Summary BTEC level 3 business unit 27 P2 LATEST.pdf

Unit 27 – P1, P2, M1 & D1 In this task I’m going to be explaining the legal requirements and regulations for ensuring the health, safety and security of those employed in business. I’m also going to be describing the requirements for a healthy and safe workplace. I will be also assessing the implications of health, safety and security legislation and regulations for a business role in a workplace environment. Finally, I will be making recommendations for improving health and safety standards and practices in a selected work environment. For this assignment I’m going to be using The Manchester College as my chosen business. The Manchester College is the largest further education college in the UK and the number one provider of 16-19 and adult education in Greater Manager. Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999 This act requires the employer to undertake an assessment of the risks to health and safety of their employees and others who may be affected by their work activity. Employers with 5 or more employees should record the significant findings of the risk assessment. When talking about this act there are several general principles of prevention that should be applied. This lists includes: - avoiding risks; - evaluating the risk which cannot be avoided; - combating the risks at the source; - giving appropriate instructions to employees, and many more. The employee’s also have duties under the MHSWR, these are: - report any shortcoming in health and safety arrangements - report dangerous situations - use equipment in accordance with training and instruction - take reasonable care of their own health and safety and those of others who may be affected by their acts or omissions. Employees must work safely in accordance with their training and instructions given to them. Employees must also notify the employer or the person responsible for health and safety of any serious or immediate danger to health and safety or any shortcoming in health and safety arrangements. This relates to The Manchester College by having a student support team. The student support team helps to avoid risks which can occur by helping students with whatever they need. The do this by combating the risks at the source by having drop-in sessions where they can discuss all their issues they have with people and/or the college. Also, The Manchester College gives proper instructions to the employees on how to behave especially when dealing with students. Being professional is a key asset when talking about health and safety as teachers need to Name: Suhel Ali Tutor: Sanam Khanact appropriately at college to prevent any conflicts. Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 Often referred to as HASAW, this act is the main act that covers all UK health and safety legislations. It places a duty on all its employers to ensure, so far as is reasonably practicable, the health, safety and welfare at work of all their employees whilst at work. The Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 lays down wide-ranging duties on employers. Employers must protect the 'health, safety and welfare' at work of all their employees, as well as others on their premises, including temps, casual workers, the self-employed, clients, visitors and the general public. However, these duties are qualified with the words 'so far as is reasonably practicable'. This means that employers can argue that the costs of a particular safety measure are not justified by the reduction in risk that the measure would produce. But it does not mean they can avoid their responsibilities simply by claiming that they cannot afford improvements. This act allows the government to issue regulations, guidance and Approved Codes of Practice for employers. These set out detailed responsibilities for your employer in every aspect of workplace health and safety, from working safely with computers, to stress and hazardous chemicals. This relates to The Manchester College in the way that staff have to follow certain codes of practise to ensure the health and safety at everyone in the college. As the employer and the business The Manchester College has to ensure that the welfare is kept in check for all employees and students. Workplace (Health, Safety and Welfare) Regulations 1992 These regulations are concerned with the working environment. They place a duty on employers to make sure that the workplace is safe and suitable for the tasks being carried out there, and that it does not present risks to employees and others. These regulations seek to ensure that the 'workplace' (any premises or part of premises which are not domestic premises and are made available to any person as a place of work) is safe for the workforce. These regulations include: - the workplace and equipment, devices and systems are maintained in an efficient state, in good working order and in good repair; - equipment, devices and systems are subject to a suitable maintenance programme; - effective and suitable ventilation should be provided; - the temperature inside the workplace is reasonable and that thermometers are provided for employees; - no method of cooling or heating which results in the escape of fumes, gases or vapours likely to be injurious or offensive shall be used; - lighting, as far as is practicable, should be natural; - the workplace, surfaces and the furniture, furnishings and fittings should be clean;- waste should not accumulate; - the room dimensions should be reasonable to ensure good health, safety and welfare; - workstations and seating must be arranged suitably, not endanger health, enable the user to exit swiftly if need be, and a footrest provided if required; - floors and traffic routes must be constructed of a material suitable