Health and Safety in Care Work

This assignment delves into the crucial topic of health and safety within the care work sector. It examines the relevant government legislation and organizational requirements that guide safe practices. The focus then shifts to the specific responsibilities of care workers in ensuring their own well-being and the safety of those they are caring for.

HEALTH AND SAFETY

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................1
TASK 1............................................................................................................................................1
1.1 Legislative requirements in communicating and maintaining health and safety.............1
2.4 Causes of non-compliances in health and safety legislation and its effects.....................2
3.1 Health and Safety policies and its effectiveness in promoting positive and healthy practice
................................................................................................................................................3
3.2 Monitoring of policies and practices................................................................................4
1.2 Organisational chart and assessment of responsibilities in a specific health and social care
................................................................................................................................................5
TASK 2 (CASE STUDY 1).............................................................................................................6
1.3 ..........................................................................................................................................6
Health and safety priorities that are important to..................................................................6
Mr Watson’s health and well-being......................................................................................6
2.2 Impact of health and safety policy on Mr Watson and health and safety practice...........7
2.1 Risk assessment................................................................................................................8
TASK 3 (CASE STUDY 2).............................................................................................................8
2.3 Addressing this situation with implementing systems and policies for health and safety8
3.3 Own contribution to promote health and safety of service-user.......................................8
CONCLUSION................................................................................................................................9
RECOMMENDATIONS.................................................................................................................9
REFERENCES..............................................................................................................................10

INTRODUCTION
“The active involvement of workers is fundamental to good health and safety
management- Zoe Woodrow.” Hence, at the workplace where people work there is an essential
need to have proper safety and security. Risk, safety and security are the factors which have to be
taken care in order to have a proper working environment as any kind of problem which may rise
can cause a very huge impact on company. This document consists of a complete study regarding
health and safety at workplace to the workers which is necessary and very much considered
nowadays as a factor to retain employees for a long period of time. Various case studies are
discussed and relevant solutions to them have been given in this research report.
TASK 1
1.1 Legislative requirements in communicating and maintaining health and safety
Legislative requirements in health and social care are made to have proper working
environment for the workers as well as the customers can have best services (Australia, 2011).
There are a huge list of legislations and they are listed below:
 Health and safety at Work Act 1974
Under this act workplace where the workers are ought to work is managed and taken into
account. Employees under this act have to corporate with employers in order to maintain a good
working environment so as to minimise the issues regarding health and safety.
 Management of Health and Safety at work Regulations 1992
Measures regarding health and safety are to be taken into consideration under this act by
the employer of the employees. There must be appropriate facilities to them in order to have
operations which are safe and secure (Boada-Grau and et. al., 2012). For this training and various
other sessions for awareness can be arranged by the employers.
 Health and Safety Regulations 1981
There must be first aid equipments and proper first aiders in the workplace where there
are chances of getting an injury it is the duty of employer in health and social care to maintain
that as there are several chances of mishaps in the premises.
 Food Safety Regulation 1990
Under this act the consideration of food which is prepared in the organisation for
employees as well as the customers which are there in health and safety organisation. Canteens,
1

clubs and cares must have proper hygienic food for the employees so that there are least chances
of getting disease or infection.
In United Kingdom the Department of Health and Safety is promoting and initiating
health and safety at workplace in order to provide there people with best facilities (Freivalds,
2013). This is a duty of the department which is working under health and social care to make
and implement such kind of rules and regulations for the employees who are devoting there full
time attention in serving the customers. Local and national measures are made in UK to have
proper practices in same for health and safety at workplace.
2.4 Causes of non-compliances in health and safety legislation and its effects
In regards to non-compliance of health and safety regulations there are many impacts
which are there on company and its people. The affect can be very huge and it also can be
assessed as minimal. Hence, these can be divided into two forms which is given below according
to which impact can be assessed:
 Personal Effect
This is the direct impact on the employees due to non-compliance of the health and safety
measures. For example if an employee is not provided with all the facilities he/she will directly
get an impact from it which is directed under personal impact. Further this impact can be listed
as follows:
 Injuries: The employees might get injured which may cause personal damage to them in
order to work (Gibson, 2014). There might be a long time of break which they need to
take to get recovered which could cause a huge loss to the company as well as the
personnel.
 Fatalities: There might have same cases where loss of human can be assessed which
could cause a huge impact on the persons family and the people who are associated with
it. Health Implications: This is regarding health issues which might be caused to a person
and he/she gets some or the other problems to work in a compatible environment.
 Professional Effect
The company in which and the persons professional life gets impacted due to non-
compliance of health and safety. As it causes a huge damage which a person have to recover by
sacrificing work so as to get into a normal state (Goetsch, D.L., 2011). For example He/she
2

