Techniques and Methods used to comply with legislation and promote health and safety standards Flashcards
health and safety - 1.1 Key requirements of health and safety legislation
What are the 5 types of health and safety signs found in the workplace?
- Prohibition signs - provide an instruction NOT to do something and must be complied with.
- Mandatory signs - provide an instruction to do something an must be complied with.
- Warning signs - raise awareness about hazards but do not specify any actions.
- Safe Condition signs - indicate emergency exit routes or muster locations in the event of an emergency.
- Fire Equipment signs indicate the location of fire safety equipment such as fire extinguishers.
What do the 5 health and safety signs look like?
- Prohibition signs - black symbol, white background with red crossed circle, circular.
- Mandatory signs - white symbol, blue background, circular.
- Warning signs- black symbol, yellow background, triangular.
- Safe condition signs - white symbol, green background, square or rectangular.
- Fire Equipment signs - white symbol, red background, square or rectangular
Training and certification
- employers are responsible for training their employees.
- employees shouldn’t be charged for training and training counts as working time.
- there are proficiency/competency qualifications that are deemed to be licence-to-practice qualifications. These are directly or indirectly designated.
First-aid arrangements
- The health and safety regulations 1981 requires all employers to have arrangements for immediate help if employees are injured/ill.
- all employees should know about the arrangements
- a person should be appointed to be in control of the first aid arrangements and provide a stocked first-aid kit.
The arrangements should be based on:
- type of work
- employee working patterns
- hazards and likely risks/severity of harm
- size
- location
General first aid kit for low-risk activities should include:
- leaflet on basic first aid,
- sterile plasters and bandages
- wound dressings
For high risk activities, a first aid kit should include:
- haemostatic and trauma dressings
- everything in a general kit.
Fire Equipment
- Fire Equipment should be available to employees to help escape from a fire.
- it should not be tampered with and any accidental or deliberate use or damage should be reported so it can be replaced.
Fire equipment includes:
- sprinkler systems
- fire blankets
- fire extinguishers
Fire equipment should be located in ovious places close to fire exits and alarm points.
What are the classes of fire extinguishers?
Class A - Combustible Materials e.g. wood, coal, paper, straw.
Class B - Flammable Liquids e.g. diesel, petrol, oil, paint.
Class C - Flammable Gases e.g. butane, propane, natural gas, hydrogen.
Class D - Combustable Metals e.g. magnesium, aluminium, lithium, potassium.
Electrical Fires - Electricle Equipment e.g. faulty wiring, broken electrical machinery, overloaded plug sockets.
Class F - Cooking Oils e.g. cooking oils, grease, fats.
Fire extinguishers have a cloured label on the top of it which will tell you which class it is. And when it should and shoul not be used.
What can a red (water) extinguished be used on
Class A fires but nothing else.
Additional - cannot be used for liquid or electrical fires.
What can a cream (foam) extinguished be used on
Class A and b but no others.
Additional - unsuitable for domestic use.
What can a blue (dry powder) extinguished be used on
Class A,B,C,D and Electrical not not class F.
Additional - can be used safely on electrical items up to 1000 volts.
What can a Black (CO2) extinguished be used on
Class B and Electrical but not class A, C,D, or F.
Additional - can be used safely with both high and low voltages
What can a Yellow (wet chemical) extinguished be used on
Class A and F, but not class B,C,D or Electrical.
Additional - For use on extremely high temperatures.
