LessonElement

Unit 3: Health, safety and security in health and social care

LO2: Understand how legislation, policies and procedures promote health, safety and security in health, social care and child care environments

My health and safety

Instructions and answers for tutors

These instructions cover the learner activity section which can be found on page 8. This Lesson Element supports Cambridge Technicals Level 3 in Health and Social Care.

When distributing the activity section to the learners either as a printed copy or as a Word file you will need to remove the tutor instructions section.

The activity

In this Lesson Element the learners are tasked with taking part in a quiz about Health and Safety Legislation (Activity 1) as well as understanding how to develop a health and safety policy and procedure (Activity 2).

Suggested timings

Activity 1: 1 hour

Activity 2: 1 hour

Version 11© OCR 2016

Activity 1

Explain to learners that they are going to take part in a quiz that is going to test their knowledge of health and safety legislation. Explain that there will be 10 questions that they must answer and that you will review the correct answers with them afterwards.

The quiz can be completed with the whole group, in small groups or independently by learners.

Below is a sample health and safety legislation quiz.

Sample health and safety law quiz

Q1) What Act is the basis of all health and safety regulations and guidelines?

Ans: The Health and Safety at Work Act 1974.

Q2) What does The Health and Social Care (Safety and Quality) Act 2015 say about health and safety?

Ans: It sets out how health and adult social care providers must share information about a person’s care with other health and care professionals so that safe and effective care can be provided. It requires health and adult social care organisations to use a consistent identifier (the NHS Number) when sharing information about a person’s care. It reduces the risk of harm and abuse by making provision for removing people convicted of certain offences from the registers kept by the regulatory bodies for health and social care professions.

Q3) How does the Data Protection Act 1998 protect the security of health and safety information?

Ans: It requires that health and safety information collated is accurate and up to date and that information collated is kept secure.

Q4) What Act requires that good personal hygiene is maintained when working with food so that it is safe to eat?

Ans: Food Safety Act 1990.

Q5) What do the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations (MHSWR) 1999 require employers to do?

Ans: They place duties on employers to carry out and implement risk assessments of the health, safety and security of their employees and others who live and work in these settings. They requireemployers to have arrangements in place including appointing competent people to manage health, safety and security as well as procedures for emergency situations that may arise. They require employers to provide information, training and supervision so that work activities can be carried out safely.

Q6) What Regulations require employers to have procedures in place for safe working with hazardous substances?

Ans: Control of Substances Hazardous to Health (COSHH 2002).

Q7) Why is the Civil Contingencies Act 2004 relevant to health and safety?

Ans: This Act sets out how organisations must work together to plan and respond to local and national emergencies. It establishes how organisations such as emergency services, local authorities and health bodies can work together and share information. It requires that risk assessments are undertaken and emergency plans are put in place.

Q8) What Act requires that food safety hazards are identified?

Ans: Food Safety (General Food Hygiene) Regulations 1995 (amended 1999 and 2004).

Q9) What do the Manual Handling Operations Regulations 1992 require employers to do in relation to manual handling?

Ans: These Regulations require that employers avoid hazardous manual handling tasks where possible and assess those that cannot be avoided. They require that employers eliminate or reduce the risks associated with manual handling tasks. They require employers to provide information, training and supervision about safe moving and handling.

Q10) What do the Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations (RIDDOR) 2013 require employers to do in relation to work-related accidents, injuries, diseases and incidents?

Ans: These Regulations require employers to report and keep records for three years of work-related accidents that cause death and serious injuries (referred to as reportable injuries), diseases and dangerous occurrences (i.e. incidents with the potential to cause harm). They require work settings to have procedures in place for reporting injuries, diseases and incidents. They require employers to provide information and training on reporting injuries, diseases and incidents.

Activity 2

Ask learners to look at the health and safety policy and procedure template and explain that this activity will enable them to understand how policies and procedures are developed.

Explain the requirements of each section of the policy and procedure template.

Name of the policy: Title

Date: When the policy is effective from

Review date: Planned date for when the policy will be reviewed

Aim of the policy: Details of the purpose of the policy

Who the policy applies to: Identify all the people that the policy is aimed at

Responsibilities: The duties of all those that the policy is aimed at

Supporting legislation and guidance: The name of any legislation or organisational guidance that supports this policy

Procedure: A step-by-step guide for how to carry out the policy in practice

Ask learners to follow these TIPS when writing their policy and procedure:

  1. Make sure the policy is relevant to a particular setting i.e. a health care, social care or child care setting.
  2. Use clear language.
  3. Use language that can be easily understood.

Below is a sample health and safety policy and procedure for a residential care home.

Name of the policy / Health and safety policy and procedure
Date / 01/01/16
Review date / 01/01/17
Aim of the policy and why it is important / To maintain the health and safety of the home’s residents, staff, volunteers, visitors and contractors on our premises.
The consequences of not implementing the policy / The consequences of not implementing the policy may include:
  • not maintaining high levels of health and safety
  • a failure to comply with legislation and regulations
  • placing residents, staff, volunteers, visitors and contractors at risk and in danger
  • not being able to manage, control and avoid risks to health and safety effectively.

