Explain How To Minimize The Risk Of Hazards In A Care Home
How to minimize risk in a Care Home settings
In this piece of work I will be explaining how legislation, policy and procedures minimize the risks of hazards in a care home.
Health and Safety at Work Act 1974
Another potential hazard in the care home is equipment. Staff have to follow the rules and regulations on how to use the equipment correctly, to prevent harm to themselves and patients. Employees must take responsibility for the care of their own and others health and safety, they should not do anything that should jeopardize someone 's health and safety. The policy that prevents hazards like this occurring is the health and safety at work act 1974.
This policy states that people in the workplace should:
Ensure the environment is safe and …show more content…
free from hazards
Assessing risks before carrying tasks out
Handling hazardous or contaminated waste properly
Dispose of sharp implements appropriately
Share responsibilities of employers and employees
When attending placement I was given a health and safety talk about making sure patients were kept safe and was given the care homes policy. Also that all doors that needed to be shut were and that all fire doors were not blocked and were clear so staff/patients could get out if a fire was to occur.
Control of Substances hazardous to health (COSHH) 2002
In the care home setting people are exposed to hazardous waste, for example needles and syringes. The legislation that prevents hazardous waste becoming a risk is the Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations Act (COSHH). This act reduces hazardous waste as it requires employers to control substances that are dangerous to staff and patients. For example in my placement they do this by making sure syringes and needles are put in a sharps box rather than everyday disposable waste and keeping them out of reach from patients. All care settings have hazardous substances like medication or cleaning fluids if these become in reach of patients this can cause very serious risks and may even cause the patient to die. To prevent a hazard like this occurring staff should lock medication and cleaning fluids in a safe designated area which patients are not allowed to access .
The act that covers this hazard is COSHH.
The COSHH act 2002 suggests people dealing with these substances should:
Store cleansing materials correctly handle toxic/corrosive substances and liquids appropriately label hazardous substances correctly
In my placement they abide by this legislation and keep all medication in a locked cabinet away from patients and left locked when moving from patient to patient. They also make sure the medication is locked away in a room which is not accessible to patients.
Data Protection Act 1998
All care homes should have security systems to prevent intruders and vulnerable patients getting access to important information.
Within all care settings its important that all organisations have a data protection policy to protect service users personal information being accessed by the wrong people.
The Data Protection Act 1998 states that personal information is:
Accurate and appropriate
Stored on a computer
That paper based information is protected
Not kept for longer than that is needed
In care homes these files should only be authorised by personnel such as a care home manager and care workers when needed. Files that store information about a person should be locked away or have a password to make sure nobody is able to access them.
Manual Handling Operations 1992
Manual handling is important within a care setting as it ensures staff, service users and visitors put their safety first. Manual handling policies are in all workplaces and the policy is used to give details to make sure everyone is safe when handling a person or object correctly within the working environment.
Manual handling regulations include:
Preparing the environment before moving or handling
anything.
Safe moving and handling of patients.
Checking equipment is safe before use.
Safe moving of equipment/loads.
An example of manual handling is that in my placement as I am under the age of 18 I am unable to help lift patients due to being underage. If I was the correct age I would be given instructions to help with how to use equipment with images and text showing the correct way to handle the equipment step by step.
Reporting of injuries diseases and dangerous occurrences (RIDDOR) 1995
In every workplace it is important that there are policies in place reporting accidents ,diseases and dangerous substances. It’s vital that care settings have have a RIDDOR procedure so everyone within the organisation is aware of heath status’ within the organisation which could cause potential harm.
RIDDOR requires staff and patients to report injuries and dangerous incidents that occur inside or outside of the work place.
The act requires people too:
Report accidents and injuries objectively and accurately.
Reporting diseases to the appropriate bodies.
Reporting dangerous occurrences to the appropriate bodies.
Completion of relevant paperwork.
In my placement I haven’t yet come across of any accidents or dangerous occurrences however if this were to happen the accident should be reported straight away and written in the accident book stating what type of accident it was, where it occurred, how it happened and when it happened if its ever needed for future reference.
Bibliography
http://www.rcn.org.uk/__data/assets/pdf_file/0008/418490/004135.pdf
Edexcel Health and Social Care Level 3 Book 1 BTEC National : Page 460, 461, 463, 464, 465.
