Safety procedures and measures

• Safety procedures for reducing risk/danger and promoting good

  practice

  • First aid policy
  • Risk assessments
  • Staff training programmes
  • Emergency procedures
  • Equipment considerations
• Safety measures

  • Displaying a fire safety notice
  • Using warning signs
• What is a safety procedure?

  A safety procedure is designed to reduce risk/ danger to service users and providers and promote good practice.

  What safety procedures are in place in heath and social care settings?

  • First aid policy
  • Risk assessment
  • Staff training
  • Emergency procedures
  • Equipment considerations
• First aid policy

  The Health and Safety (First-Aid) Regulations 1981 require all care settings/service providers to have enough trained first aiders.

  The first aid policy will explain who is responsible for:

  • Providing first aid – who to call for help
  • Taking control of the situation
  • Recording details of accident/injury in the accident book
  • Informing the manager
  • Maintaining all first aid equipment
• Risk assessments

  Risk assessment needs to be carried out for any activities or visits/ trips that care settings organise.

  They are needed to check that equipment is safe and that the care setting building itself is safe.

  Risk assessments identify dangers such as potential accidents, trip hazards and risky activities that require more than the usual amount of staff supervision

  A risk assessment is a process used to :

  • Identify hazards
  • Identify actions to be taken to reduce the risk of harm from these hazards
• The five risk assessment steps are:

  • Look for hazards
  • Decide who might be harmed and how
  • Consider the level of risk - decide on the precautions needed to reduce it
  • Make a written record of findings
  • Review the risk assessment regularly and improve the precautions if needed
• Hazard – something that has the potential to cause harm. Example: moving an elderly resident from their wheelchair to a bath

  Risk – the likelihood of harm occurring and the level of injury it could cause. Example: when moving an elderly resident from their wheelchair to a bath:

  • There is a risk to the service user if they are dropped
  • There is a risk to the service provider’s back if they do not follow correct manual handling procedures.
• Why are risk assessments carried out?

  • Legal requirements under the health and safety at work act. The written record provides evidence that the risk assessments have been carried out.
  • Staff, service users and visitors have a right to be protected and kept safe from harm.
  • To check what could cause harm to people using the care setting
  • To prevent accidents, illness and danger
  • Staff, service users and visitors will feel confident using the service knowing that risk assessments are carried out
• Staff training programmes

  staff should betrained in -

  • Equipment use – staff should be properly trained to use hoists, transfer boards, slings, slide sheets, leg lifters and fire evacuation chairs
  • Moving and handling techniques – staff should be properly trained in how to move someone from a bed to a chair, a wheelchair or a trolley
  • First aid – employers must provide suitable and appropriate equipment, facilities such as a first aid room. First aiders must be trained and attend regular refresher courses (every 3 years).
• Benefits of being trained in moving and handling techniques

  service providers - the environment, equipment and load will always be risk assessed, prevent injury to service providers, helps service providers to do their job properly and reduce risks

  service users - shows respect, training of staff prevents injury to service users, it results in a safer environment and reduces risk to service users
• Safe lifting position

  • stand with feet apart
  • bend the knees
  • keep the back straight
  • lean slightly forward to get a grip of the item
  • lift smoothly
• Emergency procedures

  All care settings should have emergency procedures in place for fires and intruders.

  An emergency procedure is a set process that must be followed in the event of an incident.

  
  

  Two examples are:

  • fire drills
  • Fire evacuation procedures
• Emergency procedures – Fire drills

  Fire drill – full scale practice of procedures to be followed in case of fire. Think about what happens when the fire alarm goes off in school. everybody in school needs to know:

  • The different exit points
  • How to behave when leaving the building – calmly but efficiently, no running
  • Key procedures to follow – closing doors behind you, not using lifts
• Emergency procedures – Evacuation procedures

  Evacuation may be necessary if there is a threat to the setting or the

  service users within it. For example:

  • Gas leaks
  • Floods
  • Bomb threats

  In the rare event of a firearms or weapons attack the Government

  provides advice on how service users can keep themselves safe
• Equipment consideration

  • appropriate training of staff for specialist equipment eg hoists, transfer boards

  How it improves safety

  • staff will know how to use it correctly
• Equipment consideration

  • is equipment fit for purpose, appropriate for the task? Is specialist equipment available

  How it improves safety

  • correct equipment provided for the task, which reduces risk of injury to staff and service users
• Equipment consideration

  • regular safety checks for damage - items disposed or repaired if necessary eg wheelchairs

  How it improves safety

  • no worn-out, damaged or potentially dangerous equipment will be used
• Equipment consideration

  • a reporting system for damaged or faulty equipment

  How it improves safety

  • actions can be taken immediately to take equipment out of use. this reduces the risk of accidents
• Safety measures

  A safety measure is a specific action taken to reduce the risk of harm.

  • Displaying fire safety notices
  • Keeping fire doors closed
  • Fire extinguishers near every exit
  • Fire blankets in kitchen areas
  • Using warning signs
  • A wet floor sign
  • No entry sign
• How safety procedures protect service users and providers

  • Safety procedures provide guidance for all staff so they know what to do to keep themselves and service users safe at all times.
  • Knowledge of safety procedures enable staff to take quick action in emergencies
  • Staff will know how to treat service users with first aid and know how to reduce the risk of cross contamination.
  • Training staff how to use equipment prevents accidents, which helps to provide a safe environment.