LO2- Legislation

Question 1

What are the legislations used in health and social care environments?

Answer 1

• Health and Safety at Work Act 1974
• Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999
• Food Safety Act 1990
• The Food Safety (General Food Hygiene) Regulations 1995
• Manual Handling Operations Regulations 1992
• Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations 2013
• The Data Protection Act 1998
• The Civil Contingencies Act 2004
• Control of Substances Hazardous to Health 2002

Question 2

Key points of the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974

Answer 2

• Established the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) as the regulator for health and safety in the workplace.
• establishes key duties and responsibilities of all employers and employees in work settings
• in care settings it appoints a competent individual to help to meet the health and safety duty of the setting
• care environment has to be safe so managers have to carry out risk assessments

Question 3

Key points of Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999?

Answer 3

• state the range of ‘rules’ that need to be in place
• provides guidelines for employers so it is aimed at owners and managers of care environments
• They must provide up-to-date policies and procedures and have an appointed manager whose job it is to ensure these are in place and reviews.
• they must provide training, information and supervision so work activities can be carried out safely
• staff to carry out risk assessments

Question 4

Key points of the Food Safety (General Food Hygiene) Regulations 1995

Answer 4

• made under the Food Safety Act 1990
• place an obligation on all food businesses to ensure that their activities are carried out in a hygienic way
• it requires food safety hazards to be identified
• it requires food safety controls to be in place, reviewed and maintained
• Food prep areas must be clean and in good conditions
• raw meat and ready to eat products must be prepared on separate chopping boards to prevent cross contamination

Question 5

Key points of the Manual Handling Operations 1992

Answer 5

• requires that employers avoid hazardous manual handling tasks where possible and assess those that cannot be avoided
• require hazards to be identified, where they are to be handled and are they heavy or large
• risk assessments must be carried out and safe practice guidance given to staff about how to move heavy goods
• ensures there is not damage to backs/spines or get repetitive strains from carrying out tasks without breaks
• guidance as to how to pick up heavy goods

Question 6

Key points of RIDDOR 2013

Answer 6

• requires employers to record for 3 years of work related accidents that cause death or serious injury (referred to as reportable injuries), diseases and dangerous occurrences
• work settings must have procedures in place for reporting injuries, diseases and incidents

Question 7

Principles of the Data Protection Act 1998?

Answer 7

• used only for the purposes for which it was intended
• adequate and relevant but not excessive
• accurate and kept up-to-date
• kept for no longer than is necessary
• secured

Question 8

Key points of COSHH 2002

Answer 8

• requires employers to carry out risk assessment relating to hazardous substances
• requires them to have procedures in place such as a locked storage and recording what type of substances they are, on specialist data sheets
• these are the correct and safe procedures when handling and storing of hazardous chemicals

Question 9

Key points of the Civil Contingencies Act 2004

Answer 9

• sets out how organisations should work together to plan and respond to local and national emergencies
• looks at how settings can work with emergency organisations in sharing information and developing planned procedures in the event of an emergency situation
• a risk assessment carried out by the local authority should be shared with care settings and guidance given as to how to train staff

Question 10

Key aspects of the Food Safety Act 1990

Answer 10

• covers the safe preparation, storage and serving of food
• requires the registration of food businesses
• environmental health officers can: seize food that is thought to be unfit for consumption, serve and improvement notice, close premises causing a risk to health
• the CQC requires that care services ensure the food and drink they provide is handled, stored, prepared and delivered in a way that meets the requirements of the Act