then ventilate the premises and immediately telephone the Gas Emergency Centre.
To prevent a gas leak you should ensure that all gas related facilities are regularly checked and well maintained.
Flood – If you discover a flood you should first raise the alarm, either verbally or by the use of ‘wet floor signs’. You should then determine whether the emergency services need calling or whether you can simply notify the on-site safety officer. You then need to ensure all companions evacuate the house (if necessary) and assist them to the nearest assembly point. You should then close site facilities and isolate the flooded area in serious incidents. You should restrict access to the flooded area until it has been deemed safe enough to re-enter the area.
To prevent a flood you should ensure that drainage systems are checked regularly, ensure that machines or facilities using water are properly functioning and well maintained. Use of sandbags in areas where water can enter the building from outside.
Intruder – You should first approach and greet person. Ascertain the legitimate purpose to be on site. If needed, ask person to leave. If life threatening, call the emergency services and ask for the police. Notify other staff members. If intruder cannot be removed, instruct all personnel to avoid contact with intruder. Remove companions and staff from vicinity of intruder.
To prevent an intruder you should ensure that all windows and doors to the building are locked at night and when the premises are not in use. You should also secure all items of value and documents in cabinets under lock and key to prevent theft in the case of an intruder.
Security breach - If you discover a security breach you should first raise the alarm to senior members of staff where further action will be taken. You should inform them of who may be at risk due to the breach and ensure that measures are put in place to prevent similar occurrences in the future.
To prevent a security breach you should ensure that all electronic data is encrypted. Ensure all written documents are kept under lock and key in a secure filing system and be aware of any suspicious changes to data or data protection measures.
Aviii) It is important to have an emergency plan in place to deal with the event of unforeseen circumstances to ensure that they emergency can be safely handled and diffused. Emergency plans act as a safety net that specify procedures for handling sudden or unexpected situations and give guidance as to how to recognize hazardous conditions that can aggravate an emergency situation. The fundamental objective of an emergency plan is to reduce the possible consequences of the emergency by, reducing damage to buildings, equipment and service users/providers, preventing fatalities and injuries and increasing the rate of resuming normal operations.
Aix) You should encourage others to follow safety procedures to ensure that they do not put themselves in unnecessarily risky situations. You can encourage others to follow safety procedures by informing them of the risks associated by not following your company’s procedures. You may also be able to offer your own experiences if you have an example of how such noncompliance can cause altercations. You should offer information that you know can be easily understood and retained by the recipient in order to support them to follow safety procedures. It is also possible to encourage others by acting as a good role model to encourage your colleagues and service users to do the same.
Ax) You can access additional support and information relating to health and safety in a number of ways. For example, you can ask your colleagues; this could include: a trained first aider, fire marshal, named health and safety person and senior members of staff. You can also access information relating to health and safety matters through law association ambassadors, such as a solicitor or lawyer. There are a number of governing bodies that provide support and guidance relating to matters of health and safety, in my workplace we have health and safety enforcement authorities that can be contacted when necessary to discuss health and safety related concerns.
Bi) A risk assessment will determine James’s overall competency in handling daily living tasks independently. This may help his mother to see how capable James is and may help her to feel more at ease about the idea of him living independently. A risk assessment will also be able to determine how safe James is when completing daily tasks independently. Where James’s health or safety may be at risk, one can use the risk assessment to consider and implement alternative solutions in order to reduce the risk of him being put in dangerous or harmful situations. One can then develop adaptions to support James to live independently, as he wishes. A risk assessment can also make it possible for various ‘safety measures’ to be put in place. For example, if he required assistance with cooking, he may be able to attend a food safety and hygiene course so that he can make better-educated decisions relating to his culinary skills and choices. Risk assessments help to completely remove or at least significantly minimize the risk of an individual’s health, safety and wellbeing from being jeopardized. This may also help his mother to feel more comfortable with the idea of him living independently. Overall, the use of a risk assessment can offer reassurance to James’s mother and help her to feel more comfortable with the idea. The risk assessment can offer solutions to somewhat challenging situations so that all parties involved feel comfortable with the agreed outcomes.
