LessonElement
Unit 3: Health, safety and security in health and social care
LO1: Understand potential hazards in health, social care and child care environments
Hazard spotting
Instructions and answers for tutors
These instructions cover the learner activity section which can be found on page 12. 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 understanding how potential hazards can arise for both adults and children as well as the impact these may have.
Suggested timings
1 hour
Version 11© OCR 2016
Activity 1
Ask learners to look at Hazard Checklist 1 and explain that this checklist relates to identifying potential hazards and their impact for adults who may live in or access health or social care settings. Explain that learners will need to identify and access one outdoor setting and one indoor setting. Tutors could choose locations for the learners to use or learners could use settings they may come across if they have work placements.
Three examples of potential hazards must be included, as well as the type of hazard each example represents and the potential impact of each hazard.
Now ask learners to look at Hazard Checklist 2 and explain that this checklist requires the same information as the first but is aimed at identifying potential hazards and their impact for children who may live in or access childcare settings.
During both explanations draw learners’ attention to the examples of hazards that have already been provided on the checklists under each relevant section.
In relation to identifying the types of hazards ensure learners understand that these must be drawn from the types of hazards identified in Learning Outcome 1, Teaching Content 1.1.
When learners consider the potential impact of each hazard remind learners that hazards will not only affect the individuals who require care and support but also all those others who may access and/or live in the setting.
Sample answers are provided below:
Hazard Checklist 1
Indoor setting for adults: An individual’s home
Potential hazards / Type of hazard / Impact of hazardEquipment e.g. hoists, wheelchairs
- Walking frame
3.Wheelchair / 1.Environmental and Working practices
2.Working practices
3.Working practices / 1.A walking frame not stored correctly may become a trip hazard for individuals, staff and visitors.
2.If staff members do not follow the correct techniques for the safe use of the hoist then the individual in the hoist may fall or become injured and the staff members may also injure themselves.
3.If an individual is not supported correctly in their wheelchair, i.e. in terms of sitting comfortably and securing the waist belt, then the individual may become distressed or fall out of the wheelchair. This may in turn cause the staff member or visitor supporting them to also become injured.
Fittings and fixtures e.g. heaters, floors with spillages
1.Heaters
2.A wet bathroom floor
3.Blood on the floor / 1.Environmental and Working practices
2.Environmental
3.Biological and Working Practices / 1.If electric heaters are not switched off when unattended then they may overheat or develop a fault that may cause a fire that may potentially injure all those in the area
2.A wet bathroom is a slip hazard. Water spilt on a bathroom floor may not be seen by an individual, a staff member or visitor and may cause a person to slip and injure themselves.
3.If a blood spillage is not cleaned or not cleaned correctly then this could cause the spread of infectious diseases.
Materials e.g. hot drinks, medication
1.A hot cup of tea
2.Medication left unattended
3.Cleaning disinfectant left in a public area / 1.Working practices
2.Chemical and Working Practices
3.Chemical and Working Practices / 1.If a staff member gives an individual who has dementia a hot cup of tea then the individual may drink it not realising that it is too hot to drink or may drop it and scald themselves or someone else close by.
2.If a staff member leaves medication unattended then it may ‘fall into the wrong hands’, i.e. an individual may take it in error, a visitor may remove it from the premises.
3.If a staff member leaves cleaning disinfectant out in a public area then it may get spilt or it may accidentally be mistaken for another liquid and may be used incorrectly or even ingested by an individual. This has the potential to cause life- threatening injuries or fatalities.
Outdoor setting for adults: An individual’s garden
Potential hazards / Type of hazard / Impact of hazardEquipment e.g. gardening tools, waste
1.A rake left out on the lawn
2.Outdoor bins overflowing
3.Unstable bench / 1.Environmental
2.Biological and Working Practices
3.Environmental and Working Practices / 1.A rake left out on the lawn may not be seen by an individual, a staff member or a visitor who may go out into the garden and trip over it.
