Health and Safety & Reporting an Accident in the Workplace

HEALTH AND SAFETY

The Health & Safety at Work 1974 Act sets out your rights and responsibilities in the workplace.

All employees are responsible for their own health and safety at work, and that of those around them. You must not take any action that could threaten the health and safety of yourself, other employees, Clients or members of the public.

You have the right:

• To work in an environment that is safe. Active undertake risk assessments and include all risk management strategies in the client’s Support Plan
• To be provided, free of charge, with the equipment you need to keep you safe at work e.g. gloves, aprons etc.

You have the responsibility to:

• Work in ways agreed with your employer. It is important you provide support in the way detailed in the Support Plan as this incorporates the risk management strategies agreed with the client to enable them to carry out activities in the way they want, safely
• Wear protective clothing and other equipment which may be issued for your protection because of the nature of your job must be worn whilst tasks warranting their use are being undertaken.
• Report all Health and Safety concerns, incidents, accidents and near misses to your line manager immediately.
• Ensure that you are aware of the fire and evacuation procedures and the action you should take in the event of such an emergency.

REPORTING AN ACCIDENT IN THE WORKPLACE

Active requires employees to report workplace accidents and incidents so that Active can thoroughly investigate the matter and take steps to prevent them from recurring in the future. There are various types of workplace accidents that must be reported and these include deaths, major injuries, injuries that require an employee to miss work for more than a seven-day period, work-related diseases, dangerous occurrences, and incidents where a member of the public is taken directly to hospital for treatment.

A manager will complete the Active Accident/ Incident Report Form and ask you for details pertaining to the accident. An entry should then be made in the accident book as soon as possible after the accident/incident but in any event no later than the end of the day.

The accident book is kept in the main office and in the centres, and is analysed regularly to identify any patterns, so that appropriate action can be taken to make the situation safe again.

Use to answer question 1.2a of the Care Certificate