Health and Safety in Health and Social Care Workplaces: UK Report

This report provides a comprehensive overview of health and safety practices within health and social care workplaces in the UK. It begins by outlining the legislative requirements, policies, and procedures used to communicate health and safety information, emphasizing the responsibilities of both management and employees. The report delves into specific health and safety priorities, particularly in specialized settings like surgical areas, and explores the processes for monitoring and reviewing the effectiveness of these policies. It also examines the principles of risk assessment, its role in care planning, and the impact of health and safety policies on health and social care practices. The report highlights key legislation such as the Health & Safety at Work Act 1974, RIDDOR Act 2013, and the Management of Health & Safety at Work Regulations 1999, and how these shape the health and safety environment. The aim is to promote a positive, healthy, and safe culture within these vital workplaces.

Health and Safety in Health and
Social Care Workplaces

Table of Contents
Introduction......................................................................................................................................1
Task 1...............................................................................................................................................1
1.1 Systems, policies and procedures to communicate information on health and safety at
workplace accordance with legislative requirements..................................................................1
1.2 The responsibilities of management in relation to health and safety.....................................3
1.3 Health and safety priorities for a specific health and social care setting...............................4
3.1 Process to monitor and review the health and safety policies and practices.........................4
3.2 Effectiveness of health and safety policies and practices in workplace to promote a
positive, healthy and safe culture.................................................................................................6
3.3 The responsibilities of individuals in relation to health and safety.......................................7
Task 2...............................................................................................................................................7
2.1 The principles of risk assessment for health and social care.................................................7
2.2 Role of information from risk assessments in care planning.................................................9
2.3 Impact of one aspect of health and safety policy on HSC practice.....................................10
Conclusion.....................................................................................................................................11
References......................................................................................................................................12

Introduction
Today, one of the most concern aspect that every organisation concerns more about its
workplace is implementation of health and safety practices. For this purpose, both management
and workers are responsible to facilitate safety at workplace, by ensuring that working condition
will not hamper on physical and mental health of any related staff or individuals. Hereby, refer to
safety of people at workplace, mostly firms reinforce the Occupational Safety & Health practices
by amending the associated laws (Lopes, Kamau and Jaspal, 2019). Considering the health and
safety management and its importance, a study is conducted under present report on healthcare
sector of UK. For this assistance, a portfolio of evidence is created which includes current
legislative requirements, policies and procedures, with reporting system. In addition, roles and
responsibilities in context with health & safety and way to monitor and review related practices
is also explained. In another part, principles of risk assessment and impact of concerning policies
on HSC practices is being examined.
Task 1
1.1 Systems, policies and procedures to communicate information on health and safety at
workplace accordance with legislative requirements
Health and safety is one of the important concerned aspect for proper well-being state of
individuals while working in an organisation. It is critically significant within health and social
facilities, where workers and management both are responsible for protecting themselves and
surrounding people who might affected from working activities (Reiman, and et. al., 2019). For
this purpose, a number of policies and practices are implemented at workplace, that could put
less impact on associated individuals. In context with HSC sector of UK, for reinforcing the
Occupational Health and Safety (OSH), a number of legislations have been to amend system,
policies and procedures made for providing health and safety at workplace (Lomas and et. al.,
2019). It includes –
Health & Safety at Work Act 1974 – This law of UK sets out the way, employers and
employees needs to conduct their work with more safety. It amends entire system and policies of
firm of Great Britain related to OSH by setting some general responsibilities (Flynn and et. al.,
2018). It includes employers concern towards associated staff and public; and employees for
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protecting themselves from unsafe practices; by complying company’s policies with law.
Therefore, as per these requirements, both management and working staff in HSC sector and
others, are generally obliged to take care of themselves and others by cooperating with
management. Along with this, respective law also covers a wide range of issues regarding with
workplace health and safety including welfare across various sectors (Dimoff and Kelloway,
2019). has been covered in this act.
RIDDOR Act 2013 – It refers as Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous
Occurrences Regulations that puts responsibilities on both employers and working staff for
protection of serious workplace accidents, hazardous issues and occupational diseases by instant
reporting to employer or person who responsible for control of premises (Ramon, 2018). In
context with HSC sector, where any incident related to gas leaking, fire accidents, slippery and
more, results in loss of many lives (including professionals, patients, visitors, staff members
etc.). So, reinforcing this law while developing health and safety related policies, aid in reducing
occurrence of such activities, by quick responding and reporting accidents or incidents to higher
authorities.