2.Outdoor bins that are overflowing can be the source of infectious diseases and could also attract pests; both of which have the potential to cause harm to individuals, their visitors and the staff members who support them.
3.An unstable bench that is not indicated as unstable or removed from an individual’s garden could be used by the individual, a visitor or staff member and could cause them to fall.
Fittings and fixtures e.g. uneven paving, lack of hand rails
1.Uneven paving
2.Lack of hand rails
3.Wobbly fence / 1.Environmental
2.Environmental
3.Environmental / 1.Uneven paving may cause an individual, their visitors or staff to trip and injure themselves.
2.A lack of hand rails for an individual who may be unsteady when walking may cause the individual to fall over when walking around outside.
3.A wobbly fence has the potential to cause harm if there is a strong gust of wind or an individual, visitor or member of the public leans on it.
Materials e.g. weed spray, storing materials in incorrectly labelled bottles
1.Weed spray
2.Storing white spirit in a lemonade bottle
3.Not disposing of leftover paint correctly / 1.Chemical and Working Practices
2.Chemical and Working Practices
3.Environmental, Chemical and Working Practices / 1.Not wearing protective equipment when using weed spray can cause respiratory illnesses and burns to the skin to individuals, their visitors and staff members.
2.Storing white spirit in a lemonade bottle may cause an individual, visitor or staff member to think that it is lemonade and they may drink it unknowingly. This could lead to the person suffering burns and may even prove to be fatal.
3.Not disposing of leftover paint correctly may lead to damage to the environment as well as chemical burns being suffered by individuals, their visitors or staff members that come into contact with it.
Hazard Checklist 2
Indoor setting for children: A play room
Potential hazards / Type of hazard / Impact of hazardEquipment e.g. toys, tables
1.Small toys left out
2.Tables
3.A mop and bucket left in the corner of the room / 1.Biological and Working practices
2.Environmental
3.Biological, Chemical and Working practices / 1.Small toys left out with children unattended may become potential choking hazards. Toys may also be shared between children, thus increasing the risk of infections spreading.
2.Tables may become trip hazards and if they have sharp edges could also cause injuries to children, visitors and staff.
3.A mop and bucket left in the corner of a play room may lead to children playing with it and spilling its contents; this could cause skin burns, rashes and the risk of infection spreading if the equipment has been used and is not clean.
Fittings and fixtures e.g. plug sockets, open windows
1.An uncovered plug socket
2.An open window
3.Hot rooms / 1.Environmental
2.Environmental and lack of security systems
3.Working conditions and Psychological / 1.An uncovered plug socket in a play room may lead to children putting their fingers or other objects into the socket; this could lead to electrocution.
2.Leaving a window open may mean that children may try to lean or jump out of it; this has the potential to cause falls, injuries and fatalities. An open window may lead to unauthorised persons gaining access to the children.
3.Working in rooms that are too hot can create uncomfortable environments for staff, children and any visitors. This may also increase staff’s fatigue levels and lead to the perfect conditions in which infections can spread.
Materials e.g. knives, cleaning materials
1.Knives
2.Cleaning detergent
3.Washing up liquid / 1.Environmental and Working practices
2.Chemical, Biological, and Working practices
3.Environmental, Chemical and Working practices / 1.Knives that are not stored away when not being used could become weapons that could injure children, staff members and visitors.
2.Cleaning detergent if not used correctly could be ineffective and lead to the spread of infections. It may also lead to burns if swallowed mistakenly by the children.
3.Washing up liquid spills could lead to floors becoming very slippery, leading to children, staff and visitors slipping over and injuring themselves. It could also be ingested mistakenly by children.
Outdoor setting for children: A Park
Potential hazards / Type of hazard / Impact of hazardEquipment e.g. broken play equipment, lawn mower
1.A broken slide
2.A groundsman using a lawn mower
3.Wheelchairs / 1.Environmental
2.Working practices
3.Environmental / 1.Children may play on the slide not realising that it is broken and injure themselves.