Bii)
* To prevent illness, contamination or poisoning from the handling and preparation of food. Educating the individual about the dangers of poor food hygiene management helps to prevent the risk. For example, you must always use a meat thermometer when cooking raw meats to prevent food poisoning. * To prevent those preparing the food from injuring themselves. For example, you should be shown how to correctly handle potentially dangerous equipment, such as knives. * To determine the risks associated with food preparation and handling and put in place preventative measures to minimize the occurrence of the risk. * To determine whether or not someone has the competency to make safe and hygienic decisions relating to the handling and preparation of food. For example, if an individual cannot retain information effectively, then no amount of training will be beneficial in reducing the risk. * To teach skills and offer an understanding as to why certain procedures need to be followed. For example, using only colour coded chopping boards to prevent the risk of cross contamination, which can lead to serious food poisoning. * To create a safe working environment where all equipment and food is well maintained, securely stored and adequately disposed of when necessary.
Biii) Storing food safely: * All food that should be correctly stored and must be clearly labeled, stating; the contense, the date it was produced and when it should be disposed of. * Food should be stored in the fridge in a specific order, with vegetables and fruit in the lidded draw at the bottom of the fridge, raw meats at the bottom of the fridge on the first shelf above the vegetable draw. Cooked meats and pates should be stored above the raw meats section and cheese and dairy products should be stored at the top of the fridge. * Rice should never be reheated, it can however be stored in a seal tight container in the fridge and consumed within three days of production. * Seal tight containers should be used to store loose food in the fridge and normally consumed within three days of production. * Freezing food significantly increases the period of time it is suitable for consumption. For example bread can be frozen for approximately four weeks and still be safe for consumption. * You should not put warm food into the fridge as it will affect the overall temperature of the fridge and may cause other food items to become unsafe for consumption. * You should avoid mixing food that you know others have allergies to.
Handling food safely: * Always wash your hands before touching any food. * Regularly wash your hands when handling food. * Ensure that utensils, equipment and the facilities are well maintained and regularly checked. Only use equipment that you have been trained to use. * Ensure that preparation surfaces (including chopping boards) are clean before use and disinfected after use. * If you are using fresh produce, such as organic vegetables, always ensure to wash them thoroughly before serving or cooking. * Use only colour coded chopping boards to avoid cross contamination. * Wear hairnets, aprons and gloves when appropriate. * Use a thermometer to ensure that raw meat is thoroughly cooked before it is consumed.
Dispose of food safely: * Compost foods that can be organically disposed of. This includes all vegetables, fruits, wheat based products, eggshells, nutshells, teabags etc. Dairy, meat and oil based products should not be disposed of in this way. * Dispose of cooking oils and fats by collecting them in a jar. Do not pour hot oil or fat from cooking down the sink drain, this can cause serious plumbing problems. Throw the jar of fat into the normal rubbish when it gets full. Do not recycle the jar. * Use the waste disposal system attached to the sink to eliminate waste products after a meal. * Reduce the need to dispose of food by shopping for it and storing properly. Use left overs where possible and preserve foods by freezing them.
Biv) If you do not follow food safety standards in a social care setting you may run the risk of poisoning the people you are cooking for. Salmonella is a type of food poisoning one suffers after consuming infected beef, poultry, milk or eggs. If somebody suffers from food poisoning prior to you preparing it for them you may be held liable for endangering the health and safety of another individual. By incorrectly handling food you are endangering the health and lives of the people you are serving, which is both morally unjust and legally unaccounted for. In some extreme cases where people have died from food poisoning you may be subject to legal allegations and can even be charged with man slaughter if found guilty. If you are preparing food for service users you have a legal obligation to ensure that the food you are serving is adequately prepared and all necessary health and hygiene measures have been taken to ensure the food is fit for consumption. If you are found to be poorly handling and preparing food you may be suspended from work while your employer determines what measures need to be taken. If you are found to be deliberately handling and preparing food in a less than adequate manner you may be even be dismissed from work.
References
Hse.gov.uk. 1992. Manual handling. [online] Available at: http://www.hse.gov.uk/toolbox/manual.htm [Accessed: 9 Jun 2013].
Task A
Ai) Key legislation relating to health and safety in a social care setting: * Health and safety at work act 1974 * Manual handling operations regulations 1992 * The Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations 2002 * Reporting injuries, diseases and dangerous occurrences * First aid regulations 1981 * Management of health and safety at work regulations 1999
Aii) Health and safety policies and procedures protect people using health and social care settings in a variety of different ways. Some policies and procedures are fundamental tools that shape the way the service providers deliver their care or support. Health and safety policies and procedures protect service users by ensuring that they are not exposed to preventable, dangerous situations. For example; in my work setting, many of the companions work on the farm. The farm team does vigorous health and safety checks on the working environment and equipment to ensure that it is safe for use for both service users and providers. If these checks were …show more content…
not completed, one risks exposing others to dangerous situations, which could have otherwise been prevented. Policies and procedures ensure the continual maintenance and renewal of regulations relating to the provision of work and work environment to ensure that the safety of those involved in the delivery and receiving is maintained at all times.
Aiii) Health and safety policies and procedures are also implemented to protect the service providers in a given work setting. Related policies and procedures give clear and detailed instructions as to what to do in the case of a health and safety related issue. Health and safety policies also ensure that staff members are well informed of the procedures relating to health and safety matters and provide training and guidance when necessary. Policies and procedures relating to health and safety also provide people with information regarding the risks involved in any given health and safety related task. For example, manual handling policies and procedures are put in place to minimise the risk of injury when completing manual handling operations. Policies and procedures provide service providers the necessary responsibilities and limitations of their job description and deliver detailed guidelines on how to best handle certain situations.
Aiv) Although there are a great number of health and safety related policies and procedures in any given social care setting, the responsibilities between the different individuals vary hugely depending on who you are and what relationship you have within the service. Social care providers for example have a responsibility to follow regulations, policies and procedures relating to the provision of their care in order to deliver a high standard of personalised treatment to service users. They should also take reasonable measures to ensure that they do not put themselves in unnecessarily risky situations. Employees should also adhere to their companies risk assessment management policies and be aware of the individuals they are supporting own personal support or care plans to ensure they are not exposed to risks that may jeopardise their health and safety. Employees should also adhere to the documentation processes that are in place at their work setting to preserve the health and safety of the people they are supporting. For example; filling out an incident form when a dangerous incident has occurred. Employers on the other hand have a very different role, they are required by law to provide safe and hygienic working environments and offer items of personal protection where necessary. Employers are also legally obliged to provide safe and well-maintained working equipment and offer adequate training to staff and service users where necessary. Employers also have a legal obligation to provide information relating to matters of health and safety, for example, providing a health and safety poster in work environments. They also need to ensure that this information is readily accessible for all who need it; this can include adapting information for those who have communication issues. However, people that are not employed by the company or are not using the service, for example, visitors, volunteers or contractors have less detailed responsibilities in that they are only required to ensure that they do not put themselves in unnecessarily risky situations – providing the employer has taken steps to inform them of the risks that they may come into contact with. For example, using ‘wet floor’ signs if there has been a flood or spillage that may cause someone to slip. Av) In some situations it is necessary for the service user to take risks. It is important that they are fully aware of the potential advantages and/ or disadvantages of taking a particular risk. For example, one person I support is deemed to have both the physical and mental capacity to go horse riding and so he was required to make the decision whether he would like to take part in that activity. After being informed of the risks and benefits involved he was able to make an educated decision. By consenting to the activity he also consented to taking the responsibility oh his own health and safety whilst taking part in that activity.
