Unit 208 Health and Safety

Unit 208 - Understand health and safety in social care settings.

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

      1.1 - List legislation relating to general health and safety in a social care setting.

There are a small number of legal acts relating to the general health and safety in social care. The most important one it seems to me would the health and safety at work act of 1974, it ensures that the employer, the employee have responsibilities to ensure that a good level of safety is attained in the workplace, and there should be a copy of this act on the works premises for use of any employee or service user. The legislations key goals are:

  * To ensure the health, safety and welfare of people at work
  * To protect others from risks arising from the activities of people at work
  * To control the use and storage of dangerous substances
  * To control the emission into the atmosphere of noxious or offensive substances

Other legislation relating to health and safety in social care are as follows

  * The Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1992, which supports the health and safety act.
  * The Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations (known as COSHH) which ensures safe storage and usage of any substances that could harm other workers or service users.
  * The Manual Handling Regulations of 1992, which sets out methods and requirements to be met when manually handling objects, as well as people.
  * The Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations   1985 (known as RIDDOR) outlines what is required to be recorded and reported.
  * Food safety act 1990
  * Personal Protective Equipment at Work Regulations (PPE) 1992
  * Lifting Operations and Lifting Equipment Regulations (LOLER) 1998

      1.2 - Describe the main points of health and safety policies and procedures.

The main points of health and safety policies and...