2.If children are not supervised they may run in front of a groundsman using a lawn mower; the groundsman may not be able to stop the lawn mower in time and injuries may result to both the children and the groundsman.
3.Wheelchairs can be trip hazards for children, staff and anyone else in the park if they are not kept to one side when not being used.
Fittings and fixtures e.g. loose fence, water fountain
1.Loose fence
2.Water fountain
3.A broken park gate / 1.Environmental and lack of security systems
2.Environmental
3.Lack of security systems / 1.A loose fence may be at risk of collapsing on a child, staff member or anyone else in the park.
2.If children are not supervised then a water fountain can be the source of slips for anyone walking by because the surrounding area will be wet. Children may play in the water not realising how deep it is and may drown.
3.If children are not supervised they may exit the park without anyone realising; they could place themselves in danger by running out into the road or coming into contact with strangers.
Materials e.g. rubbish, leftover paint
1.Rubbish
2.Leftover paint
3.Used needles and syringes / 1.Biological
2.Chemical
3.Biological / 1.Rubbish and discarded waste left out in the open may cause the spread of infection if children come into contact with them.
2.Leftover paint may be spilt or used by children; they may not be aware that if it comes into contact with their skin and/or eyes it may cause burns and rashes.
3.Used needles and syringes could potentially carry infectious diseases; children may come into contact with these or may accidentally hurt themselves if they fell on one.
Version 11© OCR 2016
Lesson Element
Unit 3: Health, safety and security in health and social care
LO1: Understand potential hazards in health, social care and child care environments
Learner Activity
Hazard spotting
Identifying potential hazards in health, social care and child care environments is very important for ensuring the health, safety and security of everyone. You are going to complete one activity containing two hazard checklists, one checklist aimed at potential hazards for adults in health and social care settings and the other aimed at children in child care settings.
Activity 1
One of the most important aspects of working in health, social care and child care environments is identifying the potential hazards that may cause injury, pose a danger or harm the health of an employee, a visitor or an individual who requires care and support.
Below are two hazard checklists for you to complete.
For each checklist you will need to identify and walk round one indoor setting and one outdoor setting where potential hazards may exist.
Hazard Checklist 1 is aimed at identifying potential hazards for adults and Hazard Checklist 2 is aimed at identifying potential hazards for children.
You will then need to identify three examples of potential hazards, the type of hazard for each example and the impact of each hazard.
Hazard Checklist 1
Indoor setting for adults: ______
Potential hazards / Type of hazard / Impact of hazardEquipment e.g. hoists, wheelchairs
1)
2)
3)
Fittings and fixtures e.g. heaters, floors with spillages
1)
2)
3)
Materials e.g. hot drinks, medication
1)
2)
3)
Hazard Checklist 1
Outdoor setting for adults: ______
Potential hazards / Type of hazard / Impact of hazardEquipment e.g. gardening tools, waste
1)
2)
3)
Fittings and fixtures e.g. uneven paving, lack of hand rails
1)
2)
3)
Materials e.g. weed spray, storing materials in incorrectly labelled bottles
1)
2)
3)
Hazard Checklist 2
Indoor setting for children: ______
Potential hazards / Type of hazard / Impact of hazardEquipment e.g. toys, tables
1)
2)
3)
Fittings and fixtures e.g. plug sockets, open windows
1)
2)
3)
Materials e.g. knives, cleaning materials
1)
2)
3)
Hazard Checklist 2
Outdoor setting for children: ______
Potential hazards / Type of hazard / Impact of hazardEquipment e.g. broken play equipment, lawn mower
1)
2)
3)
Fittings and fixtures e.g. loose fence, water fountain
1)
2)
3)
Materials e.g. rough cut wood, paint
1)
2)
3)
Version 11© OCR 2016