Health, safety and wellbeing in care settings

Understand own responsibilities, and the responsibilities of others, relating to health and safety in the work setting.

Learners should be able to identify legislation relating to the health and safety in an adult care setting; this may include one specific location or a range of locations, depending on the context of a particular work role.

Relevant legislation includes:

• The Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974 (HSW Act) Employers have a legal duty under this Act to ensure, so far as is reasonably practicable, the health, safety and welfare at work of their employees and others who may be affected by their undertaking.
• The Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999 Employers must consider the risks to employees and others (including the risk of reasonably foreseeable violence); identify hazards; assess risks posed; decide how to prevent or control the risks; and develop a clear management plan.
• The Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations 1995 (RIDDOR) Employers must notify their enforcing authority in the event of an accident at work to any employee resulting in death, major injury or incapacity for normal work for three or more days. This includes any act of non consensual physical violence done to a person at work.
• Safety Representatives and Safety Committees Regulations 1977 (a) and The Health and Safety (Consultation with Employees) Regulations 1996 (b) Employers must inform, and consult with, employees in good time on matters relating to their health and safety. Employee representatives, either appointed by recognised trade unions under (a) or elected under (b) may make representations to their employer on matters affecting the health and safety of those they represent.

Learners should also be able to outline the main policies and procedures in use in an organisation; this may include other agreed ways of working as well as formal policies and procedures.

Assessment criteria 1.2

Policies and procedures may include other agreed ways of working as well as formal policies and procedures.

Assessment criteria 1.3

Health and safety this could be in relation to the safety of yourself, your colleagues or the people you support.

Others may include:

• team members
• other colleagues
• those who use or commission their own health or social care services
• families, carers and advocates

Work setting may include one specific location or a range of locations, depending on the context of a particular work role.

Assessment criteria 1.4

Tasks that the learner should not carry out without special training may include those relating to:

• use of equipment
• first aid
• medication
• health care procedures
• food handling and preparation

Assessment Criteria

• 1.1

  Identify legislation relating to general health and safety in a care work setting.

• 1.2

  Outline the main points of the health and safety policies and procedures agreed with the employer.

• 1.3

  Outline the main health and safety responsibilities of:

  
  
  • Self
  • the employer or manager
  • others in the work setting
• 1.4

  Identify tasks relating to health and safety that should not be carried out without special training.

• 1.5

  Explain how to access additional support and information relating to health and safety.

Understand the use of risk assessments in relation to health and safety.

Learners should know how to identify risks and be able to minimise potential risks and hazards to both themselves and the individual or others around them.

They should know who to refer to in their organisation for support with health and safety and to know how to access other information outside the organisation, for example, the Health and Safety Executive website, trade unions or technical manuals for the safe use of equipment.

Assessment Criteria

• 2.1

  Explain why it is important to assess health and safety risks posed by the work setting, situations or by particular activities.

• 2.2

  Explain how and when to report potential health and safety risks that have been identified.

• 2.3

  Explain how risk assessment can help address dilemmas between rights and health and safety concerns.

Understand procedures for responding to accidents and sudden illness.

Learners should be able to understand the types of accidents and sudden illness, for example:

Accident:

• slips and trips
• falls
• needle stick injuries
• burns and scalds
• injuries from operating machinery or specialised equipment
• electrocution
• accidental poisoning.

Sudden illness such as

• heart attack
• diabetic coma
• stroke
• epileptic convulsion

The learner should understand what procedures must be followed if an accident or sudden illness should occur:

• knowing how to ensure and maintain safety for individuals concerned and others
• clearing the area
• safely moving equipment if possible
• remaining calm
• knowing how to send for help
• knowing how to assess individuals for injuries.

Assessment Criteria

• 3.1

  Describe different types of accidents and sudden illnesses that may occur in own work setting.

• 3.2

  Outline the procedures to be followed if an accident or sudden illness should occur.

Be able to reduce the spread of infection.

Learners should have an understanding how infection can be spread, for example:

• airborne
• direct contact
• indirect contact.

They should be able to understand measures which can minimise the spread of infection, for example:

• hand-washing
• food hygiene procedures
• disposal of waste.

Assessment criteria 4.4

Use of Personal, Protective Equipment (PPE)

The learner must know the different types of PPE and how to use PPE correctly and appropriately in their work environment. Appropriate use may, in some cases, mean after consideration PPE is not required.

Assessment Criteria

• 4.1

  Explain own roles and responsibilities as an employee and those of the employer in the prevention and control of infection.

• 4.2

  Explain the causes and spread of infection in care settings.

• 4.3

  Demonstrate the recommended method for hand washing settings.

