3. Outline the main health and safety responsibilities of yourself, employer and others

Lesson 3/26 | Study Time: 30 Min

Course: Health and Social Care

3. Outline the main health and safety responsibilities of yourself, employer and others

You need to understand everyone’s health and safety responsibilities in the workplace.

Whilst everyone has a responsibility for health and safety, there are three key groups whose responsibilities differ.

Please call me Anna (only my mother calls me Anabel!). I am Anna, I am a care and support worker.

The key health and safety responsibilities for me and other care and support workers like you.

Taking care of our own health and safety.

Following our organisation’s policies and procedures and only undertaking tasks we have been assessed as competent to complete.

Cooperating with our employers and making sure we are appropriately supported and regularly checked as competent.

Not putting ourselves and other people at risk by what we do or do not do at work.

Following the code of conduct.

We cannot wear jewellery (except a small wedding band) and we must follow dress codes.

We must not interfere with or misuse anything that has been provided for our health, safety or welfare.

We must tell our employers if we take medication that make us drowsy and might affect our ability to work safely.
Watch out for those hay fever tablets – I had to change mine!

Telling our employers if something happens that might affect our ability to work or need a more detailed risk assessment.
For example, becoming pregnant, suffering an injury or getting ill.

If we don’t follow these, we could end up in court and lose our jobs. Our actions could result in serious harm to ourselves or someone else. The organisation might have to close and the employees and the people receiving support would suffer.

Hi, my name is Mari.

I am a Registered Manager.

Mari, the Registered Manager

Do you like animals? I like animals so here are some of my favourites. Flip the cards to see the main health and safety responsibilities for me and our employer.

Doing whatever is reasonably practicable to provide a safe workplace

Protecting the health, safety and welfare of my employees and other people we come into contact with

Providing an appropriate and safe working equipment

Assessing employees as safe and competent to practice

Putting in place policies and procedures to safeguard everyone at work

Carrying out risk assessments and address all risks that might cause harm in the workplace

Making sure my employees can enter and leave their workplace(s) safely

Consulting with employees on health and safety issues

If we don’t follow these, we could face costly fines and bad press. Our actions could result in serious harm to people. I could lose my job and the company might have to close.

Hello, my name is Raffa.

I receive support with getting out and about and managing my personal finances.

Raffa who receives support services from a care agency

I don’t know much about health and safety but I do know I have responsibilities under the Health and Safety at Work Act.

I have to take reasonable care of my own health and safety.
I have to follow health and safety advice given to me.
I have to co-operate with the people who are supporting me to use appropriate equipment safely.

If I don’t follow these, I might lose my support service and it is very important to me. I don’t want to cause any danger or harm to the people who support me or to anyone else.

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Class Sessions

1- 1. Identify legislation relating to general health and safety in social care 2- 2. Describe the main points of health and safety policies and procedures 3- 3. Outline the main health and safety responsibilities of yourself, employer and others 4- 4. List tasks relating to health and safety that should not be carried out without training 5- 5. Explain how to access additional support and information about health and safety 6- 6. Describe different types of accidents and sudden illness that may occur in your work setting 7- 7. Explain why it is important to assess health and safety risks in situations and activities 8- 8. Describe how and when to report identified health and safety risks 9- 9. Identify key pieces of legislation that relate to moving and assisting 10- 10. List tasks relating to moving and assisting that you must not carry out unless you are competent 11- 11. Demonstrate how to move and assist people and objects safely 12- 12. List different types of accidents and sudden illness that may occur at work 13- 13. Describe the procedures to be followed if an accident or sudden illness should occur 14- 14. List the emergency first aid actions you are and are not allowed to carry out 15- 15. Describe the agreed ways of working in relation to medication 16- 16. Describe the agreed ways of working in relation to healthcare tasks 17- 17. List the tasks relating to medication and healthcare procedure you must not do 18- 18. Describe the hazardous substances in your workplace 19- 19. Demonstrate safe practices for storing, using and disposing of hazardous substances 20- 20. Explain how to prevent fires from starting or spreading 21- 21. Describe what to do in the event of a fire 22- 22. Describe the measures designed to protect security at work for you and people you support 23- 23. Explain the agreed ways of working for checking identity of people 24- 24. Recognise common signs and indicators of stress in yourself and others 25- 25. Identify circumstances that tend to trigger stress in yourself and others 26- 26. List ways to manage stress