Health and Safety

Health & Safety

Presentation

Health and Safety regulations must be adhered to, including but not exclusively:

The Health & Safety at Work Act (1974) This Act defines general duties on employers, employees, contractors, suppliers of goods and substances for use at work, persons in control of work premises, and those who manage and maintain them, and persons in general. The Act enables a broad regime of regulation by government ministers through Statutory Instrument which has, in the years since 1974, generated an extensive system of specific provisions for various industries, disciplines and risks. Both employers and employees have responsibilities under this Act.

Employers responsibilities:

• All equipment is safe and is regularly checked by qualified electricians e.g PAT testing • The workplace is safe and does not pose a risk to the health and safety to clients or employees • Procedures are in place to ensure safe handling of cash • Create a health and safety in the workplace manual/policy to be followed by staff, this should be done on induction and followed throughout employment • To ensure they are following procedure • Be vigilant regarding equipment and any potential hazards, if anything appears wrong it needs reporting immediately to the appropriate person • Always be aware of hazard warning labels on containers and follow instructions

COSHH is the law that requires employers to control substances that are hazardous to health

The Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations (COSHH) (1994) You can prevent or reduce workers exposure to hazardous substances by: • finding out what the health hazards are • deciding how to prevent harm to health (risk assessment) • providing control measures to reduce harm to health • keeping all control measures in good working order • providing information, instruction and training for employees and others • providing monitoring and health surveillance in appropriate cases • planning for emergencies .

Health and Safety Documents

Within the work environment there is likely to be a variety of health and safety documents that you will need to become familiar with. These documents may include: • First aid book • Accident recording book • Company operating policies and procedures • Manufacturer’s guidelines for equipment • CRB applications – where applicable .

Medical Emergency

Who was involved?

First Aid Training

Accidents

When an accident involves harm or injury to a client, the professional has a duty of care to ensure that the injured party comes to no additional harm. Examples of common accidents within the Beauty facility strains, sprains, fainting, dizziness and heat exhaustion. The professional should not attempt to deal with any of these conditions unless they have a current and recognised ‘first aid’ qualification. In the event of discovering a client who has accidentally injured themselves (they may or may not be conscious), remove them from any further danger, make them comfortable and get help. Ideally the help will be an appropriately qualified first aider, however with serious accidents and especially where the client is unresponsive, it may be necessary to contact the emergency services by dialling 999. Once the incident has been dealt with and the client has received treatment, details relating specifically to the incident should be recorded in an accident log book along with the names and contact details of any witnesses. .

Medical Emergency

Who was involved?

First Aid Training

Accidents

Medical emergencies are generally considered more serious than accidents, although a serious accident may actually cause a medical emergency. A medical emergency generally relates to pre-existing medical conditions (which may or may not have been diagnosed). A client’s risk of a potential medical emergency could be estimated from the information supplied in the health screening form; however, many clients may be unaware of their medical condition and will therefore be unable to report it. Extreme care should be taken when dealing with clients experiencing a medical emergency. Examples of common medical emergencies are: angina, heart attack, stroke, diabetic attack, epilepsy and asthma. In all cases, the emergency services should be contacted by dialling 999.

Medical Emergency

Who was involved?

First Aid Training

Accidents

Those involved in an Emergency In the event of an emergency situation, there may be a variety of personnel actively engaged in the process to ensure that the casualty remains protected from any further harm – such personnel may include:

Duty Manager

First Aid Personnel

General Manager

The emergency services

Local GP surgery

Medical Emergency

Who was involved?

First Aid Training

Accidents

First Aid Training Staff are not required by law to hold first aid qualifications, although it is good practice. Staff should be appropriately trained and qualified to deal with first aid incidents as they arise on duty at all times. Generally speaking there are three main categories of first aid training programmes:

CPR and AED

First Aid at Work

Emergency first aid at work

Reporting Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulation 1995 (RIDDOR)

In the event of an incident or accident, all organisations are bound by law to keep an accurate record that includes details of the incident and any action that was taken to remedy it. All reports of this nature should include as a minimum:

The Manual Handling Operations Regulation 1992 (Amended 2002)

This legislation is related to the lifting and carrying of heavy items while at work and with the distinct goad of reducing injury. Many lifting injuries occur over an extended period of time and so it is vital that people involved in manual labour lift implements and objects with good technique. When lifting any weighted object, a modified version of the deadlift technique should be used, ensuring that the object remains close to the body and the spine is maintained in neutral throughout the lift.

The Electricity at Work Regulations Act (1992)

The Act states that all electrical equipment must be checked by a qualified electrician annually to make sure it is safe; PAT testing. These checks should be listed in a record book. Broken or damaged equipment, including plug sockets should not be used.

Local Byelaws

A Byelaw is a rule or law established by an organisation or community to regulate itself, as allowed or provided for by some higher authority. At present, byelaws are made by the local council or other body, but do not come into force until they have been approved (confirmed) by the relevant government department. Confirming authorities will seek to ensure:

The Trade Description Act (1968) & The Consumer Protection from Unfair Trading Regulations (2008)

This is an Act which prevents manufacturers, retailers or service industry providers from misleading consumers as to what they are spending their money on. This law empowers the judiciary to punish companies or individuals who make false claims about the products or services that they sell. If any person provides a service they are not qualified to perform or do not have appropriate insurance for, they can face prosecution under this act. The maximum penalty if found guilty is an unlimited fine and up to 2 years’ imprisonment.

Minors and Informed Consent

Clients under the age of 18 need to have written permission from a parent/guardian. Ideally, they should also be present throughout the treatment, in order for you to undertake the treatment. If you feel uncomfortable or do not think you should proceed with the treatment, then you have the right to refuse the treatment.

-18

The Fire Precautions Act (1997)

Under the new Fire Safety legislation, the ‘responsible person’ for each premises will be required to carry out a fire risk assessment and take steps to reduce or remove the risk. All staff must be trained in an emergency evacuation and be aware of procedures to follow in the event of an emergency. There should be a drill once a year, where everyone is included. All fire safety equipment should be regularly checked, including fire extinguishers. Fire exit doors should be clearly marked and should remain unlocked and must not be obstructed. Smoke alarms should be installed and regularly tested. If a business has five or more employees, there is a legal requirement that the fire risk assessment is in writing, and takes into account everybody, including; staff, clients and visitors to the salon.

Fire Extinguish - need to be regularly checked!

Fire Extinguishers are red with a different of colour just below the neck, identifying the type of fire: