Careworker

1.1 Employees’ roles and responsibilities

All employees are responsible for taking action to prevent the spread of infection, in accordance with legislation and local and organisational policies and procedures.
They also have a personal and moral responsibility, as members of a caring society and profession.
There are many roles where infection control is important, these include:
· Employees who work in communal living environments
· Employees who work with hazardous substances
· Employees whose work activities may expose them to infection
· Employees working with individuals who may be vulnerable to infection
Employees have responsibilities to:
· Self
· Colleagues
· Employer
· Clients/Customers
· Visitors

1.2 Employers’ responsibilities in relation to the prevention and control of infection Employers’ responsibilities arise from:

· Legal responsibilities
· Organisational responsibilities
· Personal/moral responsibilities.
Employers’ are responsible for:
· Assessing risks
· Putting procedures in place
· Ensuring procedures are followed
· Ensuring employees are appropriately trained in relation to infection control
· Making sure employees are aware of the health and safety aspects of their work - Posting information on notice boards
- Keeping an information file such as Control of Substances Hazardous to Health (COSHH)
- Providing supervision
· Keeping records
· Ensuring that the relevant standards, policies and guidelines are available in the work place
1.3
The prevention and control of infection is governed by many different pieces of legislation. It is a legal requirement that your employer ensures you have access to up to date policies, guidelines and procedures within your work place, in order to achieve a safe standard of infection control.

Current legislation
The main regulations and legislation relating to infection control is focused upon public health, environmental health, health and safety, risk