Health & Safety Flashcards
What is the primary legislation in Ireland that protects employees’ health, safety, and welfare in the workplace?
The Safety, Health and Welfare at Work Act 2005
This Act places legal responsibilities on employers, employees, and safety authorities.
What is the purpose of the Safety, Health and Welfare at Work Act 2005?
It places legal responsibilities on employers, employees, and safety authorities to ensure a safe working environment.
To which workplaces does the Safety, Health and Welfare at Work Act 2005 apply?
All workplaces, including medical laboratories.
Who enforces the Safety, Health and Welfare at Work Act 2005?
HSE (Health and Safety Executive).
What does the Chemicals Act 2008 & 2010 regulate?
The use of hazardous substances in workplaces.
What laws ensure safe handling of hazardous materials in the workplace?
Laws around waste disposal and carriage of dangerous goods by road.
What is the Tobacco Smoking (Prohibition) Regulations 2003 linked to?
Public Health (tobacco) Act 2002.
How do the Tobacco Smoking (Prohibition) Regulations contribute to workplace safety?
By addressing environmental health concerns.
Define safety in the context of workplace health.
The condition of being protected from injury, danger, or risk.
What is the goal of safety in the workplace?
Minimizing hazards to an acceptably low level through proper controls and precautions.
Define health in the workplace context.
A state of physical and mental well-being, free from illness, injury, or impairment.
What aspects does health encompass in the workplace?
Both physical and psychological aspects.
What does welfare refer to in the workplace?
Provision and maintenance of facilities that support employee well-being.
What must employees provide for hygiene and comfort?
Access to clean and well-maintained restrooms, break areas, proper lighting
Essential for maintaining employee well-being in the workplace.
What are safe and hygienic areas for eating and drinking required to be separate from?
Lab workspaces
This separation prevents contamination.
What should be ensured for adequate workplace comfort?
Adequate ventilation and temperature control
Important for maintaining a conducive work environment.
What type of workstations should be implemented to reduce strain from repetitive tasks?
Ergonomic workstations
Designed to improve comfort and efficiency.
What should be minimized to protect employee health in the lab?
Noise exposure from lab equipment
Reducing noise can enhance concentration and reduce stress.
What protective measures must be enforced against in the laboratory?
Biological, chemical, and radiation hazards
These measures are critical for ensuring safety.
Define ‘accident’ in a laboratory context.
An unexpected, unplanned event that results in physical harm, injury, or illness to an individual, damage to property or laboratory equipment, or a near miss
Examples include chemical spill injuries and sharps injuries.
What is a ‘hazard’ in the laboratory environment?
Anything with the potential to cause injury, illness, or damage
Biological hazards include exposure to infectious agents.
What is a ‘near miss’?
An incident that almost causes harm but does not, yet had the potential to be serious
Example: a chemical spill without injury.
What is risk?
The likelihood that someone will be harmed by a hazard, combined with the severity of the harm that could result.
What are the steps involved in risk assessment?
- Identify hazards in the laboratory.
- Assess the level of exposure and potential risks to staff, students, and visitors.
- Implement control measures to minimize exposure and reduce the likelihood of harm.
- Ensure special consideration for vulnerable workers.
