Health and Safety 1

Question 1

What does RIDDOR stand for?

Answer 1

Reporting of Injuries, Disease and Dangerous occurrences 1995

Question 2

What are the three main categories in RIDDOR

Answer 2

1. Fatal or major accident
2. Accidents incurring absences from work of seven days or more
3. Dangerous occurrences (near misses etc)

Question 3

Who’s death from a work-related accident must be reported?

Answer 3

workers and non-workers

Question 4

How many for someone incapacitated from work for something to be recorded?

Answer 4

3 days

Question 5

How many days is someone incapacitated from work and it has to be reported?

Answer 5

7 days

Question 6

when do non-fatal accidents to a non-worker have to be reported?

Answer 6

When the accident results in an injury and they are taken directly to the hospital for treatment.

Question 7

Give two examples of occupational diseases

Answer 7

occupational asthma and occupational dermatitis.

Question 8

List some dangerous occurrences

Answer 8

Injuries from lifting equipment, pressure systems, and electrical incidents causing fires or explosions, biological agents and radiography.

Question 9

What does COSHH stand for?

Answer 9

Control of Substances Hazardous to Health regulations 2002.

Question 10

Give some examples of substances hazardous to health

Answer 10

dust from animals bedding
cleaners
medicines
ionising radiation sources
microorganisms from animals etc

Question 11

exposure routes

Answer 11

breathing in
contact with skin swallowing
contact with eyes
skin puncture

Question 12

What 4 hazards do electrical items pose to humans and animals?

Answer 12

1. Electrical burns
2. thermal burns
3. Loss of muscle control
4. Electrocution/ electric shock

Question 13

What kills you when you are electrocuted?

Answer 13

current and length of time

Question 14

what is the issue with electric shock?

Answer 14

It blocks the electrical signals between the brain and muscles

Question 15

How long is ‘long enough’ to block electrical signals?

Answer 15

2-10 seconds

Question 16

what is ohms law?

Answer 16

V=IR

V= voltage
I= current
R= resistance

Question 17

what does resistance=?

Answer 17

Resistance= (Length x resistivity) / area

Question 18

What affects the electrical current pathway within the body?

Answer 18

Physical size
distance the current travels
longer the distances the more resistivity

Question 19

What happens to resistivity of skin when it’s wet?

Answer 19

lower resistivity when wet

Question 20

What effects the resistivity within the body?

Answer 20

resistivity within the body depends on the organs
more resistances= greater distance apart.

Question 21

What effect does 1 mA have on the body?

Answer 21

faint tingle

Question 22

What effect does 5mA have on the body?

Answer 22

slight shock felt.
disturbing, not painful
let go easily
injuries caused by strong involuntary movements.

Question 23

What effect does 6-30 mA have on the body?

Answer 23

painful shock
muscular control is lost
‘freezing currents’
may not be possible to ‘let go’

Question 24

What affect does 50-150 mA have on the body?

Answer 24

extreme pain, respiratory arrest and severe muscular contraction. Individuals cannot let go
death is possible

Question 25

what affect does 100-4,300mA have on the body?

Answer 25

Ventricular fibrillation (uneven uncoordinated pumping of the heart) muscular contraction nerve damage begins death is likely

Question 26

What affect does 10,000 mA have on the body?

Answer 26

Cardiac arrest and severe burns death is probable.

Question 27

What happens if you get a high current shock across a normally functioning heart?

Answer 27

- ventricular tachycardia - ventricular fibrillation → risk determined by current density and proximity to myocardium - mechanism unknown

Question 28

When do Defibs work?

Answer 28

on a heart with ventricular fibrillation, needs to have some level of activity.

Question 29

What is an electrical burn?

Answer 29

when electricity passes through the body and heats the tissue along the length of the current flow. result in deep burns that often require surgery and can be permanently disabling.

Question 30

What happens when you use a multi-adapter?

Answer 30

Associated with overheating and fires. easy to overload them if they don't have a fuse also, cause strain on the wall outlet and may cause damage.

Question 31

what legislation covers electrical testing?

Answer 31

Electricity at Work Regs 1989

Question 32

What is surgical diathermy?

Answer 32

cut tissue while cauterising cut edges of a wound or apply to bleeding areas to coagulate.

Question 33

what are the main hazards associated with surgical diathermy?

Answer 33

accidental burns accidental electrocution surgical plume ignition of volatile agents electrical interference with other medical devices (ECG)

Question 34

What are some sensible safety procedures to adopt when using electrosurgery?

Answer 34

read instructions regular maintenance visual inspection before use connectors and cable awareness general condition reporting faults as soon as they occur

Question 35

How often should pressurised gas systems in anaesthetic machines be serviced?

Answer 35

legally once a year

Question 36

How frequently should you test medical gas equipment?

Answer 36

every 3 months ideally

Question 37

What do medical gas equipment tests include?

Answer 37

regulator checks pressure relief valves line pressure outlet safety features

Question 38

What are the maximum occupational exposure limits for the most common agents? Halothane?

Answer 38

10ppm

Question 39

What are the maximum occupational exposure limits for the most common agents? Isoflurane

Answer 39

50ppm

Question 40

What are the maximum occupational exposure limits for the most common agents? Sevoflurane

Answer 40

60ppm

Question 41

What are the maximum occupational exposure limits for the most common agents? Nitrous oxide

Answer 41

100ppm but increasingly used less as it's a greenhouse gas

Question 42

What are the hazards of being exposed to waste anaesthetic gases?

Answer 42

headache irritability fatigue nausea drowsiness difficulties with judgement and coordination liver and kidney disease

Question 43

What condition do Women need to be extra careful in?

Answer 43

when pregnant around volatile gases. risk of miscarriage and possibly birth defects

Question 44

what system that's now in place helps avoid exposure to volatile gases?

Answer 44

Scavenging system

Question 45

What anaesthetic scavenging equipment is there?

Answer 45

Active- using a pump passive- rely on gas flow can be vented outside or absorbed into a chemical medium and disposed of

Question 46

What needs to be in an active system to avoid the scavenging system sucking the gases out of the patient?

Answer 46

airbrake

Question 47

What gas can't be used with a Fluosorber canister?

Answer 47

Nitrous oxide

Question 48

What other substances in a vet practice are covered by COSHH?

Answer 48

Cleaning solutions disinfectants drugs

Question 49

Potential routes of exposure to COSHH substances?

Answer 49

inhalation ingestion skin mucus membranes

Question 50

Safe lifting tips

Answer 50

bend your knees hug the load avoid twisting

Question 51

What can you do to help with the handling of small animals?

Answer 51

Trolleys are useful for cats and cat baskets over long distances slings for canine patients to help staff and support the patient when walking. tables move up and down and have wheels

Question 52

What legislation is there for mechanical lifting?

Answer 52

Lifting operations and lifting equipment Regs 1998

Question 53

What is used to help with handling large animals?

Answer 53

hoists