Importance of Health and Safety in the Workplace: A Detailed Report

This report delves into the critical importance of health and safety in the workplace, specifically within the context of health and social care. It begins by outlining relevant acts, policies, and procedures, including the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974, the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1992, and RIDDOR. The report emphasizes the responsibilities of employers and employees in ensuring a safe environment. It then examines the case of Connor Sparrowhawk, discussing the impact of risk assessments, policy implications, and the effects of non-compliance with RIDDOR. The report also addresses dilemmas related to patient care and the need for continuous monitoring and review of health and safety policies. Furthermore, it highlights the priorities for health and safety, including individual health, safety of disabled persons, cleanliness, food safety, and staff training. The report concludes by underscoring the significance of a proactive approach to health and safety management in healthcare settings.

Running head: Importance of safety 1
Importance of safety at Workplace

Importance of safety 2
Contents
Introduction.................................................................................................................................................3
Task 1..........................................................................................................................................................4
1.1 Acts, policies and procedure at my workplace...................................................................................4
1.2 Assessing the responsibilities............................................................................................................7
1.3 Priorities for the safety of health at my workplace...........................................................................10
Task 2........................................................................................................................................................12
2.1 Information from risk assessments carried out for Connor Sparrowhawk.......................................12
2.2 impact of risk assessment policy......................................................................................................14
2.3 The effect of non-compliance with RIDDOR..................................................................................16
2.4 dilemmas.........................................................................................................................................18
Task 3........................................................................................................................................................20
3.1 monitoring and reviewing of health and safety policies...................................................................20
3.2 policies and practice........................................................................................................................22
3.3 Contributions...................................................................................................................................24
Conclusion.................................................................................................................................................25
References.................................................................................................................................................26

Importance of safety 3
Introduction
Health is the most vital concern for human being and safety is inside linked to the
health services. Health and safety at workplace is foremost for every organization.
Improper managed health and safety programs may lead organization in serious long term
consequences. It is the moral responsibility of employers to protect health and safety of
their employees (Burke, Clarke and Cooper, 2011). Various kinds of laws and policies will
be reflected in the report in the context of health and safety at work place. As per case
study of Connor Sparrow hawk, the influence of risk assessment on cornor and his family
will be discussed in the report. Dilemmas related to Connor’s care at Slade House will be
defined in adequate manner. The special consideration will be reflected to recognize the
risk associated. The importance of continuous monitor and implement of health and safety
legislation for the health and social care workplace will be reflected in the report.

Importance of safety 4
Task 1
1.1 Acts, policies and procedure at my workplace
There are various policies and procedure for communicating information regarding health and
safety in the workplace of health and social care. Safety is an integral part in the health care
organization that is why it is indispensable to have the effective policies procedure so that the
patient can be secured and ensured that they would be treated under proper treatment. Health
and safety at work act 1974
A broad range of concern regarding heath, safety and welfare has been comprised under
this act. As per this act, the employees of the health and special care are responsible to give
proper care to the patient.
Management of health and safety at work regulations 1992
This act is the outcome of the refining act of health and safety at work act 1974 and this
act necessitate employers to carry out the risk assessment and help to recording a noteworthy
finding. It facilitates to make arrangements for executing the health and safety measures, to
provide the concise information regarding health and safety.
Health and safety regulations 1981
The main concern of this act to make sure that the all relevant first aid equipments should
be available at workplace. Qualified first aiders must present at the place of my work and
employees of the organization must aware about the first aid arrangements.
Food safety act 1990, food safety regulations 1995 and food and safety regulations 1995

Importance of safety 5
These acts are focused on the food procedure at the health and social care at my work place. It
comprises the services of food, cooking procedure and the requirement of registration for food
businesses. As per these regulations the local authorities are liable to enforcement through
environmental health standards. The local standard agency can take interventions if local
authorities are unable to meet the requirement of these acts.
Figure 1: model of health and social care system
Source: (Christian, et. al., 2009).
The above mentioned health and safety regulation has been employed in the health and social
care workplace. There are various departments in UK health care organization and this
department is responsible to maintain the model that is given above. The Reporting of Injuries,
Disease and Dangerous Occurrences Regulation (RIDDOR) was executed in 2013 which
involved the provision for the organization of health and safety to how to follow the reporting of
injuries and accidents that take place at the work place. As per the RIDDOR procedure, the data

Importance of safety 6
of entire occurred injuries and accidents should be recorded in an appropriate and systematic
manner and if severe injury or accidents are happened that should be informed to the pertinent
management personnel of the organization. The graphical sign boards should be considered at
the workplace because it attracts the attention of an individual quickly and also be utilized to
convey the message language which will be helpful for those people who are unable to
understand the English language.

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1.2 Assessing the responsibilities
Health and safety at my workplace is planned by the institutions of government as well
as non-government institutions in UK. It has been analyzed that the government of UK has the
heal care system and public health system. In this system, the responsibilities of the health and
care are distinguished from local authorities to public health system. NHS commissioning board,
service taker and provider, clinical commissioning board and evaluating system is involved in
this system which has different responsibilities. The system is considered as the integrated
system in which all organization has liability of health and care at workplace. The role of
management is vital in the organization in the context of health and safety. It involves adequate
use of techniques so that the hazards and obstacles can be removed from the organization with
proper evaluation. The management of the health and safety workplace is responsible to control
the risk and it can be controlled with the help of risk assessment. Thus, the responsibilities of the
management of health and safety at workplace can be comprised in the policy, organizing,
planning and implementation.