might not get any other job due to inabilities which are caused by mishaps. Simultaneously, the
following are the impacts:
 Fines: The company might get charged to pay fines and the amount which have been
caused to the employee who have been affected by the non-compliance.
 Closure of agreement: The working agreement for the company might get closed if the
person is not getting proper facilities.
 Legal action: The one who have got affected can take a legal action against non-
compliance of the facilities regarding health and social care.
3.1 Health and Safety policies and its effectiveness in promoting positive and healthy practice
The health and safety measures which are taken into account in an organisation are
important in order to satisfy the employees who are working in the organisation. It is
implemented in order to have best environment for the people who are working in the company.
There is a major need to provide people best facilities so that they are retained for a longer period
of time. The policies which have been adopted by National Health Services in order to promote
positive health practices are listed below:
 Health and safety measures
While contributing to health and safety in NHS the employees gets an environment where
they are provided with proper facilities to their health and safety. NHS have made many policies
to protect the employees who are working in it. For example the employee are given first aid
facility in the premises of NHS (Goetsch, 2012). There are many other such reliefs which have
been provided to employees for the safety and security of them.
 Employees safety and security
The employees are provided with necessary equipments and training in order to make
them aware of the work which has to be done in NHS so that there is no further problems which
have been caused to them. Like- the doctors are provided with masks and cover while they are
treating the patients as well as health and hygiene maintenance is also taken care in the building
of health care.
Hence, the above measures by NHS helps in promoting health and safety regulations. The
measures help in making people as well as employees aware about the health and safety
measures they need to take care while working in this section.
3

3.2 Monitoring of policies and practices
Monitoring comprises of assessing the policies which have been initiated and regulated in
health and social care (Holt, 2015). There is a major need to do so that a report regarding the
functioning of the various measures which have been implemented can be obtained. Similarly,
there are many ways two ways to monitor and review the measures and they are listed as
follows:
 Proactive Monitoring
This relates to taking action before accident happens in other words taking measures
before any kind of mishaps which may occur at the workplace. This can be done by regular
checking, auditing on safety from time to time etc. This is the best kind of monitoring which
helps in minimising the chances of mishaps or problems which might be created in workplce in
regards to employees.
 Reactive Monitoring
After the events have taken place they are monitored which are considered under this
monitoring (Lèfstedt, 2011). Learning from mistakes is the major consideration as the event
which have been occurred according to that further plans and policies are made so that there is
least chances of them to occur in future.
Further, there can be regular health and safety inspections which includes:
 There is a need to make checklist according to which assessment can be done.
 Identification of hazards and risk which are there needed to be ascertain so as to rectify.
 Record must be kept in accordance to performance of the measures to have a complete
data for analysation.
Hence, in this manner the policies regarding health and safety can be reviewed and
monitored in NHS so as to have effectiveness in programs which are initiated. There is a huge
need of doing so as appropriate results are obtained for the areas which have to be developed and
rectified for the same in order to minimise chances of problems.
1.2 Organisational chart and assessment of responsibilities in a specific health and social care
4
GOVERNMENT

Government
Legal bodies plays a major role in health and social care services. They are the key
elements which regulates the supportive conditions in order to maintain proper working in health
care centres (Nahrgang, 2011). Decisions regarding the same have been made by government for
all kind of key decisions. They are responsible for formation of structure in such a way that the
working of each and every person is decided and regulated by the government in UK.
Legislation
After that legal rules which are made in regards to health and social care plays a major
role which impact the business of health care. In this part of organisational structure people who
are involved in this make rules regarding health care. The necessary code of conduct is assured
by this section of organisation so as to have fair practices in business and operations while
serving others.
Organisational Requirements
This consists of the requirements which are there in health and social care organisation.
There are some basic requirements in each and every organisation which are required to be
fulfilled. According to those needs there is a rise in demand of treatments which are being
provided in health care to the patients (Pouliakas, 2013). These demands are majorly required to
be assessed in order to have a complete study about what organisation would contribute to the
society or we can say in which field it is inclined to work.
5
LEGISLATION
ORGANISATIONAL
REQUIREMENTS
CARE WORKERS
RESPONSIBILITIES
SUPPORT