for the purpose they are to be used and not be uneven or slippery. Suitable drainage must be provided where necessary; - so far as is reasonably practicable, suitable and effective measures must be taken to prevent injury from falling objects and to protect against the risk of a person injuring themselves from a fall; - employees must also be protected from dangerous substances including those that may burn or scald, any poisonous or toxic substance or any fume, vapour or other substance which is likely to cause danger to any person; - windows, skylights, translucent doors, walls and ventilators must be made of safety material or be protected against breakage. Fittings must also present no risk to health or safety; - the workplace shall be organised in such a way that pedestrians and vehicles can circulate freely in a safe manner; - suitable and sufficient sanitary conveniences must be provided at readily accessible places; This relates to The Manchester College because in order to keep the health and safety of the students they need to follow these guidelines such as, appropriate temperature, good lighting etc. Too high of a temperature could potentially cause a heat stroke and too low of a temperature can lead to the students feelings uncomfortable. Also if there is poor ventilation students wouldn’t be able to properly do work or even participate at all. Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations 1995 Known as RIDDOR, these regulations require employers, the self-employed and people in control of premises, to report work-related deaths, major injuries, workrelated diseases and dangerous occurrences. This act places a legal duty on the employers, self-employed people and people in control of the premises to report work-related deaths, major injuries or over-three-day injuries, work related diseases, and dangerous occurrences (near miss accidents). This relates to The Manchester College in the way that teachers and staff need to report dangerous occurrences and acts that happen in and outside of the classroom. For example, if a fight occurs between two students its best for the teacher to solve it by contacting the head of school or solving it themselves rather than leaving it which could potentially cause the situation to escalate even further.Control of Substances Hazardous to Health 1994 These regulations set down a framework intended to protect the health of anybody likely to come into contact with hazardous substances during the course of their work. The Regulations set out essential measures that employers (and sometimes employees) have to take. Hazardous substances are any that could result in ill health but as far as agriculture is concerned some (but by no means all) of the main types include: - any chemicals labelled as toxic, corrosive, harmful or irritant (i.e. pesticides); - veterinary medicines; - dusts; - gasses or fumes; - micro-organisms These regulations apply to employers, employees and the self-employed. Employees are obliged to make full use of any safety/control measures put into place, and report any defects in these facilities or processes that may result in their failure. Employers and the self-employed are required to: - Carry out an assessment of the risks presented by hazardous substances, and there is a requirement that this assessment be suitable and sufficient for the purpose (i.e. a token assessment would not be sufficient to avoid the regulations) - Both identify and implement any control measures that may be needed to prevent or adequately control exposure. - Ensure that once implemented the control measures are used, protective equipment is properly maintained, and safety procedures followed. - Tell employees of the hazards involved, and train them in the precautions needed to avoid them. This relates to The Manchester College in the way that they need to control the hazardous substances that are used in the college. For example, in the science departments they are most likely going to use some harsh substances, and when they do, they need to be able to properly dispose of them to prevent them from negatively affecting the other students. Electricity at Work Regulations 1989 This legislation places legal implications on employers to ensure the safety of electrical devices in the workplace. The regulations dictate that all portable equipment must be inspected regularly and tested to ensure that it is safe for use. 'Portable equipment' means any electrical item that can be moved, which means that this regulation covers items from computer systems and printers to kettles and televisions. This is often referred to as portable appliance testing (PAT). There are three parts to the testing: - visual inspection- earth continuity test - insulation test The testing should be carried out regularly (commonly every 12 months) and should be carried out by trained, authorised personnel. In many cases third-party electrical contractors carry out PAT testing. The visual inspection looks at damage to the cable, damage to the plug, damage to the case, loose components and also that the environment the device is used in is appropriate. The visual inspection also examines the plug for wiring or fuse problems such as an incorrect fuse or loose connections. The earth continuity test checks for earth continuity between the plug and the appropriate parts of the device. The insulation test checks the cable for weaknesses and unseen faults. In most workplaces you will see evidence of the testing through a small sticker placed on the device detailing, among other things, the date of inspection and details of who carried out the test. Display Screen Equipment Regulations 1992 Computers bring their own set of health hazards, which are covered by Health and Safety legislation. The equipment itself