Management of Health & Safety at Work Regulations 1999 – this law is established to
reform some policies made in act 1977, in terms of general obligations of employers to conduct
risk assessment at workplace and record systematically the significant findings (Heras-
Saizarbitoria and et. al., 2019). Further, they need to make arrangements by setting up the
emergency procedures, implementing the measures for health & safety, providing training to
associated member to deal with workplace accidents and incidents if happen, etc. Thus,
considering on these points, management of healthcare sectors of UK concerns more on health
surveillance, arrangements and procedures to respond on serious or hazardous activities, to make
safer environment for patients, care takers, visitors and all associated people (Martin and
Manley, 2018).
PUWER 2002 - This law states as Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations,
which emphasis more on placing duties on management of a company to train workers about
way to operate and control over equipment that proves hazardous if not operating well (Ibrahim
and et. al., 2018). In context with health and social care sectors, a number of medical equipment
are used like surgical instrument, therapeutic equipment (ultrasound, laser treatment machines,
electrotherapy and physiotherapy machines etc.), diagnostic tools (MRI and X-Ray machines). If
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all such machines are not responsibly operated, then it could arise critical situations for both
medical team and patient itself (Lind, 2018). Therefore, management of such sectors concern
more on providing proper training to associate people to mitigate such risks.
COSHH 2002 – This act stands for Control of Substances Hazardous to Health
Regulations, which enforce responsibilities on employers to concern on substances and control
the same which are hazardous to health (Launer, 2018). It mainly establishes for prevention and
minimisation of workers’ exposure towards risk carrying activities, via health surveillance,
panning for emergency and keeping all measures for control at workplace, in order to reduce
harm to patients, staff and all associated members.
Thus, all amending these laws into creation of health and safety working environment,
aid employers or management of HSC firms to prevent and protect its workforce and associated
people from those activities that have potential to harm them (Bird and Brown, 2018). Through
adherence of this law in health and safety policies, management of HSC sectors provides better
risk free working environment to its staff, so that quality of care services can be provided to
patients. It also helps in making policy that includes formal course of actions need to be followed
by everyone; and implement procedures to carry out such operations.
1.2 The responsibilities of management in relation to health and safety
For amending health related legislations into organisational policies, aid employers in
identifying the ways through which all associated people can be prevented and protected from
those activities that could affect them (Testa and et. al., 2020). With this assistance, they make
policies and communicate the same to associated people, regarding with way to operate
equipment and conduct activities. To ensure that incidents, accidents or any serious cases should
not occur at workplace, all individuals especially in health and social care sectors, are
responsible for facilitating the safe working practices at workplace (Richards and Sang, 2019).
For example, it is responsibility of HSC workers, to take reasonable care of themselves and
others in the workplace, by strictly following the policies and procedures of organisation and not
act in a way that may cause an accident or ill health impact on them or others.
Medical staff probably work with various individuals who have different needs and
requirements, in terms of care and services, so any task that handle inappropriately could harm
others also (Loh and et. al., 2018). Therefore, it is main responsibility of management of health
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and social care sector, to ensure that workers are properly trained before working on diagnostic,
surgical and other instruments, so that occurrence of related risks could be minimised as
possible. Another responsibilities of health and social managers, is to ensure that entire working
policies must be amended with related laws and legislations, for promoting healthy working
environment at workplace (Beattie and et. al., 2019). They also play major role in health
surveillance; monitor related risks; communicating policies to staff and other people to avoid and
deal with risks; ensuring working policies is legally compiled; installation of safety equipment or
emergency procedures etc. In addition to this, health and safety managers also carry out various
operations, to conduct risk assessments, inspections of electrical or those equipment that could
harm others for minimising the major accidents or incidents at workplace.
1.3 Health and safety priorities for a specific health and social care setting
As health and safety practices are needed to be developed and implemented at every
workplace within every sector, for safety of associated people. But for health and social care
sectors, it is essential for management to be concerned more on giving priorities on developing
safe working place (Walters and Wadsworth, 2020). For this purpose, they must ensure about
organisational and service transparency for all associated staff, so that desired policies must be
followed out properly by all. Along with this, in arrangement of specific health and safety
priorities for particular workplace like surgical areas, where surgery types of treatment are
provided, management needs to make prior policies regarding with associated medical staff to be
trained first (Flynn and et. al., 2018). This would help in minimising issues or risks that might
arise if medical team and associated staff do not handle appropriately such machines, which
results in creating harm to them and patients too. Similarly, actions are also taken about steps
that must follow by each worker for minimising the related risks occurred at workplace.
