SS03 Promote, monitor and maintain health, safety and security in the workplace

Overview

This standard describes promoting, monitoring and maintaining health, safety and security in the work environment.  It covers monitoring and maintaining safety and security in the work environment as well as identifying risks.  It also covers minimising risks from health emergencies as a result of accidents and health conditions. Users of this standard will need to ensure that practice reflects up to date information and policies. Version No 1

Knowledge and Understanding

You will need to know and understand:

1. your responsibility under organisational policy and legislation in relation to health, safety and security (e.g. health and safety legislation, legislation relating to Control of Substances Hazardous to Health, environmental legislation, guidelines on security in health and social care services)
2. the reasons for providing information on whereabouts (e.g. in case of accidents, assaults by others)
3. legislative requirements for completing records of accidents and emergencies
4. the purpose of calling assistance immediately
5. the reasons why actions beyond your own capabilities may further endanger life
6. the difference between hazardous and non-hazardous waste and the relationship of this to potential contamination
7. the health, safety and security risks which may occur (for self, others and the environment) and the appropriate action to take when they do
8. the different kinds of emergency there may be in the work environment
9. the signs and symptoms of the different emergency conditions and how these may differ in relation to an individual’s age and for people from different ethnic groups
10. how health emergencies might affect others in the vicinity and ways of supporting them effectively once the initial danger has passed
11. potential health risks to others from an emergency, such as contamination from blood and other body products
12. your own capabilities to deal with an emergency
13. how to move and handle people and objects safely
14. how to work safely with potentially hazardous equipment
15. how to assess the risk of working with people and methods of limiting this risk
16. how to work safely with hazardous materials (e.g. chemicals, body products)
17. how to promote health and safety to others, including the role of modelling good practice
18. methods of monitoring health, safety and security
19. methods of using equipment and materials safely (including the use of chemicals and other hazardous substances)
20. methods of storing different equipment and materials safely and securely

Performance Criteria

You must be able to do the following:

1.  correctly identify people entering the environment and establish their right to enter
2. ensure your practice in relation to health, safety and security is consistent with legislation and organisational requirements
3. identify the risks involved prior to starting work activities and ensure they are undertaken in a way which minimises the risks
4. maintain work areas as safe and as free from hazards as possible during work activities
5. ensure equipment and materials are used in a correct, safe manner which is consistent with current legal and organisational requirements
6. store equipment and materials safely and securely when not in use
7. dispose of waste and spillage without delay in a safe manner and place
8. take the appropriate action to minimise health, safety and security risks which arise during work
9. put into effect, without delay, the appropriate safety procedures in an emergency
10. ensure health, safety and security records made by you are accurate, legible and complete
11. identify the risks to self and others when carrying out work activities and take appropriate actions to minimise risk
12. use approved safe methods and systems when undertaking potentially hazardous work activities
13. encourage and support others with whom you are working to promote their own health and safety during work activities
14. stop the work activity immediately if there is the likelihood of an accident or injury, and take the appropriate action to remedy the problem
15. maintain accurate information regarding own whereabouts so that immediate contact can be made should this be necessary
16. ensure health, safety and security records made by you are accurate, legible and complete
17. summon assistance immediately for any health emergency and begin action appropriate to the condition
18. provide support, both verbally and by physical presence, to the individual with the health emergency
19. give appropriate support to assist in the ongoing care of the individual with the health emergency, when someone with more competence to deal with the emergency is available
20. make the immediate vicinity as private and safe as possible once the intervention has been taken over by an appropriate person
21. offer appropriate support to any others involved in the incident once any initial danger has passed
22. keep records of incidents that are accurate, legible and complete

Additional Information

This National Occupational Standard was developed by Skills for Health. This standard links with the following dimension within the NHS Knowledge and Skills Framework (October 2004): Dimension: Core 3 Health, Safety and Security