presents little or no danger, but using it incorrectly can lead to problems. Health risks associated with computers can generally be avoided or reduced quite easily. These regulations have been designed to help people who use computers as a significant part of their job. Employers must: - Make sure computer users take regular breaks. Working at a computer for long periods can make the user very tired and can contribute to headaches, back and neck ache, Repetitive Strain Injury - Provide regular eyesight tests. Computers can increase the risk of eyestrain so users need to have regular sight tests to keep their eyes healthy. If the computer work station is in a hazardous area then the employer must provide prescription safety glasses. - Provide furniture that can be adjusted. No two people are the same size or shape. Chairs, desks and monitors need to be adjustable so that the user can alter the height, angle of back rest etc. This helps to reduce the risk of backache, neck ache and other aches and pains. - Provide information on health and safety. Most people do not know what the health and safety regulations say; an employer must provide this information for their employees. Manual Handling Operations Regulations Manual handling is defined as …any transporting or supporting of a load (including the lifting, putting down, pushing, pulling, carrying or moving thereof) by hand or bodily force. The employer’s duty is to avoid Manual Handling as far as reasonablypracticable if there is a possibility of injury. If this cannot be done then they must reduce the risk of injury as far as reasonably practicable. If an employee is complaining of discomfort, any changes to work to avoid or reduce manual handling must be monitored to check they are having a positive effect. However, if they are not working satisfactorily, alternatives must be considered. Employees have duties to take reasonable care of their own health and safety and that of others who may be affected by their actions. They must communicate with their employers so that they too are able to meet their health and safety duties. In order to assure that the health and safety requirements are met at The Manchester College, there are several things that they college would need to succeed in ensuring that. Physical environment: - The College already has evacuation assembly points but it wouldn’t hurt to add more. This makes it safer and gives the students more options when it comes to evacuations. This will make it easier for them to escape the college in case anything potentially dangerous would happen. - Also I think the college would need some barriers when there is off-site work so it shows the staff and students where not to cross. This just helps to make them aware and make them feel safe when at college. Also if there is any site building works going on it would be ideal to block those areas off to prevent students or staff from getting harmed. - To prevent dampness and mould it would smart for the college to get maintenance checks every 3-6 months just to make sure nothing harmful is forming. - It would be ideal for the college to bring in more cleaners to make sure that the toilet facilities are made clean at all times. This will help prevent people from obtaining germs that are usually present in toilet areas. - Because of the large volume of students at the college, the demand for food during lunch time can sometimes get outta hand. This is an even bigger reason as to why food preparation areas need to kept clean. Hiring someone who’s job is to solely keep the kitchen clean during these busy peak hours would help tremendously in keeping the who place clean and germ free. When the students see this it would ensure their trust and safety in the college and it would make them feel more secure when buying food from the canteen. - Pest control is important essential everywhere you go, however this can be especially dangerous in a school environment as students can sometimes bring bugs from outside(playground, field trips etc.) into the college - Noise and atmosphere pollution can be a probably especially during exam seasons when students are trying hard to study. Having several libraries or even soundproof rooms, make it easier for students to concentrate. Equipment: - Something The Manchester College has recently implemented was safety or “security guards”. Personally I think this was a requirement well needed as thecollege feels safer with their mere presence. These safety guards usually deal with any issues or dangerous occurrences that could possibly happen in the college. - As I’ve mentioned before, there should be frequent maintenance checks on everything in the college that is a potential problem. This includes everything from computers and vending machines, to the gym equipment and food utensils (pots, pans and dishes). - In the unlikely event of a fire, there should be easily accessible fire extinguishers placed at all points of the college. This makes it just that easier to get rid of a fire if it were to occur. Legislation: - I think the Data Protection is effectively enforced at The Manchester College as everyone has their own personal ID and without it you cannot access the account. This helps to prevent the students work from getting stolen from potentially other students or even outsiders. In my opinion this policy is extremely effectively as it helps student feel secure when they are doing their work as they know nothing is going to happen to it. - Hacking is a potential issue whenever anything IT related is involved. The Computer Misuse act prevents hackers from causing any harm to said devices. Because of the way the computers are set up at The Manchester College (only get access through ID) it makes it that much harder for hackers to even try