In this piece of work I will be explaining how legislation, policy and procedures minimize the risks of hazards in a care home.
Health and Safety at Work Act 1974
Another potential hazard in the care home is equipment. Staff have to follow the rules and regulations on how to use the equipment correctly, to prevent harm to themselves and patients. Employees must take responsibility for the care of their own and others health and safety, they should not do anything that should jeopardize someone 's health and safety. The policy that prevents hazards like this occurring is the health and safety at work act 1974.
This policy states that people in the workplace should:
Ensure the environment is safe and …show more content…
free from hazards
Assessing risks before carrying tasks out
Handling hazardous or contaminated waste properly
Dispose of sharp implements appropriately
Share responsibilities of employers and employees
When attending placement I was given a health and safety talk about making sure patients were kept safe and was given the care homes policy. Also that all doors that needed to be shut were and that all fire doors were not blocked and were clear so staff/patients could get out if a fire was to occur.
Control of Substances hazardous to health (COSHH) 2002
In the care home setting people are exposed to hazardous waste, for example needles and syringes. The legislation that prevents hazardous waste becoming a risk is the Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations Act (COSHH). This act reduces hazardous waste as it requires employers to control substances that are dangerous to staff and patients. For example in my placement they do this by making sure syringes and needles are put in a sharps box rather than everyday disposable waste and keeping them out of reach from patients. All care settings have hazardous substances like medication or cleaning fluids if these become in reach of patients this can cause very serious risks and may even cause the patient to die. To prevent a hazard like this occurring staff should lock medication and cleaning fluids in a safe designated area which patients are not allowed to access .
The act that covers this hazard is COSHH.
The COSHH act 2002 suggests people dealing with these substances should:
Store cleansing materials correctly handle toxic/corrosive substances and liquids appropriately label hazardous substances correctly
In my placement they abide by this legislation and keep all medication in a locked cabinet away from patients and left locked when moving from patient to patient. They also make sure the medication is locked away in a room which is not accessible to patients.
Data Protection Act 1998
All care homes should have security systems to prevent intruders and vulnerable patients getting access to important information.
Within all care settings its important that all organisations have a data protection policy to protect service users personal information being accessed by the wrong people.
The Data Protection Act 1998 states that personal information is:
Accurate and appropriate
Stored on a computer
That paper based information is protected
Not kept for longer than that is needed
In care homes these files should only be authorised by personnel such as a care home manager and care workers when needed. Files that store information about a person should be locked away or have a password to make sure nobody is able to access them.
Manual Handling Operations 1992
Manual handling is important within a care setting as it ensures staff, service users and visitors put their safety first. Manual handling policies are in all workplaces and the policy is used to give details to make sure everyone is safe when handling a person or object correctly within the working environment.
Manual handling regulations include:
Preparing the environment before moving or handling
anything.
Safe moving and handling of patients.
Checking equipment is safe before use.
Safe moving of equipment/loads.
An example of manual handling is that in my placement as I am under the age of 18 I am unable to help lift patients due to being underage. If I was the correct age I would be given instructions to help with how to use equipment with images and text showing the correct way to handle the equipment step by step.
Reporting of injuries diseases and dangerous occurrences (RIDDOR) 1995
In every workplace it is important that there are policies in place reporting accidents ,diseases and dangerous substances. It’s vital that care settings have have a RIDDOR procedure so everyone within the organisation is aware of heath status’ within the organisation which could cause potential harm.
RIDDOR requires staff and patients to report injuries and dangerous incidents that occur inside or outside of the work place.
The act requires people too:
Report accidents and injuries objectively and accurately.
Reporting diseases to the appropriate bodies.
Reporting dangerous occurrences to the appropriate bodies.
Completion of relevant paperwork.
In my placement I haven’t yet come across of any accidents or dangerous occurrences however if this were to happen the accident should be reported straight away and written in the accident book stating what type of accident it was, where it occurred, how it happened and when it happened if its ever needed for future reference.
Bibliography
http://www.rcn.org.uk/__data/assets/pdf_file/0008/418490/004135.pdf
Edexcel Health and Social Care Level 3 Book 1 BTEC National : Page 460, 461, 463, 464, 465.