Health and Social Care A Level (Hazards)

A hazard is a potential source of harm or adverse health effects.

Environmental Hazards, such as crowded areas and wet floors that can cause slip and trip hazards. 

Examples: a worn vinyl, a wet bathroom floor and a frayed car

Biological hazards, such as waste and body fluids that can cause the spread of infections. 

Examples: 

• a used bandage left on a bed in the clinic
• soiled laundry left on the floor in a bathroom of a nursing home
• vomit on the floor 
• 

Chemical hazards, such as cleaning agents and medication that can cause harm if not used and stored correctly. 

Examples: 

• an unlocked medicine trolley on a hospital ward
• an unlabelled cleaning fluid in the cupboard of an individual's home 
• hot cooking oil unattended in the kitchen

Psychological hazards, such as stress and violence that can affect people's physical and emotional wellbeing. 

Examples: 

• stress caused by people in dentists waiting room behaving in a challenging way
• tiredness caused by a high workload due to staff absence in a supported living scheme 
• stress caused by children not wanting to participate in the activities that have been planned for them.  

Working conditions, such as poor lighting and environments that are too hot or too cold that can then cause harm and ill health. 

Examples: 

• Noise and disruption to the reception area of opticians due to maintenance works
• A senior homecare worker that travels long distances in between individuals homes
• A child's bedroom that is very cold

Working practices that are unsafe, such as lack of fire training or long working hours that can cause injuries, fatalities and illnesses. 

Examples: 

• Long working hours due to staff absence on a mental health community unit 
• Lack if supervision for volunteers working in a support group for adults who have some kind of dementia 

Lack of security systems, such as windows locks and alarm systems that can cause security and fire risks. 

Examples: 

• Faulty smoke alarm systems in a clinic 
• A broken security chain on an individual's front door
• Lack of interlocking doors in a school 

Safeguarding adults are needed to ensure those individuals rights to live free from abuse and neglect are protected and that working in partnership to prevent the risk of abuse or neglect takes place. 

Safeguarding is also needed for children. 

• protecting children from maltreatment 
• preventing impairment of children's health and development 
• ensuring that children grow up in circumstances consistent with the provision of safe and effective care
• taking action to enable all children to have the best outcomes 

DBS = the disclosure and barring services 

How can you help safeguard both adults and children from harm and abuse by preventing unsuitable people from working with vulnerable adults and children by: 

• processing requests for criminal records check by searching police records and barred lists information 
• deciding whether it's appropriate for a person to be placed on the barred lists
• placing people on the DBS children barred lists and adult barred lists

Standard - this checks for spent and unspent convictions, cautions, reprimands and final warnings 

Enhanced - this includes the same as the standard check as well as any additional information held by local police that is considered relevant to the applied role 

Enhanced with list checks - this includes the same as the enhanced checks as well as the DBS barred lists

On Staff: 

• Health, safety and security legislation promotes safe staffing levels as well as the provision of effective supervision, induction and training of staff. Having safe staffing levels and correct staff to client ratios, with staff who have suitable levels of awareness, knowledge and skills; it is essential for promoting well-being as well as the safe and secure environment and working practices. 

On-Premises: 

• The legislation also has a direct impact on how health, social care and childcare premises are maintained in terms of ensuring that they kept clean (for infection prevention and control) and in good condition (for security).

On Practices:

• Legislation promotes and encourages good personal 

On Staff: 

• Health, safety and security legislation promotes safe staffing levels as well as the provision of effective supervision, induction and training of staff. Having safe staffing levels and correct staff to client ratios, with staff who have suitable levels of awareness, knowledge and skills; it is essential for promoting well-being as well as the safe and secure environment and working practices. 

On-Premises: 

• The legislation also has a direct impact on how health, social care and childcare premises are maintained in terms of ensuring that they kept clean (for infection prevention and control) and in good condition (for security).
• Escape routes and exists must also be provided. These must be able to be used at all times by ensuring , for example, that fire doors are not wedged open or exists that are blocked by items that are placed there.

On Practices:

• Legislation promotes and encourages good personal hygiene practices that can help to control the spread of infection, such as effective hand washing, wearing clean clothes, wearing protective equipment such as aprons and gloves when carrying out activities that makes you come in contact with individuals body fluids as safe removal and storage of waste.