Avi) Each of the following tasks should only be carried out by staff whom have received specific training. * Use of equipment. In health and social care settings you will come into contact with a wide variety of simple and complex equipment. You should never use equipment you have not been trained to use in order to preserve not only your own health and safety, but also the health and safety of the people you are supporting. For example, if you were to use a hoist to help someone get in the bath, but you were not trained on how to use the device; then you risk injuring the person you are supporting by not managing the equipment in the right way and you also put your own health and safety at risk as you may hurt or injure yourself if you do not use the device in the correct manner. Back injuries are common when using equipment designed to support another person. You will be held liable for any damage to yourself or others if completing manual handling tasks without adequate training. * First aid. You should not carry out first aid tasks unless you have been trained. This is because you may cause more injury or damage if you carry out a first aid procedure in the wrong way. For example, a casualty may be suffering from a cardiac arrest and they may urgently need medical assistance. If you are untrained you should not attempt to carry out chest compressions as you may hinder the person’s chances of recovery if you do so. If you are untrained in first aid and are supporting a service user who has a high degree of likelihood to receive first aid care then you should be supported by a member of staff who is trained to carry out first aid medical care to minimise the risk of the individual being put in harmful or dangerous situations. * Medication. You should never under any circumstances administer medication to service users unless you are trained to do so. This is because without training you run the risk of wrongly administering medication to service users, which can be potentially lethal. For example, without training you will not be aware of the recording and documentation processes, which you are legally obliged to complete when administering any form of medication. You will also be unaware of the individual’s own specific medication needs, you may inadvertently give someone medication that they are allergic to or medication that will affect any other medication they are taking. For example, if a service user is taking medicine containing aspirin or other pain medicines like ibuprofen while taking warfarin, it will increase the risk of internal bleeding, which is potentially life threatening. It is also important to be trained in medication administration because you need to know how to correctly handle the medication and be well informed of the procedures relating to the administering and handling of medication in the event of a refusal, recording error and so on. * You need to be trained on how to assist in moving and handling before completing such tasks because doing so without training will put not only yourself at risk but others as well. Completing manual handling operations without training may cause you to suffer from injuries and accidents, which could have otherwise been prevented. Incorrect manual handling is one of the most common causes of injury at work and can cause serious back and muscle damage. It causes work-related musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) that account for over a third of all workplace injuries. Heavy manual labor, awkward postures, manual materials handling, and previous or existing injury are all risk factors related to developing such disorders. For example, if you were to use a hoist but were not trained on how to do so, you risk injuring yourself by not using the equipment properly, but you also put the service user at risk as they may fall from the hoist due to your lack of training on how to support people using a hoist. * Emergency procedures. You should not carry out any emergency procedures unless you have been trained to do so because you will not be aware of the specific procedure in place. For example, if there was a fire, of course your main responsibility would be to ensure that the service users have evacuated the building, however if you were to tackle the fire yourself due to lack of training on how to best handle this kind of emergency, then you run the risk of jeopardizing your own health and safety. Being trained on how to handle emergency situations is vital because it ensures that you know the safe procedures and provides you with information regarding your own responsibilities in such an event. * You should not handle or prepare food until you have received adequate training.
This is because there are a huge abundance of regulations and risks involved in the handling and preparation of food for those receiving a service. If you carry out food preparation tasks without training you run the risk of jeopardizing your health and safety and the health and safety of the people that will be consuming the food. For example, if you are untrained in the matter you may not be aware that you should use different chopping boards for preparing different foods. If you used a chopping board to prepare raw chicken and then went on to use the same chopping board to prepare a salad you may run the risk of poisoning the people you are preparing food for. In such cases where cross contamination occurs, food poisoning, such as salmonella poses a high risk to health and safety and can be potentially life
threatening.
Avii) Fire – If you discover a fire you should first raise the alarm to the other staff members and the emergency services if necessary. The next thing you must do is to ensure that all the companions are evacuated from the building and assisted to the nearest assembly point. A register must then be taken by the delegated fire marshal to ensure that all the people in the house are at the assembly point. You should never under any circumstances re-enter the building until it is safe to do so.
To prevent a fire you should ensure that all facilities using naked flames are securely maintained and not used by companions that pose a risk after completion of an in-depth risk assessment. You should also be vigilant in ensuring that you do not create a potential fire hazard, i.e. – putting paper near a stove.
Gas leak – Gas fires, gas space heaters and boiling systems over fourteen kilowatts gross input should be kept in a sealed room away from sleeping environments. Each household displays a notice of the procedures to follow in the case or suspected case of a gas leak. If any person suspects a gas leak they must first raise the alarm. They must not use any matches or naked flames; they should not operate electrical switches or devices. You should then turn off meter control clock and/ or isolate the mains gas supply. You should then ventilate the premises and immediately telephone the Gas Emergency Centre.