• 4.4

  Demonstrate the use of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) and when to use it.

• 4.5

  Demonstrate ways to ensure that own health and hygiene do not pose a risk to others at work.

Be able to move and handle equipment and objects safely.

Learners should be able to identify legislation relating to moving and handling, for example:

• The Health and Safety at Work Act 1974;
• The Manual Handling Operations Regulations 1992 (as amended in 2002)
• regulations from the HSC/E covering manual handling risk factors and how injuries can occur.

Learners should be show and explain safe moving and handling. The key principles of this are to avoid the need for hazardous manual handling, to assess the risk of injury from any hazardous manual handling, to reduce the risk of injury from hazardous manual handling.

Learners should be aware of the importance of correct posture and technique when moving and handling individuals.

Assessment Criteria

• 5.1

  Identify legislation that relates to moving and handling.

• 5.2

  Explain principles for moving and handling equipment and other objects safely.

• 5.3

  Demonstrate how to move and handle equipment and objects safely.

Know how to handle hazardous substances and materials.

Learners should be able to describe hazardous substances and materials identified in the COSHH regulations (2002) which include substances that are corrosive, for example:

• acid
• irritants
• cleaning fluids
• toxic medicines
• highly flammable solvents.

Dangerous to the environment includes:

• chemicals
• clinical waste
• germs that cause diseases e.g. legionnaires’ disease
• materials that are harmful e.g. used needles,

Items which are potentially infectious include used dressings and body fluids e.g. blood, faeces, vomit.

Learners should know how to store, use and dispose of hazardous substances following organisational and manufacturers’ guidance.

Assessment Criteria

• 6.1

  Describe hazardous substances and materials that may be found in the work setting.

• 6.2

  Explain safe practices for:

  • storing hazardous substances
  • using hazardous substances
  • disposing of hazardous substances and materials

Understand how to promote fire safety in the work setting.

Learners should understand the measures that prevent fires from starting and the importance of taking care with electrical appliances and equipment, for example,

• not overloading power sockets
• checking for worn or faulty wiring
• unplugging appliances when not in use
• keeping electrical equipment away from water
• not putting anything metal in microwaves.

Learners should be able to explain emergency procedures to be followed and have an understanding of how to raise the alarm if a fire is discovered, for example:

• operating a fire alarm system
• following agreed procedures for alerting all personnel in the work setting
• knowledge of basic firefighting procedures, for example, the use of different fire extinguishers, fire blankets or other fire safety equipment.

Assessment Criteria

• 7.1

  Describe practices that prevent fires from:

  • Starting
  • Spreading

• 7.2

  Describe emergency procedures to be followed in the event of a fire in the work setting.

• 7.3

  Explain the importance of maintaining clear evacuation routes at all times.

Be able to implement security measures in the work setting.

Learners should be able to demonstrate procedures for checking identity and understanding agreed ways of working for checking the identity of anyone requesting access to work setting premises, for example:

• checking official ID
• signing in procedures
• allocating visitor badges
• the use of biometric security systems like fingerprint scanners.

They should also demonstrate understanding of protecting security by using agreed ways of working for protecting own security and the security of others in the work setting for example:

• knowledge of security systems, alarms, CCTV, gaining access to buildings
• understanding special procedures for shift or night time working and the importance of procedures for lone working and ensuring that others are aware of own whereabouts.

Assessment criteria 8.1

Agreed ways of working will include policies and procedures where these exist; they may be less formally documented with micro-employers.

Assessment Criteria

• 8.1

  Use agreed ways of working for checking the identity of anyone requesting access to:

  • Premises
  • Information

• 8.2

  Implement measures to protect own security and the security of others in the work setting

• 8.3

  Explain the importance of ensuring that others are aware of own whereabouts.

Know how to manage own stress.

Learners should be able to identify the common signs of stress such as:

• aches and pains
• nausea
• dizziness
• chest pain
• rapid heartbeat.

They should be able to identify emotional signs and symptoms:

• moodiness
• irritability or short temper
• agitation
• inability to relax
• feeling overwhelmed
• sense of loneliness and isolation
• depression or general unhappiness.

Learners should be able to describe signs that indicate own stress which may include:

• work factors - changes in routine, dealing with difficult situations, pressure to meet targets, interpersonal relationships with individuals and others, expectations from managers, demands of working unsocial hours, taking on special projects.
• personal factors - financial problems, relationship or family problems, major life changes, bereavement, injury or illness.

Assessment Criteria

• 9.1

  Identify common signs and indicators of stress in self and others.

• 9.2

  Identify circumstances and factors that tend to trigger stress in self and others.

• 9.3

  Describe ways to manage stress and how to access sources of support.