unit 1 - Health & Safety Flashcards
What is HASAW 1974?
Health and Safety at Work Act 1974
What is the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974?
A framework for legislation
Sets out a “duty of care” for everyone in the workplace
Employer must ensure Health and Safety of employees and persons not in his employment
Employee must take reasonable care for himself and other persons who may be affected by his acts or omissions
Co-operate with employer regarding any duty or requirement imposed on him
NO PERSON shall interfere with, or misuse, anything provided in the interests of health, safety or welfare
How many people must be working for an employer to warrant a written Health and Safety policy?
At least 4
What does the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 consider?
Safe equipment and safe operating procedures
Safe use, handling, storage and transport of substances
Education, instruction and supervision
Safe work premises and safe entrance and exit from the premises
A written Health and Safety policy (>4 employees)
What is the HSC?
Health and Safety Commission
Why was the Health and Safety Commission (HSC) set up?
Responsible for developing policies in the field of Health and Safety
Set up under the Health and Safety at Work Act and have representatives of industry, trade unions and employers to aid in progressive reform of the policies
What is the purpose of the HSC?
To protect everyone in Great Britain against risks to health or safety arising out of work activities
To conduct and sponsor research
Promote training
Provide an information and advisory service
Submit proposals for new or revised regulations and approved codes of practice
What is the HSE?
Health and Safety Executive
What is the function of the HSE?
Operational arm, appointed by the HSC
Enforce legal requirements and advise
Reduce risk ‘so far as is reasonable practicable’
What can be served by the HSE?
Improvement notice
Prohibition notice
Prosecution
When did the Health and Safety (Offences) Act 2008 come into force?
16th January 2009
What is the purpose of the Health and Safety (Offences) Act 2008?
The act provides the courts with greater sentencing powers for Health and Safety crimes:
Raise the maximum fine which may be imposed in the lower courts to £20,000 for most health and safety offences (now been increased to unlimited fines since 2015)
Make imprisonment an option for more health and safety offences in both the lower and higher courts
Make certain offences, which are currently triable only in the lower courts, triable in either the lower or higher courts
What other acts are related to the Health and Safety at Work Act?
Employers’ Liability Act 1969
Fire Precautions Act 1971
Environmental Protection Act 1990
What does the Employers’ Liability Act 1969 cover?
Insurance against liability for injury or disease (compulsory for employers in Great Britain)
What does the Fire Precautions Act 1971 cover?
Training
Fire prevention
Evacuation
Warning systems
What does the Environmental Protection Act 1990 cover?
Duty of Care
What does the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999 cover?
Requires the employer to assess risks to others within the workplace, the level of these risks and how they can be prevented
What does the Workplace Regulations 1992 cover?
Considers the working environment: Safety Sanitary Clothing Rest periods Maintenance Cleanliness etc
What does the Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1992 (PUWER) cover?
Well chosen and well maintained equipment should be used and adequate training on this equipment
What does the Manual Handling Operations Regulations 1992 cover?
Avoid hazardous manual operations - if you can’t, then assess the risk and take measures to reduce the risk
What does the Health and Safety (First Aid) Regulations 1981 cover?
First aid training and the provision of first aid kits
What does the Hazardous Waste Regulations 2005 cover?
Covers the destination of waste, paperwork needed and the penalties
When was the Hazardous Waste Regulations created?
Under the 1990 environmental protection act
What is COSHH?
Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations 1999
Under which legislation was COSHH made?
Health and Safety at Work Act 1974
What are the effects of not complying with COSHH regulations?
It is an offence and can lead to prosecution under the Health and Safety at Work Act
What does COSHH require?
Identification of risk for substances and procedures in the workplace
Employers to control exposure to hazardous substances to prevent ill health
Where does COSHH apply to?
Any place of work
What does COSHH cover?
What does COSHH cover?
What is a hazard?
Something with potential to cause harm
What is a risk?
Likelihood something will cause harm during use
When must a written risk assessment be prepared?
If there is a potential hazard
What can hazards arise from?
Procedures as well as substances (e.g. micro-organisms from needle exchange so consider the procedure e.g. use sharps bins and sharps waste))
How is risk assessed?
Identify risk Prepare a written assessment Consider changes Provide information to all relevant employees Review assessments regularly
How can exposure be controlled?
Minimise number of people exposed to risk Minimise or monitor exposure Safe storage, handling and disposal Prohibit eating, drinking and smowking Provide adequate washing facilities
What does COSHH regulations require employers to take?
All reasonable steps so that controls are being used
Also employees must make use of these controls and report any defects
What are the potential risks in pharmacies?
Inhaled dust, micro-organisms, handling uncoated medicines Hydrogen peroxide Caustic soda Potassium permanganate Bleaches and cleaning agents Preparation of IV fluids Reconstitution of parenteral cytotoxic agents Formulation from raw material
Does COSHH cover pharmacological effects of drugs and medicines?
No - prescription medicines and OTC medicines are not covered
What is CLP?
Classification, Labelling and Packaging of substances and mixtures?
What is GHS?
Global Harmonisation System
When did substances need to adhere to CHIP (Chemicals [Hazard Information and Packaging for Supply]) and CLP for classification?
December 2010
What were CHIP (UK) regulations replaced by?
CLP (EU) Requirements
What are the CLP Exemptions?
CLP does not apply to: radioactive substances and mixtures substances and mixtures subject to customs supervision non-isolated intermediaries substances and mixtures for scientific research and development which are not placed on the market and are only used in controlled conditions waste medicines medical devices veterinary medicines cosmetics food feeding stuffs (i.e. food additive, food flavouring, feeding stuffs used in animal nutrition)
What is the purpose of CLP regulations?
The intention of the CLP Regulation is very similar to CHIP - substances and mixtures that are placed on the market should be classified, labelled and packaged appropriately
Why will classifications and labelling be used throughout the world?
CLP adopts the GHS
Under CLP, what must suppliers adhere to?
Suppliers must: classify (identify hazards) provide information (label) package safely retain data for dangerous preparations
What is classification?
The process that identifies the way chemicals can cause harm (the hazards)
Whose responsibility is classification of hazards?
The responsibility of chemical suppliers e.g. manufactures, importers, downstream users and possibly distributers
What is harmonised classification?
A classification for a substance that has been agreed by independent experts at European level, and then made mandatory by law
What is self-classification?
The process through which the supplier classifies the chemicals directly, and where no harmonised classifications are available for the substances involved
What is the basic requirement for classification?
For chemical suppliers to determine whether the chemicals they supply are ‘hazardous’ according to an internationally-agreed set of rules (known as criteria) to identify what harm a chemical might cause
What are there criteria for in classification?
Physical hazards (e.g. explosivity, corrosivity etc) Health hazards (e.g. potential to cause cancer in humans, to irritate the skin or eyes etc) Environmental hazards (e.g. harmful to the aquatic environment etc.)
What must a supplier consider when classifying a chemical?
What sort of harm the chemical might cause (the hazards)
How certain it is that the chemical could actually have this effect
How serious the effect might be
How potent the chemical is
What is the classification of a mixture generally based on?
What is known of the constituent substances or similar products
What is the effect of a pharmacist supplying a dangerous chemical without a classification?
it is an offense
How can the pharmacist ensure accuracy of classification?
Exercise all due diligence
Why should pharmacists avoid reformulating a product?
The pharmacist is then subject to all the rules of CLP to reclassify the new substance
