Health_and_Safety

21/02/09 (Health and safety). The Health and Safety at Work Act 1994 applies to all people at work whether they are employers, employees or trainees, Employed or self employed. As an employee, I have a duty under the health And Safety at Work Act 1974. It is my responsibility to ensure the well being of myself, my colleagues, residents and visitors. In my role as unit manager, part of my duties involves ensuring the implementation and compliance of the health and safety policy, I do this during the induction of new staff and through regular supervisions and annual appraisal, undertaking and reviewing risk assessments, specific to the individual service user and the residential unit, allocating dedicated coordinators to check the safety and good working order of equipment and maintaining and reviewing equipment and quality audits. During induction I ensure all new staff are introduced and are familiar with the content of the health and safety policy. As a unit manager I have a duty to assist the home manager in ensuring all staff has access to mandatory training such as, • Manual Handling. • Fire Safety Awareness. • COSHH. • P.O.V.A (Protection of Vulnerable Adults). • Infection Control. • Basic Food Hygiene. And that they attend regular update training. I ensure that myself and my staff, • Work safely, have access to, and use appropriate personal protective clothing. • Comply with the safety rules, instructions and follow all procedures and policies. • Report any unsafe practices or work methods. • Report any accidents or incidents that have or may lead to, injury or damage. • Cooperate and assist in any investigation of accidents or incidents and in the prevention of recurrences. As a health and safety coordinator, I am responsible for enforcing safe practices and the use of protective clothing and the reporting, recording and investigating of any accidents and incidents and unsafe or defective equipment. Within the principle legislation, the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974, there are several regulations that govern the way in which me and my staff and colleagues work. They are, • Lifting Operations and Lifting Equipment Regulations 1998 (LOLER) It is my employer’s and my responsibility as health and safety coordinator to ensure all moving and handling risks are assessed and all reasonable steps are taken to minimise risk of injury. • Manual Handling Operations Regulations 1992 • The Health and Safety & Welfare Regulations 1992 • The Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations 1995(RIDDOR) requires that certain workplace injuries and dangerous occurrences are reported. • The Health and Safety (First Aid) Regulations 1981 state that employers have a responsibility to provide adequate first aid facilities and in the case of having 5 or more employees must have appointed first aid personnel. • The personal Protective Equipment at Work Regulations 1992 defines PPE as all equipment or clothing, worn or used at work that protects against one or more risks to health and safety. • The Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999. Risk assessments of the workplace must be carried out and actioned accordingly. They should be reviewed on a regular basis. • Control of Substances Hazardous to Health regulations 1994(COSHH) Lay down essential requirements for the control of hazardous substances and the protection of people who come into contact with them. • The Food Safety Act 1990. Part 11 of this act covers health and hygiene legislation and offers general rules of hygiene and procedures to ensure compliance. . I