Health & Safety

The Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 is the primary piece of legislation covering occupational health and safety. Under this Act, the employer, the workers and the individuals being supported have responsibilities to ensure safety is maintained in the workplace. Your employer should display a copy of this Act on their main premises. The main purpose of the legislation is:
•To secure the health, safety and welfare of people at work •To protect others from risks arising from the activities of people at work •To control the use and storage of dangerous substances
•To control the emission into the atmosphere of noxious or offensive substances

Other key pieces of legislation that sit alongside and support the Health and Safety at Work Act are:
•The Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1992 emphasize what employers are required to achieve under the Health and Safety at Work Act. •The Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations (known as COSHH) require employers to control substances that can harm workers’ health. •The Manual Handling Regulations 1992 sets out requirements for manual handling and moving and handling of people.
•The Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations 1985 (known as RIDDOR) sets out what needs to be reported.
My employer has policies and procedures covering a wide range of health and safety subjects to incorporate the legal requirements. Here are some of the policies and procedures:
•Personal safety and lone working
•Fire safety
•Food safety and hygiene
•What to do in the event of an emergency
•Risk assessments
•Smoking at work
•Use of chemicals and waste disposal
•Moving and handling of people and objects
•Personal hygiene
•Infection control
•Security measures and visitors
In health and safety my responsibilities are:
•Take reasonable care of your health and safety
•Take reasonable care not to put other people, including other employees and members of the public at risk by what you do or don’t do at work •Co-operate with your employer making sure you get proper training and you understand and follow your organisation’s health and safety policies •Not to interfere with or misuse anything that’s been provided for your health, safety or welfare •Tell your employer if something happens that might affect your ability to work, for example becoming pregnant or sustaining an injury
•Not to undertake any health and safety tasks that you haven’t been trained for
In health and safety my employer’s responsibilities are:
•Provide a safe workplace
•Give information on health and safety
•Provide free health and safety training
•Make sure you can enter and leave the workplace safely
•In health and safety the individuals you support’s responsibilities are: •Follow health and safety advice given to them
•Co-operate with you to use appropriate equipment safely
•Take reasonable care of their own health and safety
•Without the correct level of training you are not allowed to carry out certain tasks relating to health and safety. Here are a few examples:
•Moving and handling
•Administering medication
•Emergency first aid
•Giving injections
•Peg feeding
•Colostomy
•Fighting fire
If you are unsure about what you can and cannot do, you must discuss this with your Proprietor or manager.