3.1 Process to monitor and review the health and safety policies and practices
Implementation of health and safety practices as well as policies at workplace is one of the
main step in keeping organisation and all associated people safe from hazardous activities
(Lopes, Kamau and Jaspal, 2019). But responsibilities of management of HSC sector do not end
on this task, they are also responsible to be proactively concerned on reviewing and monitoring
the effectiveness of such policies, to meet the legal compliances. Every employer in this sector is
legally obliged for maintaining a safe and healthy work environment, by implementation of
unique system and policies regarding with health and safety, contingent to the hazards involved.
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But as safe and healthy workplace can only realisable if there is a planned as well as systematic
approach for mitigating and managing risks (Martin and Manley, 2018). Therefore, before
implementing any system, management of such sector concerns more on understanding the
workers’ exposures towards harmful consequences of some working activities. Afterwards, they
take necessary steps for eliminating or minimising the health and safety risks by implementing
some established controls. It includes –
Identification of hazards – By analysing some situations that has potential to cause harm or
immediate threat like exposure of workers or individuals towards toxic substances; risks related
to spillage of chemicals, failure of equipment during treatment etc., essential steps are taken in
healthcare associations of UK to reduce occurrence of same (Walters and Wadsworth, 2020).
This would aid in ensuring that care services are provided in better way, by offering safe
working environment to associated medical staff, patients and all members over there.
Assess Risks – This step helps management of HSC sector to measure how exposure of
risks for an individual could harm them. Through evaluation of potential risks that could arise
due to consequences of some activities, in terms of severity of risks, effectiveness of existing
control measures, urgency of actions etc. risk assessment can be prepared (Beattie and et. al.,
2019). This would aid in implementing effective control measures with reducing uncertainty of
factors that cause injury or any kind of hazards at workplace, for providing better safe
environment.
Control measures – After identification of hazards or risks with level of their severity,
management of HSC could be implemented the best control measures at workplace (Loh and et.
al., 2018). For this purpose, hierarchy of the risk control procedure also could be considered for
placing suitable control measures. It includes elimination of hazard and minimise individuals’
exposure by using the administrative actions and personal protective equipment.
Monitor control measures – by taking regular meetings and feedback of associated staff,
effectiveness of implemented control measures can be monitored (Richards and Sang, 2019).
This task can also be done inspection, walkthrough and inspection; checklist and auditing;
monitoring or emergency alarms; air quality testing etc.
Continuous improvement – By using Health & Safety Program Assessment, progress
towards development of safe working environment can be measured (Testa and et. al., 2020). It
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also helps in reviewing the threat for new risks; occurrence of incidents or major accidents;
ensuring that hazard correction system is in place etc. with engagement of staff for further areas
of improvement.
3.2 Effectiveness of health and safety policies and practices in workplace to promote a positive,
healthy and safe culture
Effectiveness of policies and practices related to health and safety at HSC workplace, can
be measured, by reviewing that overall procedures have been compiled appropriately with
legislations (Lind, 2018). Along with this, for promoting a positive, healthy and safe working
environment, following model is generally used to review that entire procedure of assessing and
monitoring is made accordingly. Through this process, management can ensure that incident risk
assessment whether made or not for identification of risks; inspect the worksite, regular safety
meetings, tracking the incidents; and more (Launer, 2018). This would also aid in exploring the
areas where improvement is still needed to be done for creation of better working environment,
where probabilities of risks and threats of occurrence of serious accidents could be minimised.
The mentioned methods for implementation, reviewing and monitoring the progress of health
and safety policies, proves beneficial in terms of getting more skilled medical staff, who
contribute their high efforts in provide quality care services to patients.
Figure 1: Evaluation Model of Health & Safety Practices
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3.3 The responsibilities of individuals in relation to health and safety
To ensure that working environment within health and social care sectors is more safe,
individuals who might get affected by same, also need to concern on own responsibilities. They
are bounded to follow entire rules and policies which have to protect them and other from hazard
activities (Lomas and et. al., 2019). It includes taking proper training and acknowledging own
from equipment on which they work to provide medical services; cooperate management in
accessing and mitigating the risks that could harm associated people; respond quickly on any
hazardous situation by making complaint to authorities for management of same. Similarly, a
service worker in HSC sector has a great responsibility for endorsing health and safety facilities
at workplace, by following policies that aid in minimising potential risks at workplace.