Care Workers Responsibilities
They are the people who takes care of the patient in a health and social care. They are the
supports to the professional skilled people who are working to render services in health and
social care. They are the service providers in a health and social care organisation to various
people who have been admitted to it. Technological and utility support is the major role which
have been played by these personnels in a health care.
Support
They are the providers of facilities and requirements which the employees who are
working in health care organisation require. They makes sure that the operations are conducted
in a proper manner and there is no kind of problems. They are responsible for technical as well
as resources support to the manpower who are working in health and social care.
Hence, the above are the responsibilities which various parties who are associated with
heath and social care have to perform in order to have a proper functioning of it. There are major
roles which have to be taken care while operating these large organisation (Rajaratnam and et.
Al., 2011). For instance NHS is a very big organisation which requires the management from
various parties involvement as it is really unimaginable to manage that company by a single
person.
TASK 2 (CASE STUDY 1)
1.3
Health and safety priorities that are important to
Mr Watson’s health and well-being
As it have been stated in the case study that Mr Watson have psychiatric illness which
means that Mrs Kiran have to take extra care in regards to emotions of that person. As it is
known that anger cant be controlled by anger one has to be polite and very lenient while dealing
with such cases. So, Mrs Kiran have to be very polite and very humble with full of patience
while dealing with Mr Watson. The priorities which she have to look after while treating Mr
Watson are stated as follows:
 Convince
First, Mrs Kiran have to convince Mr Watson in order to enter the house as he was
shouting that he won't be coming out and let her in. So, with a politeness keeping in mind her
6

safety and security she should behave patiently (Santos and et. al., 2013). This will helps in
settling the emotion of Mr. Watson which are full of anger towards health and social care people.
 Counsel
Further, after getting entry to the house she should talk to Mr Watson in order to make
him feel that someone is there to listen what is the problem with him. Here she can use some
ways like- we convince a child full of anger to talk. This way she will know what are problems
from which Mr Watson is so much angry.
 Understand
Afterwards, when she knows what is the problem of Mr Watson she should understand
him and let him get settled with it as a domiciliary professional. She should plan the treatment of
him according to that so that best services to him can be given.
 Action
After that she can act on him according to the required treatment with relevant to his
problems and other issues associated with him.
2.2 Impact of health and safety policy on Mr Watson and health and safety practice
In relation to the case scenario Mrs Kiran have used many policy while her profession as
a domiciliary. Out of this in case of Mr Watson Risk assessment while taking the patient out is
most considerable. As it is known that Mr Watson was psychiatric patient who have mental
illness which may harm many people including her as well as they are very hard to control. They
behave in the way they want it can be very harsh so while taking him out of his house the risk of
problems which can be caused by him should be assessed and proper places should be chosen
according to his behaviour to take him out (World Health Organization, 2015). Rather it may
cause many problems to people as well as Mrs Kiran in controlling his anger.
2.1 Risk assessment
Risk assessment in regards to Mr Watson's case would be in accordance to the illness he
is having. It have been concluded that he is suffering from psychiatric illness which can cause a
huge harm to people as these people behave in a very different manner because of their
problems. The risk which have been assessed by me was that of danger which can be caused by
these people in relation to harm which can be caused to Mrs Kiran as he was shouting to kill her
which was an expression of fear from people. There is no guarantee accordance to which these
people behave which is the major risk (Health and safety policy, 2015). In relation to the
7

