Unit 3

Question 1

Name types of hazards in health and social care

Answer 1

Psychological hazards
Working conditions
Working practices
Lack of security systems
Musculoskeletal
Physical

Question 2

Give some examples of environmental hazards

Answer 2

Crowded areas
Wet floors [could cause slips or trips]
Worn vinyl flooring in a shower room [example]
A wet bathroom floor [example]
Frayed carpet [example]

Question 3

Give some examples of a biological hazards

Answer 3

Waste and body fluids [spread infection]
A use bandage left [example]
Soiled clothes left [example]
Vomit that hasn’t been cleared [example]
Waste and infection

Question 4

Give some examples of chemical hazards

Answer 4

Cleaning agents and medication [left out]
Unlocked medicine trolley [example]
Unlabeled cleaning fluid
Hot cooking oil [left unattended]
Medicines and cleaning materials

Question 5

Name some examples of psychological hazards

Answer 5

Stress and violence [effects]
Tiredness [workload]
Stress [people]
Fatigue

Question 6

Name some working conditions hazards

Answer 6

Poor lighting
Heat [too cold, too hot]
Noise and disruption
Traveling long distance
[Temperature, noise, travel]

Question 7

Name some working practices that are unsafe

Answer 7

Long working hours
Lack of supervision [new staff]
Lack of training
[Working hours, supervision]

Question 8

Explain lack of security systems

Answer 8

Window locks and alarm systems
[That can cause security and fire risks]
Faulty smoke alarm systems
A broken security chain
Lack of interlocking door

Question 9

Explain physical hazards

Answer 9

[Noise, Radiation]

Question 10

Explain musculoskeletal hazards

Answer 10

[Manual handling, DSE]

Question 11

What is a hazard?

Answer 11

A potential source of harm or adverse health effects

Question 12

What is a risk?

Answer 12

The likelihood that a person may be harmed or suffer adverse health effects if exposed to a hazard

Question 13

What are the potential impacts of hazards for individuals who require care or support?

Answer 13

Injury or harm
Illness
Poor standards of care
Financial loss

Question 14

Explain injury or harm

Answer 14

Individuals who require care and support may be harmed, especially if environmental hazards have not be identified.

[Examples]
For example, in GP surgery an individual may fall if uneven steps at front are not repaired.

Chemical hazards can cause injuries to both service providers and users. For example, not using cleaning agents in line with the manufacturer’s instructions by not wearing protective equipment. This may lead to skin rashes and burns.

Not storing medicines securely can lead to children swallowing them accidently.

Question 15

Explain illness

Answer 15

Biological and psychological hazards, if not identified and managed, can cause life-threating and long term illness.

[Examples]
For example used dressings need to be safely disposed of, dirty laundry needs to be washed separately and body fluid spillages need to be cleaned quickly using the correct protective equipment and cleaning agents. Not doing so may lead to the spread to the infections ultimately serious illnesses like clostridium difficile that can prove fatal.

Psychological hazards, such as stress and tiredness have the potential to impact in everyone. Employees will be more likely to make mistakes when carrying out their day-to-day working practices if they are tired and their interactions with others may also become strained if they are stressed.

As a result, individuals who require care and support may receive a poor or even unsafe level of care.

Biological and psychological hazards can also impact on employers, who may incur unplanned costs, in terms of employees’ absences from work due to stress and fatigue.

Question 16

Explain poor standards of care

Answer 16

Unsafe working conditions and working practices can result in hazards not being identified, reduced or removed, which can impact directly on the standards and quality of care and support being provided.

For example, a lack of properly maintained handwashing facilities can result in employees not maintaining a good level of personal hygiene which in turn can lead to the spread of infections like Methicillin-resistant
staphylococcus aureus.

The buildings of health, social care and child care settings must also be properly maintained; water tanks and pipework.

Poor working practices can also impact on the standards of care and support.

For example, a lack of regular supervision for all employees can lead to poor communication within the team and with the individuals who require care and support, which can in turn cause conflicts and misunderstandings, employees ad employers not being able to work in partnership and experiencing higher levels of stress.

Similarly if employees do not follow the organisation’s health and safety procedure for reporting hazards such as slip and trip hazards or unsafe working practices, then this may cause injuries and harm to others, all of which could have been preventable.

Question 17

Explain financial loss

Answer 17

Hazards can also have a devastating effect on employers and organisations as a whole.

A lack of effective security systems, for example may result in an injury if fatality if an employee, the employee or their family may bring a lawsuit against the organisation, which may result in the organisation having to pay for costs in relation to court fees and compensations.

The organisation may also be subject to fines from regulatory agencies such as the health and safety executive.

Lawsuits and dines can also damage the reputation of the organisation and future business may suffer as a result.

Question 18

Name the types of harm and abuse

Answer 18

[Intentional abuse, unintentional abuse]

Question 19

Explain intentional abuse

Answer 19

Harm and abuse towards others can be deliberate

[Example]
Theft, verbal, financial, sexual and physical

Question 20

Explain unintentional abuse

Answer 20

Harm and abuse towards others can also be unintentional, through poor care.

[Example]
Carelessness, lack of training and neglect

Question 21

Explain the effects of abuse

Answer 21

Long term
Short term
[Injury, illness, fear]

Question 22

Name long-term effects of abuse and harm.

Answer 22

Low-self esteem
Feeling angry, anxious or tearful
Developing mental health issues
[Depression, Self harm, Suicidal behavior]
Inability to sleep
Developing physical health conditions
[Hypertension, anorexia and obesity]
Difficulties [trust in others, forming relationships, addictions (alcohol, drugs etc..)]

Question 23

Name the types of settings

Answer 23

Health environment
Care environment
Child care environment
Public environment
Transport

Question 24

Examples of health care environments

Answer 24

Intensive care unit
A clinic
GP surgery
Dentist

Question 25

Name some potential risks in a health care environment

Answer 25

Health professionals carry out tasks such as surgical procedures that involved contact with body fluids that can contain pathogens and carry infectious diseases.

Tasks that involve coming into contact with hazardous chemicals, can lead to accidental spillages.

Stress can be experienced by those who work in these types of environments.