Health and Safety Legislation in Dental Surgery

This report provides an in-depth understanding of health and safety legislation in dental surgery and its impact on job roles. It covers topics such as the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974, Control of Substances Hazardous to Health, and Environmental Protection Act 1990. It also explains the Department of Health Best Practice guidelines and the role of dental professionals in adhering to HTM 0105 and HTM 07-01. The report further discusses different categories of waste and their disposal methods. It defines terms like hazard and risk and describes workplace processes for reporting risks and hazards. Additionally, it explores the role of dental professionals in managing hazards such as mercury spillage, radiation exposure, cross infection, environmental factors, and more. The report concludes with an explanation of ergonomics in dental practice, including seating, patient and team positioning, instrument passing, and suction tip placement.

DN1 Project 1
Please refer to your Award Standards to ensure that all Range have been
included in your answers
DN1.LO1,AC1,2,4R1,2A,2B (DN14LO1 AC1)
Produce a written project – an in-depth report describing health and safety legislation within
the dental surgery and how it affects you and your job role. Please include:
a) Health and Safety at Work Act 1974
b) Control of Substances Hazardous to Health
c) Environmental Protection Act 19901.
d) Ionising Radiation (Medical Exposures) Regulations (including local rules)2018
e) IRR(17)
f) ALARP
g) Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations 1995
h) Health and Safety (Sharp Instruments in Healthcare) Regulations 2013
Explain Department of Health Best Practice guidelines and your role in adhering to HTM 01-
05 and HTM 07-01
Describe the different categories of waste and how they are disposed of
1. Infectious waste for disposal through incineration
2. Offensive/hygiene waste for disposal through deep landfill
3. Medicinal waste for disposal by incineration
4. containing cytostatic waste or cytotoxic waste for disposal through
incineration
5. Amalgam waste which is disposed of through recycling
6. Anatomical waste for disposal through incineration
Define the terms:
a) Hazard
Hazard can be referred as the any source of potential harm, damage or negative
health effects on someone or something. It is a potential for harm or for an adverse
effect and is an unavoidable risk or danger.
b) Risk
Risk is referred as the possibility of something bad occurring. It is a probability or chance
that an individual will be harmed or feel a negative effect on health if exposure to a
hazard.
Dental Nurse Academy: DN1 1

Describe workplace processes for reporting risks and hazards to health and safety
LO3 AC6(DN4 LO6 AC1)
For reporting about the risks and hazards to health and safety to the supervisor, it can be
reported verbally by providing the proper description of the hazard along with suggested
corrective actions.
Describe the following hazards in the workplace and your role in managing them
(LO1 AC5,R4A,B,C,D,E,F,G, LO2 AC1,2,3 R1B.C .LO3 AC5
DN4 LO3 ) (DN14LO1 AC2,3,4,5,LO3 AC5)
Hazard Why is this a hazard Your role in minimising the
hazard
Mercury spillage
It is a hazard as it can lead
to mercury poisoning
specifically in children. It
can harm the nervous
system and can lead to
irritability, memory loss;
tremors, respiratory & eye
irritation; shortness of
breath; chest pain; kidney
damage and high blood
pressure.
To educate individuals on
the proper procedures as
well as protection required
to clean up a mercury spill.
Radiation Exposure to high level of
radiation can cause acute
health effects like acute
radiation syndrome and skin
burns. It can also lead to
long-term health effects like
cardiovascular disease and
cancer.
Help to avoid contact with
contamination and provide
dosimeters to wear.
Cross Infection
It is a hazard as it can cause
many complications like
fever, surgical wound
infection etc.
Make sure about cleaning
the hands continuously and
avoid close contact with
others.
Environmental Factors
It adversely affects the
health of people as it can
To ensure that all the
activities and practices are
performed sustainably and
Dental Nurse Academy: DN1 1

lead to pollution and
natural disasters like
earthquake and stroms.
do not harm the
environment in any way.
Spillages
Waste disposal
Sharps
Infectious conditions
Damaged instruments
Faulty equipment
Spillage of Processing
solution
Explain the procedures in the event of a sharp’s injury
What are your practice policies and procedures regarding smoking, eating, drinking and
drugs?
Environmental factors – please explain the importance of having the correct temperature
and lighting within the dental surgery.
Ventilation
Proper ventilation is important as it helps in reducing the
environmental contaminants as well as in preventing the
recirculation of bacterial aerosols.
Dental Nurse Academy: DN1 1

Heating/room
temperature Right temperature is important as it assist in carry out the
dental surgery in an effective manner. it also has profound
effect on mood, movement and pace.
Lighting
The right dental lighting is important as it helps in striking a
balance between administering enough high intensity light
in order to improve the work precision, particularly when it
comes to processes like color matching for cosmetic and
restorations work, and reducing the strain on eye and
enhancing energy levels as light can influence how tired a
person feel at the end of the day.
Explain the ergonomics within the dental practice including:
 seating,
Seating is crucial as dentists as well as assistants can spend a lot of time in this
position. It is necessary to make sure that each operator stool has an adjustable seat
as well as back rest.
 positioning of the patient and team
The patient needs to be in a supine position for clinical procedures. a contoured
cervical support cushion can enhance the tolerance for reclining of patient.
 Instrument passing
Larger-diameter and Lighter instruments, specifically those with a textured grip
surface, is easier to grasp as well as can lessen the amount of force required during
probing, scaling, and root planing.
 Suction tip placement
It must be placed prior to the operator placing their instruments and must be placed
as proximal as possible to the tooth being prepared.
Supporting evidence: If you have recently dealt with a hazard/risk in your workplace, please
can you complete a reflective account detailing your actions throughout?
Dental Nurse Academy: DN1 1

This unit also supports knowledge and understanding for Unit DN4, DN12 and your exam
Please ensure that you have checked your spelling and grammar prior to submitting.
Please ensure all evidence is signed and dated by yourself to confirm authenticity of your
evidence.
Dental Nurse Academy: DN1 1