Importance of safety 8
Figure 2: key elements of H&S System
Source: (Gail, Audrey & Emily, 2013).
In the context of initial element, it has been analyzed that work can give positive as well
negative contribution to individual health. That is why; it is required for the management of the
health care organization to show that they are concerned not only for preventing accidents and ill
health but also for positive health promotion. The policy sets the way of direction for health and
safety, but the organization are required to build the robust environment for management activity
and provide the responsibilities and duties in detail manner which may contribute to improve the
performance of an individual (Costa and Vieira, 2010).
In the second element, planning, measuring and reviewing are the responsibilities of the
management to reduce the risk at work place. Planning should be made as per taking
consideration of entire team of health care home along with patients. It is the major responsibility

Importance of safety 9
of the management to plan in adequate way and coordinate the various activities at different level
(HSE, 2015).
In the context of measuring performance, two kind of system are required such as active system
which monitor the design and development of operations management and another one is
reactive system which monitor accidents, ill, health injury and other health related evidence
(Dollard and Bakker, 2010).
The auditing process includes the collection of information regarding health and safety
management system and making judgments about its performance. Auditing is an important
element of the health and safety system. It has been analyzed that organization of the health and
care are needed to manage the health and safety on daily basis. There are three information
sources in which the auditors can gather the information that is interviewing individuals,
examining documents and visual observation. It is the responsibility of the organization to make
ensure that the audit is perceived as the vital management tool and should be taken in serious
way by every level of management (Geldart, et. al., 2010).
It has been analyzed that all the stakeholders of the health care organization involving
doctors, nurses, staffs, patient, partners, supervisor and visitors all are responsible for following
the measurements of health and safety that have been executed in the organization. The entire
team of the health and social care are anticipated to follow the rules of safety that are executed
and provide the carry to preserve the safety at the organization (Hasle and Limborg, 2006).

Importance of safety 10
1.3 Priorities for the safety of health at my workplace
The priorities of H&S are dependent on the nature of the health and safety workplace. It is vital
for the organization to keep concerned about the health and safety at workplace that is why there
are required to do some steps for providing efficient services of a specific health and social care
home. In the context of individual health, the priorities should be involved in the efficient
manner. At first stage, it is required to the employees of the organization to understand the
behaviour of the patient. After that the reason behind this behaviour should be recognized by the
organization. Treatment should be implemented after analyzing the condition of the patient. It
should be the priority of management of the care home to provide fast treatment to a most
vulnerable position (Law, et. al., 2011). The equipments of the health care home should be
inspected in conjunction with lifting operations and lifting equipment regulations 1998. The
working duty of the staff and the manager of the organization should be fixed at the time of
emergency and the availability of the staff should be presented 24*7 and it is the responsibility of
the management to set the time schedule appropriately. In the context of individual safety, it
should be the priority to secure the disabled person such secured place where risky electric lines
not present. Cleanliness and food safety should be considered on priority because unhygienic
food and place may lead people in severe health diseases. Safety aids should be implemented in
the health and safety organization such as walking aids, wheelchair and hoist (McNamara et. al.,
2017). Along with that security system should be considered such as door lock system, cameras,
alarms, patrol. The environment of the health and social care workplace should be ventilated and
temperature control. Training should be given to all employees with Manual Handling
Operations Regulations 1992. Training should be given in adequate manner to the entire staff
such as infection control. There are so many service users in the health care organization and

Importance of safety 11
everyone has its own nature that is why, it is required to cover the procedure in the training of
how to handle the different nature person. As per Probst and Estrada, (2010), the maintenance of
paper of the electronic equipment which is utilized o provide medical treatments to the service
users can be looked as one of the upper priority activities. The adults, who have issues regarding
neurological, should be given the treatment from those machines which is utilized radioactive
substances for treatment.

Importance of safety 12
Task 2
This task will cover the information as per case study of Connor Sparrow hawk. An 18 year old
Connor Sparrow hawk was admitted to Slade House, an NHS assessment and treatment unit in
Oxfordshire. He has found unconscious and in the bath at Slade House and died.
2.1 Information from risk assessments carried out for Connor Sparrowhawk
Risk assessment is the technique of looking for the information towards the recognition
of particular risk in a service user (in the case of Connor Sparrowhawk) which is reliable on the
age, habits of the patient, position of diseases as well as vulnerability. Risk assessment comprises
the five stages such as detection of hazards, potential harshness of harm resulting from each
hazard, measurement of degree of risk, managing the risk and monitoring the risk (Suter II,
2016).
If the structure of risk assessment is not appropriate then the policies regarding health and safety
could never be executed or structured in a proper way. The information of risk assessment is
considered to be noteworthy in the context of care planning in term of the service users and
organizational conclusion making (Wijnhoven, et. al., 2009). The major aim of care planning is
to make sure about the safety elements within an organization and keep focus on maximizing the
well being. The policy of risk management is the institution for making decision in term of Slade
House along with the service providers. The information and knowledge of risk assessment can
construct the adequate environment regarding health and safety. It is required for the Slade
House to make amendments in their fixed policy that will compel the professionals of healthcare
professionals in taking fast action (Shepard, et. al., 2014).