To prevent a gas leak you should ensure that all gas related facilities are regularly checked and well maintained.
Flood – If you discover a flood you should first raise the alarm, either verbally or by the use of ‘wet floor signs’. You should then determine whether the emergency services need calling or whether you can simply notify the on-site safety officer. You then need to ensure all companions evacuate the house (if necessary) and assist them to the nearest assembly point. You should then close site facilities and isolate the flooded area in serious incidents. You should restrict access to the flooded area until it has been deemed safe enough to re-enter the area.
To prevent a flood you should ensure that drainage systems are checked regularly, ensure that machines or facilities using water are properly functioning and well maintained. Use of sandbags in areas where water can enter the building from outside.
Intruder – You should first approach and greet person. Ascertain the legitimate purpose to be on site. If needed, ask person to leave. If life threatening, call the emergency services and ask for the police. Notify other staff members. If intruder cannot be removed, instruct all personnel to avoid contact with intruder. Remove companions and staff from vicinity of intruder.
To prevent an intruder you should ensure that all windows and doors to the building are locked at night and when the premises are not in use. You should also secure all items of value and documents in cabinets under lock and key to prevent theft in the case of an intruder.
Security breach - If you discover a security breach you should first raise the alarm to senior members of staff where further action will be taken. You should inform them of who may be at risk due to the breach and ensure that measures are put in place to prevent similar occurrences in the future.
To prevent a security breach you should ensure that all electronic data is encrypted. Ensure all written documents are kept under lock and key in a secure filing system and be aware of any suspicious changes to data or data protection measures.
Aviii) It is important to have an emergency plan in place to deal with the event of unforeseen circumstances to ensure that they emergency can be safely handled and diffused. Emergency plans act as a safety net that specify procedures for handling sudden or unexpected situations and give guidance as to how to recognize hazardous conditions that can aggravate an emergency situation. The fundamental objective of an emergency plan is to reduce the possible consequences of the emergency by, reducing damage to buildings, equipment and service users/providers, preventing fatalities and injuries and increasing the rate of resuming normal operations.
Aix) You should encourage others to follow safety procedures to ensure that they do not put themselves in unnecessarily risky situations. You can encourage others to follow safety procedures by informing them of the risks associated by not following your company’s procedures. You may also be able to offer your own experiences if you have an example of how such noncompliance can cause altercations. You should offer information that you know can be easily understood and retained by the recipient in order to support them to follow safety procedures. It is also possible to encourage others by acting as a good role model to encourage your colleagues and service users to do the same.
Ax) You can access additional support and information relating to health and safety in a number of ways. For example, you can ask your colleagues; this could include: a trained first aider, fire marshal, named health and safety person and senior members of staff. You can also access information relating to health and safety matters through law association ambassadors, such as a solicitor or lawyer. There are a number of governing bodies that provide support and guidance relating to matters of health and safety, in my workplace we have health and safety enforcement authorities that can be contacted when necessary to discuss health and safety related concerns.
Bi) A risk assessment will determine James’s overall competency in handling daily living tasks independently. This may help his mother to see how capable James is and may help her to feel more at ease about the idea of him living independently. A risk assessment will also be able to determine how safe James is when completing daily tasks independently. Where James’s health or safety may be at risk, one can use the risk assessment to consider and implement alternative solutions in order to reduce the risk of him being put in dangerous or harmful situations. One can then develop adaptions to support James to live independently, as he wishes. A risk assessment can also make it possible for various ‘safety measures’ to be put in place. For example, if he required assistance with cooking, he may be able to attend a food safety and hygiene course so that he can make better-educated decisions relating to his culinary skills and choices. Risk assessments help to completely remove or at least significantly minimize the risk of an individual’s health, safety and wellbeing from being jeopardized. This may also help his mother to feel more comfortable with the idea of him living independently. Overall, the use of a risk assessment can offer reassurance to James’s mother and help her to feel more comfortable with the idea. The risk assessment can offer solutions to somewhat challenging situations so that all parties involved feel comfortable with the agreed outcomes.