Who the policy applies to /
  • the home’s residents
  • staff including management
  • volunteers
  • visitors
  • contractors.

Responsibilities / The home:
To reduce health and safety risks as far as is ‘reasonably practicable’
To comply with health and safety legislation and requirements
The owner:
To provide overall management of health and safety within the home
Health and safety manager:
To ensure the home is health and safety compliant
Registered care home manager:
To carry out day-to-day health and safety management
Employees:
To ensure safe working practices
Volunteers, visitors and residents:
To ensure a safe environment
Supporting legislation and guidance: / Health and Safety at Work Act 1974
The Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999
Procedure/arrangements: / The home
To reduce health and safety risks as far as is ‘reasonably practicable’ by providing:
  • safe premises and work practices
  • safe use, handling and storage of substances and equipment
  • health and safety information, instruction, training and supervision
  • safe working environment with adequate welfare facilities.
To comply with health and safety legislation and requirements by:
  • carrying out effective risk assessments
  • implementing systems for planning, controlling, monitoring and reviewing risks and potential risks identified
  • providing training to maintain health and safety competence amongst all personnel
  • developing emergency procedures
  • working closely with local authorities, the Care Quality Commission (CQC) and the Health & Safety Executive (HSE) to promote good health and safety working practices.
The owner
To provide overall management of health and safety within the home by:
  • implementing, monitoring and reviewing health and safety practices
  • keeping up to date with health and safety legislation, regulations and guidance.
Health and safety manager
To ensure the home is health and safety compliant by:
  • carrying out health and safety inspections and making recommendations for improvement
  • developing and providing health and safety training, information, support and guidance
  • implementing, supporting and monitoring good health and safety practices
  • monitoring and reviewing risk assessments
  • recording and reporting accidents, injuries, dangerous occurrences, work related ill health and incidents.
Registered care home manager
To carry out day-to-day health and safety management by:
  • maintaining and keeping up-to-date health and safety records
  • maintaining and keeping up-to-date emergency plans
  • maintaining and keeping up-to-date the home’s health and safety policies and procedures
  • maintaining and keeping up-to-date the home’s health and safety file of accidents, injuries, dangerous occurrences, work-related ill health and incidents
  • working closely with the health and safety manager in relation to maintaining health and safety management systems.
Employees
To ensure safe working practices by:
  • complying with the home’s health and safety management systems
  • participating in induction and work activity related health and safety training
  • promoting own and others’ health and safety at all times
  • reporting any health and safety concerns to the registered care home manager or to the health and safety manager.
Volunteers, visitors and residents
To ensure a safe environment by:
  • co-operating with all systems and processes that promote own and others’ health and safety
  • participating in health and safety training and information sessions providedpromoting own and others’ health and safety at all times
  • reporting any health and safety concerns to employees, the registered care home manager, the health and safety manager.

Version 11© OCR 2016

Lesson Element

Unit 3: Health, safety and security in health and social care

LO2: Understand how legislation, policies and procedures promote health, safety and security in health, social care and child care environments

Learner Activity

My health and safety

All health, social care and child care settings have in place their own health and safety policies and procedures to ensure that they comply with health and safety legislation and promote the safety, health and security of everyone. You are going to perform two activities: complete a Health and Safety Legislation Quiz and develop a Health and Safety Policy and Procedure.

Activity 1

Knowledge of the relevant health and safety legislation that exists to promote the safety, health and security of everyone is important.

You are going to take part in a health and safety law quiz.

The quiz consists of 10 questions.

Your tutor will review the correct responses with you afterwards.

Health and safety law quiz

Q1) What Act is the basis of all health and safety regulations and guidelines?

Q2) What does The Health and Social Care (Safety and Quality) Act 2015 say about health and safety?

Q3) How does the Data Protection Act 1998 protect the security of health and safety information?

Q4) What Act requires that good personal hygiene is maintained when working with food so that it is safe to eat?

Q5) What do the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations (MHSWR) 1999 require employers to do?

Q6) What Regulations require employers to have procedures in place for safe working with hazardous substances?

Q7) Why is the Civil Contingencies Act 2004 relevant to health and safety?

Q8) What Act requires that food safety hazards are identified?

Q9) What do the Manual Handling Operations Regulations 1992 require employers to do in relation to manual handling?

Q10) What do the Reporting of injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations (RIDDOR) 2013 require employers to do in relation to work-related accidents, injuries, diseases and incidents?

Activity 2

Having policies and procedures in health, social care and child care settings is important for ensuring the safety, health and security of everyone who lives in, works in and visits these settings. Clearly written policies and procedures will help with ensuring that everyone works in a safe and correct manner.

Below is a policy and procedure template. Use this to write your own health and safety policy and procedure.

Health and safety policy and procedure template

Name of the policy
Date
Review date
Aim of the policy and why it is important
The consequences of not implementing the policy
Who the policy applies to
Responsibilities
Supporting legislation and guidance
Procedure

Version 11© OCR 2016