LO4 Flashcards
incident
an event or situation that causes harm, damage or loss to a person or environment
e.g. an individuals hospital wheelchair collapses
accident definition
events that happen unexpectedly and cause injury, damage or loss
e.g. a child cutting their finger on broken glass
emergency definition
a serious unexpected and unforseen situation that requires immediate action to be taken
e.g. an electrical outage in a dentists practice
accidents
-can be the result of poorly maintained areas or poor working practices
-individuals in health and social care are more susceptible due to reduced hazard awareness
exposure to infection
-individuals in health, social care and childcare are more susceptible to bacterial infections
-poor environmental conditions can create conditions where pathogens live
-poor working practices, such as inadequate cleaning, can encourage spread of pathogens
exposure to chemicals
-can occur if individuals are exposed to a hazardous substance
-exposure to them unexpectedly could be because the policies haven’t been followed correctly
spillages
-spillages of body fluids can lead to infections
-spillages of waste or other hazardous substances also have the potential to have serious consequences for those in HSC settings
intruders
-when premises are poorly maintained, intruders may enter the building
-they may also gain access due to poor working practices
-they not only cause damage, but can cause emotional upset for those who were threatened
aggressive and dangerous encounters
-accidents can occur from aggressive and dangerous encounters
e.g. a bruised eye from an individual hitting out
fire
-can have devastating consequences for everyone.
-fire safety included knowing how to prevent fires starting or spreading
-fires will only start if oxygen, heat and fuel are present
floods
-usually caused by water escaping from an item inside the premises
-can be due to failure to carry out routine maintenance checks
-has the potential to cause long-term damage as well as risk of spreading disease
loss of water supply
-could indicate a burst pipe or a leak in the mains system
-can impact key care and support activities that involve cooking, cleaning, washing etc
other critical incidents
-a faulty light switch or electrical appliance may cause the power to cut out
-a gas leak from faulty pipework can lead to fires and explosions
-a bomb threat must always be taken seriously
reporting of accidents
-a setting will keep record of all accidents that occur on its premises on an accident book
-it will be used to advise future standards
what is reported? (accident reporting)
- name of injured/ill person
- date, time and place of accident
- details of injury/illness
- treatment given, including after effects
evacuation procedures
-different settings have different challenges
-must be set out in policies and reviewed after each accident
-key actions are laid out in ACT FAST acronym
ACT FAST
A- do not panic
C- control and contain fire
T- telephone fire brigade
F- follow emergency procedure
A- assist helping out
S- support others
T- try to remain calm
follow up review of critical incidents/ emergencies
-critical incidents are ones that cause death or serious injury
-casualties/witnesses may need support after the event
-a review should be conducted and actions should be implemented
-further training may be necessary
-may need to be an investigation into what happened and how to prevent in the future
report to relevant authorities
-external agencies may be involved in reporting stage
-employers have a responsibility to report suspected outbreaks of infections to health protection unit
-RIDDOR requires that certain work related conditions are reported to HSE/local authority
first aider
-a person who has been trained to give first aid to someone who is ill/injured
-must have a valid certificate of competence in first aid at work or appropriate to the circumstances
responsibilities of first aiders
-assess for danger
-keep themselves and area safe
-prevent further harm
-maintain dignity and respect
-get help
-stay with individual until help arrives
DRS ABC
D- danger checks
R- response assessment- assess all casualties
S- shout for help
A- airways check
B- breathing checks
C- circulation checks