Bii)
* To prevent illness, contamination or poisoning from the handling and preparation of food. Educating the individual about the dangers of poor food hygiene management helps to prevent the risk. For example, you must always use a meat thermometer when cooking raw meats to prevent food poisoning. * To prevent those preparing the food from injuring themselves. For example, you should be shown how to correctly handle potentially dangerous equipment, such as knives. * To determine the risks associated with food preparation and handling and put in place preventative measures to minimize the occurrence of the risk. * To determine whether or not someone has the competency to make safe and hygienic decisions relating to the handling and preparation of food. For example, if an individual cannot retain information effectively, then no amount of training will be beneficial in reducing the risk. * To teach skills and offer an understanding as to why certain procedures need to be followed. For example, using only colour coded chopping boards to prevent the risk of cross contamination, which can lead to serious food poisoning. * To create a safe working environment where all equipment and food is well maintained, securely stored and adequately disposed of when necessary.
Biii) Storing food safely: * All food that should be correctly stored and must be clearly labeled, stating; the contense, the date it was produced and when it should be disposed of. * Food should be stored in the fridge in a specific order, with vegetables and fruit in the lidded draw at the bottom of the fridge, raw meats at the bottom of the fridge on the first shelf above the vegetable draw. Cooked meats and pates should be stored above the raw meats section and cheese and dairy products should be stored at the top of the fridge. * Rice should never be reheated, it can however be stored in a seal tight container in the fridge and consumed within three days of production. * Seal tight containers should be used to store loose food in the fridge and normally consumed within three days of production. * Freezing food significantly increases the period of time it is suitable for consumption. For example bread can be frozen for approximately four weeks and still be safe for consumption. * You should not put warm food into the fridge as it will affect the overall temperature of the fridge and may cause other food items to become unsafe for consumption. * You should avoid mixing food that you know others have allergies to.
Handling food safely: * Always wash your hands before touching any food. * Regularly wash your hands when handling food. * Ensure that utensils, equipment and the facilities are well maintained and regularly checked. Only use equipment that you have been trained to use. * Ensure that preparation surfaces (including chopping boards) are clean before use and disinfected after use. * If you are using fresh produce, such as organic vegetables, always ensure to wash them thoroughly before serving or cooking. * Use only colour coded chopping boards to avoid cross contamination. * Wear hairnets, aprons and gloves when appropriate. * Use a thermometer to ensure that raw meat is thoroughly cooked before it is consumed.
Dispose of food safely: * Compost foods that can be organically disposed of. This includes all vegetables, fruits, wheat based products, eggshells, nutshells, teabags etc. Dairy, meat and oil based products should not be disposed of in this way. * Dispose of cooking oils and fats by collecting them in a jar. Do not pour hot oil or fat from cooking down the sink drain, this can cause serious plumbing problems. Throw the jar of fat into the normal rubbish when it gets full. Do not recycle the jar. * Use the waste disposal system attached to the sink to eliminate waste products after a meal. * Reduce the need to dispose of food by shopping for it and storing properly. Use left overs where possible and preserve foods by freezing them.
Biv) If you do not follow food safety standards in a social care setting you may run the risk of poisoning the people you are cooking for. Salmonella is a type of food poisoning one suffers after consuming infected beef, poultry, milk or eggs. If somebody suffers from food poisoning prior to you preparing it for them you may be held liable for endangering the health and safety of another individual. By incorrectly handling food you are endangering the health and lives of the people you are serving, which is both morally unjust and legally unaccounted for. In some extreme cases where people have died from food poisoning you may be subject to legal allegations and can even be charged with man slaughter if found guilty. If you are preparing food for service users you have a legal obligation to ensure that the food you are serving is adequately prepared and all necessary health and hygiene measures have been taken to ensure the food is fit for consumption. If you are found to be poorly handling and preparing food you may be suspended from work while your employer determines what measures need to be taken. If you are found to be deliberately handling and preparing food in a less than adequate manner you may be even be dismissed from work.
References
Hse.gov.uk. 1992. Manual handling. [online] Available at: http://www.hse.gov.uk/toolbox/manual.htm [Accessed: 9 Jun 2013].