decision making of organisation structure it can be used in such a way that the people of NHS
would be trained and guided in relation to it and the future aspect of getting similar kind of
patient will be assisted from the very beginning.
TASK 3 (CASE STUDY 2)
2.3 Addressing this situation with implementing systems and policies for health and safety
Mr Halley is suffering from a Mania which is considered to be mental sickness. As it
have been stated in the case study that he wants to go to paper shop in order to buy paper of his
choice as he have a fond of reading them. According to me this situation would be addressed in a
very polite and patient way. The nurse who have been appointed to take care of Mr Halley
should take him to the paper shop so that he can buy papers of his choice this way it will put an
impact on his mental health as he would feel understood and will be satisfied.
Policies of health and issues which are in relation to this is that risk in taking out the
patient for an activity. But this would result in a good way but may impact the other people as
Mr Halley may react after seeing so many crowd at the paper shop which may cause a proper. So
nurse also have to take care of this as well as Mr Halley as he do not know about roads and the
way to paper shop.
3.3 Own contribution to promote health and safety of service-user.
In my own contribution health and safety of the service-user can be promotes in many
ways. The patients in the above case studies are mostly of psychiatric illness which means that
there is a huge risk of physical attacks which can be caused by them to people who are
examining them (Jagger and et. al., 2011). So I was contributing in assessing them according to
their behaviour in order to obtain a summary of them so as to make a report on their illness
which can be used for further treatment. It was really hard task but with patience and politeness it
was performed by me. Assessment of people after talking to them was done by me by
understanding them in a very proper manner from time to time as they keeps on getting changes
in their manner to behave (Matthews, 2015). In promoting it I have taken part to train and give
assistant to various people who were treating same kind of patients in health care.
CONCLUSION
It have been concluded by the above report that there are many task which are to be
performed by health and social care employees and these tasks includes a lot of risk. As there are
8

various kind of patients with various disease and these patients have to be treated accordingly.
The behaviour of psychiatric patients needs to be properly assessed in order to treat them
properly. The way they are to be treated with relation to policies of health care to be used is a
results of this report.
RECOMMENDATIONS
The people who are working with health and care as well as their employer must take
care of health and safety in the working area by coordinating with each other.
9

REFERENCES
Books and Journals
Australia, S.W., 2011. How to manage work health and safety risks: Code of practice. Safe
Work Australia.
Boada-Grau and et. al., 2012. Health and safety at work in the transport industry (trans-18):
factorial structure, reliability and validity. The Spanish Journal of Psychology, 15(1),
pp.357-366.
Freivalds, A. and Niebel, B., 2013. Niebel's Methods, Standards, & Work Design. Mcgraw-Hill
higher education.
Gibson, M., 2014. Health and safety legislation. Occupational Medicine, 64(6), pp.441-441.
Goetsch, D.L., 2011. Occupational Safety and Health for Technologists, Engineers, and.
Goetsch, D.L., 2012. Construction Safety & Health. Pearson Higher Ed.
Holt, A.S.J. and Allen, J., 2015. Principles of health and safety at work. Routledge.
Jagger and et. al., 2011. Increase in sharps injuries in surgical settings versus nonsurgical settings
after passage of national needlestick legislation. AORN journal, 93(3), pp.322-330.
Lèfstedt, R., 2011. Reclaiming health and safety for all: An independent review of health and
safety legislation (Vol. 8219). The Stationery Office.
Matthews, G., 2015. Pesticides: health, safety and the environment. John Wiley & Sons.
Nahrgang, J.D., Morgeson, F.P. and Hofmann, D.A., 2011. Safety at work: a meta-analytic
investigation of the link between job demands, job resources, burnout, engagement, and
safety outcomes.
Pouliakas, K. and Theodossiou, I., 2013. The economics of health and safety at work: an
interdiciplinary review of the theory and policy. Journal of Economic Surveys, 27(1),
pp.167-208.
Rajaratnam and et. al., 2011. Sleep disorders, health, and safety in police
officers. Jama, 306(23), pp.2567-2578.
Santos and et. al., 2013. The main benefits associated with health and safety management
systems certification in Portuguese small and medium enterprises post quality
management system certification. Safety science, 51(1), pp.29-36.
World Health Organization, 2015. Global status report on road safety 2015. World Health
Organization.
Online
Health and safety policy, 2015. [Online]. Available through:
<http://www.healthyworkinglives.com/advice/Legislation-and-policy/Workplace-
Health-and-Safety/health-safety-policy>. [Accessed on 3rd August 2017].
10