Task 2
2.1 The principles of risk assessment for health and social care
The term risk assessment can be defined as process of health surveillance used for
identifying hazards in a workplace, with evaluation of level of risk, taken steps to control and
reduce the same etc. from workplace (Reiman, and et. al., 2019). It helps the individuals in
organisations to ensure that all working procedures or activities will be done in safest possible
ways. However, it is not only considered as legal requirement, but it also provides clear guidance
as well as information about way to keep individuals safe and prevent from danger, harm and
accidents. It also helps in careful examining the working procedure that could cause harm to
people, where management can be ensured if enough precautions have been implement, or there
is need for any improvement (Bird and Brown, 2018). But before conducting the risk assessment
procedures, managers in Health and Safety emphasis more on principles of the same, to be
followed out. It includes –
Principle 1: Medical Staff and service users must be actively participant in risk
assessment and safety planning process – This principle is considered as main approach in
involvement of care providers and service users in creation of safety and personal care plan
(Launer, 2018). Engagement of users and associated staff also aids in ensuring that risks and
vulnerabilities are identified more accurately, by involving their perspectives on safety
management. Through active engagement of service users, their unmet needs regarding with
personal safety could be evaluated with development of policies to meet the same.
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Principle 2: A trusting relationship among service providers and users for effective
planning of health and safety policies - Risk assessment and planning for safety at workplace
within HSC sector is considered as a relational process which concerns more on safety needs of
individuals, instead of check lists process. For this purpose, engagement of nurse or other
medical staff includes who are working within best health policies and practices to facilitate safe
working environment (Lind, 2018). This process of engagement of associated staff and service
users in risk assessment and safety planning enhance potential of management to develop a sense
of safety among them, by involving their ideas in implementation of health and safety policies at
workplace.
Principle 3: Structured clinical judgement for implementation of best approach towards
risk assessment – Through collaborative risk assessment information regarding with
effectiveness of existing control measures, support of medical staff can be gained in maintaining
safety and promoting healthy working environment. For this purpose, three main approaches for
conducting the risk assessment implement (Ibrahim and et. al., 2018). It includes unstructured
clinical judgement that relies mainly upon intuition for carrying out an assessment; actuarial
methods that emphasis more in empirically validated tools as well as instruments to measure and
control risk; and last one is structured clinical judgement which includes combination of both
approaches for assess the individual’s risk. All these approaches help in engaging healthcare
workers, managers and other people in exploring the risk with protective factors, by concerning
on multiple perspectives.
Principle 4: Risk assessment and safety planning must implement strengths-based
approach with acknowledgement of protective factors – As per this process, risk assessment and
safety planning process must be built by recognising the effectiveness of existing safety
practices, with identification of protective factors in terms of how much workers are able and
acknowledged with operating on such equipment that could harm others. Both processes are
integral for determining strengths-based approach and implement the same in procedure of risk
assessment (Heras-Saizarbitoria and et. al., 2019). Along with this, it also helps in strengthening
the capacity or skills of healthcare workes by identifying their training needs to conduct
hazardous activities like way to prevent themselves from spillage of chemicals, leakage of gas or
more.
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With consideration of these principles of risk assessment, some actions are also needed to
be concerned that provide guidance in conducting the same. It includes identification of hazards
first, i.e. those works that have high potential to cause harm to associated people within
healthcare workplace, by using different techniques like regular meeting with workers (Flynn
and et. al., 2018). Afterwards, who might get be harmed and in what manner, need to determined
so that risks could be removed or controlled by implementing better working policies. Findings
also needed to written down properly which is considered as a legal requirement, to ensure that
polices are effectively working for prevention of people from risks and hazard within healthcare
sector. Review and monitor the assessment process also need to be concerned with regular
updates for more safety at workplace (Martin and Manley, 2018). Thus, all these principles and
actions of risk assessment help in developing better policies, practices as well as systems in
health & social care setting, for maintenance of risk free environment. It also results in reducing
exposure of workers and other people towards hazards that might cause severe accidents or
incidents with them.
2.2 Role of information from risk assessments in care planning
Risk assessment is considered as most essential and crucial activity for monitoring, handling
and dealing with entire situations, which might create harm for people within healthcare sector
(Walters and Wadsworth, 2020). It also helps management of this field to implement controlling
processes for maintenance of risk free working environment. This information gathered from risk
assessment process gives an insight on the manner in which entire equipment and safety devices
could be operated and handled, to mitigate threat of harm for associated people (Beattie and et.
al., 2019). It also aid management to ensure that same incidents or accidents happen previously
would not be repeated in future for workplace safety. Information regarding with potential
threats and likelihood of risks put a great impact on current policies and system, to handle and
lift the safety practices in HSC sector. Along with this, it also aid in aligning the safety practices
with model of care setting process, so that effective policies would be developed. Furthermore,
risk assessment procedure that conducted by implementation of collaborative approach in terms
of engagement of service providers and users also aid in developing sharing skills for responding
quickly and collaboratively to deal with hazards if occurs at workplace (Loh and et. al., 2018).
This would provide a great efficiency in conducting the operational activities with more safety at
health and safety care workplace. The risks and problems which workers may be encountered at
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