to breach the system. Even if they do, the Computer Misuse Act protects them from: - Unauthorised access to computer material - Unauthorised access with intent to commit or facilitate a crime - Unauthorised modification of computer material. - Making, supplying or obtaining anything which can be used in computer misuse offences. - The Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988, is the current UK copyright law. It gives the creators of literary, dramatic, musical and artistic works the right to control the ways in which their material may be used. The rights cover: Broadcast and public performance, copying, adapting, issuing, renting and lending copies to the public. In many cases, the creator will also have the right to be identified as the author and to object to distortions of his work. This is important because in school setting, mischievous students sometimes tend to plagiarize their work in order to get it done quicker. This act protects those vulnerable to copyright issues and plagiarism as there are laws in place to assist them. In order for the college to be cleared of the health and safety regulations they need to have sufficient working conditions. For this assessment I’ve asked Sanam Khan a business level 3 tutor, some questions on how the working conditions are. Mrs Khan said, “The working conditions of The Manchester College aren’t horrible, but they aren’t where they should be. Ventilation is a huge probably when it comes to the hotter weather as our windows cannot open properly. The issue with the windows causes the room to get stuffy causing discomfort for the students and i. This situationhowever is a double-edged sword because during the colder months it helps to trap the heat in the classroom keeping the students feeling warm. As a member of staff at this college I think this situation needs to be addressed as soon as possible. This is because it will help prevent the students feeling discomfort during the hotter months which are usually when the exams are held. The key personnel that are responsible for the general health and safety of the college are the head teacher and the cleaners. The head teacher is responsible for ordering the cleaners to do a job and the cleaners are responsible for carrying out that job. Not following and abiding by the health and safety regulations can cause big problems for businesses, especially big businesses such as The Manchester College. Some of these problems include: - millions of working days are lost due to work-related illness and injury - Thousands of people die from occupational diseases - Around a million workers self-report suffering from a work-related illness - Several hundred thousand workers are injured at work - A worker is fatally injured almost every working day There also some legal consequences such as on-the-spot fines for certain offences that fail to align with the health and safety regulations. These include but are not limited to: - failure to comply with an improvement notice - failure to record a notifiable incident (for example a work-caused serious injury or illness) - allowing persons to carry out high risk work without seeing written evidence that the worker has the relevant high risk work licence - failure to allow health and safety representative to exercise his/her powers or functions - failure to test electrical work - failure to ensure electrical equipment was de-energized before carrying out electrical work. Every workplace must comply to certain health and safety regulations, but some organisations do this better than others. While you won't always be able to prevent issues such as sickness absences, there are measures you can put in place to help reduce the occurrence of workplace-related injury. One recommendation I would make to improve the health and safety at work would be to maintain records of everything. Keep records of all first aid treatment, inspections, incident investigations, and training activities. Throughout the health and safety implementation process, you should keep hold of any records, making a note of the dates any inspections and training took place, as well as the outcomes. This information can help you identify trends in unsafe conditions or work procedures. Another recommendation I would make to improve the health and safety conditions at The Manchester College would be to talk regularly with the employees. Meet regularly with your staff and discuss health and safety issues. Encourage them to share their ideas and thoughts on how to improve safety in the workplace. You mighteven consider providing first aid training for staff so they are prepared to deal with emergency situations. Following the training, you should hold regular meetings with your employees. This will give them an opportunity to voice their opinions, raising any concerns or problems they might have. And finally, the last recommendation and arguably the most important one I would make to improve the health and safety at TMC would be to train the employees. Proper training is necessary for all employees, especially if there is a risk for potential injury associated with a job. Provide written instructions and safe work procedures so they can check for themselves if they are unsure of a task or have forgotten part of their training. Supervise your employees to ensure that they are using their training to perform their job properly and safely. By not providing the correct training for your employees you are not only endangering the safety of your employees but you will be held liable for the incident which could have serious consequences. Training should take place within working hours and should not come at a cost to your employees. Decide how much training is necessary depending on whether you are a low-risk or high-risk business.