Topic 1- Introduction to Health and Safety

Question 1

Why is health and safety important?

Answer 1

To prevent people from being harmed by their work or becoming ill and, by taking the right precautions, will lead to a safe working environment.

Question 2

Complete the gap fill. ___ of dance professionals and ___ of vocational dance students reported at least one injury in the previous year of dancing.

Answer 2

80% of dance professionals and 80% of vocational dance students reported at least one injury in the previous year of dancing.

Question 3

Complete the gap fill. ___ of professional ballet dancers, 13% of professional ____________ dancers and ___ of vocational dance students overuse _____ and _______.

Answer 3

17% of professional ballet dancers, 13% of professional contemporary dancers and 10% of vocational dance students overuse drugs and alcohol.

Question 4

Complete the gap fill. 9% of professional ______ dancers, __ of professional contemporary dancers and ___ of vocational dance students have _______ ________.

Answer 4

9% of professional ballet dancers, 5% of professional contemporary dancers and 19% of vocational dance students have eating problems.

Question 5

Complete the gap fill. ___ of professional ballet dancers, 32% of professional ____________ dancers and ___ of vocational dance students suffer from __________.

Answer 5

43% of professional ballet dancers, 32% of professional contemporary dancers and 42% of vocational dance students suffer from depression.

Question 6

When does an independent dance teacher have a responsibility to ensure health and safety in the workplace?

Answer 6

No matter how small or how few hours they teach, all dance teachers have a responsibility to ensure health and safety in the workplace. this applies to employees, the self-employed and members of the public who enter the workplace.

Question 7

Define the term hazard.

Answer 7

Anything that can cause harm in the workplace- e.g. chemicals, slippery floors, electricity etc.

Question 8

Define the term risk.

Answer 8

The chance, high or low, that someone in the workplace will be harmed by a hazard.

Question 9

Define the term workplace.

Answer 9

This covers a wide range of areas including offices, factories, shops, schools, village halls etc

Question 10

What does health and safety mean for dance teachers?

Answer 10

Health and safety for dance teachers involves recognising potential hazards and minimising the potential risks, thereby ensuring that people get the best out of attending dance classes.

Question 11

Where is the basis of British Health and Safety law set out?

Answer 11

In the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974

Question 12

What does the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 indicate?

Answer 12

It indicates the duties that employers have towards their employees and members of the public, and the duties that employees have to themselves and to each other.

Question 13

Employers have a duty to…

Answer 13

1. to carry out a risk assessment of the workplace
2. to make arrangements for reducing risks that have been identified through this assessment
3. to nominate and train people who would be responsible for implementing arrangements to ensure safety at the workplace
4. to develop and set up emergency procedures
5. to provide information and training to employees on relevant health and safety matters
6. to work with other employers who share the same workplace to ensure optimum health and safety conditions

Question 14

What should be displayed in the workplace? Why? Who does it need to be approved by?

Answer 14

There should be a poster hilighting health and safety law placed in a prominent place in the building. This allows all those working there to familiarise themselves with these basic principles. Alternatively, employees can be provided with a leaflet containing the same information called “Your Health and Safety- a Guide for Workers”. All posters and leaflets must be approved by the Health and Safety Executive.

Question 15

What are employers of 5 or more employees required to have? What are some examples of what it might contain?

Answer 15

To have a written health and safety policy and a two part risk assessment.

• managing the health and safety risks arising from the work activities
• providing and maintaining a safe and healthy work environment
• consulting with employees on matters relating to their health and safety
• providing appropriate information and training
• ensure that all employees are able to do their tasks
• preventing accidents and cases of ill health caused by work
• reviewing the health and safety policy regularly

Question 16

Give 5 areas to consider concerning the workplace environment.

Answer 16

1. ventilation
2. temperature
3. lighting
4. cleanliness and waste materials
5. room dimentions and space

Question 17

Give 4 areas to consider concerning a healthy lifestyle.

Answer 17

1. a balanced diet
2. regular exercise
3. no smoking
4. minimum alcohol consumption

Question 18

What is the health and safety executive? What does it do?

Answer 18

A regulatory body set up by the British government to be responsible for minimising the risks to health and safety arising from work activity in all industries.

An organisation that investigates the circumstances surrounding a disaster and to produce recommendations to reduce the chances of an event occuring again. Lessons learnt from these investigations are produced as reports for others to apply to their own industries.

Question 19

What is the mission of the health and safety executive?

Answer 19

To protect people’s health and safety by ensuring risks in the workplace are properly controlled, specifically:

• to continue reducing injury rates and work-related ill-health and days lost from work
• to continue to improve the working environment
• to prevent major accidents with catastrophic consequences occuring in high hazard industries