Health and Safety

1. Understand the different responsibilities relating to health and safety in the social care setting.

  1. Identify legislation relating to health and safety in a social care setting
Health and Safety at Work Act 1974
The Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1192, which supports the Health and Safety Act.
Lifting Operations and Lifting Equipment Regulations (LOLER) 1998
Personal Protective Equipment at Work Regulations (PPE) 1992
Food Safety Act 1990
The Reporting of Injuries, Disease and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations 1985 (RIDDOR)
The Manual Handling Regulations 1992
Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations (COSHH)

  2. Explain how health and safety policies and procedures protect those in social care settings
They are used as guidelines for staff to follow so that everyone works in a consistent manner and if this is done and they are followed in the correct way then everybody is protected by them. It is also to ensure that equipment/building and the work environment are kept up to regulatory standards and they also protect the service users because they ensure that all employees are trained correctly, all employees should know their roles and responsibilities to ensure the best standards of care. They ensure that harmful substances are kept locked away so to prevent any harm coming to anyone. Ultimately they keep everyone safe.

  3. Compare the differences in the main health and safety responsibilities of:
The Social Worker – It is the role of the social worker to raise any issues with equipment, buildings or current procedures and the practice of other staff. They are also responsible for keeping themselves and the clients safe by working in the correct manner by following their work places health and safety procedures, it is also their responsibility to report any issues to their line manager immediately. They have to make sure that their training is up to date and relevant. They must ensure that they only...