Health and Safety

• Risk is the chance of harm and indication of severity.
• A hazard is anything that may cause harm.
• Control measures are about effective means to minimise/mitigate the risk.
• Every employer shall make a suitable and sufficient risk assessment. It shall be reviewed if it's no longer valid and there has been a significant change. Risk assessment arrangements are made by:

  • Trained General Risk assessor
  • Trained COSHH Assessor
  • Quarterly Health and Safety Compliance Questionnaire
• Skin safety:

  • Frequent hand hygiene may cause skin problems that can put you at increased risk of acquiring an infection and which more readily transmit microorganisms
  • If you experience symptoms associated with handwashing:
  • You must complete a Datix report, and inform your manager
  • A referral must be forwarded to occupational health so your symptoms can be assessed
• Personal protective equipment:

  • Following risk assessment of potentially hazardous procedures, where exposure to bodily fluids, blood or COSHH substances may occur, always wear suitable personal protective equipment
• Slips, trips, and falls - prevention:

  • Falls assessment/care bundles (patients)
  • Floor surfaces - cleaning, spill response
  • External areas (ice/moisture/snow)
  • Appropriate footwear (dress policy)
  • Housekeeping, storage/transit routes
  • Faulty/inadequate lighting
  • Check the environment (moving and handling)
  • Avoid working at height where possible
  • Environmental issues
• Radiation:

  • Used within Trust for diagnosis & treatment
  • Exposure at low doses carries small risk
  • Controlled through UK legislation & Trust Policies & Procedures
  • Areas where precautionary measures are required are clearly signed
  • Do not enter these areas without permission
• MRI uses strong magnetic fields to produce detailed images. The field will pull metallic objects at speed towards the magnet and present a significant projectile risk to patients and staff safety and have the potential to interfere with implanted items, such as pacemakers.
• Key points of MRI safety:

  • Internal metal implants
  • Internal metal implants
  • Pacemaker, implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD), nerve stimulator, cochlea implant, drug pump, brain aneurysm clips, metallic fragments in or near eyes or blood vessels, prosthetic (artificial) metal heart valves, eye implants
  • External metal objects
  • No metallic or magnetic objects are to be taken into the MRI controlled area. Check for coins, pins, needles, scissors, keys, oxygen cylinders, sheets removed before entry
  • Key controls include: checklists, local rules, access control