2.1 potential hazards in health and social care settings

What is a hazard?

A potential source of harm

What is a risk?

How likely the hazard will cause harm

Hazard example

A wet floor

7 types of hazards

1. Biological

2. Chemical

3. Environmental

4. Working conditions

5. Physical

6. Poor working practices

7. Lack of security systems

Big cats eat waffles playing ping-pong loudly

Two types of biological hazards

1. Bodily fluids

2. Disease/infection

Where do biological hazards come from?

Either a living organism or their byproduct

Examples of contact with bodily fluids

Dentist - saliva

Hospitals - blood

How to prevent the spread of infection through bodily fluids

• Washing hands well

• Clearing up bodily fluids promptly

• Following procedures

Examples of biological hazards

• Used bandages on a clinic bed

• Vomit on the floor

Example of vulnerable service users more suspect to disease and why

Young people - do not have a fully developed immune system

Three ways infections are transmitted

1. Airborne

2. Direct/indirect contact

3. Ingestion

How are airborne infections transmitted and an example

• Coughing, sneezing or breathing out droplets

• Covid 19

How are infections transmitted by direct/indirect contact and an example

• Touching infected people, surfaces or equipment

• Norovirus

How are infections transmitted by ingestion and an example

• Consuming contaminated food, drink

• Hands-to-mouth transfer

• Salmonella

Prevention of infections being transmitted

• PPE - gloves, aprons, masks

• Cleaning toilets

• washing hands

• Safe disposal of sharps and waste e.g to avoid HIV

chemical hazard

Substances that can cause harm through contact, inhalation or digestion

Two types of chemical hazards

1. Medicines e.g overdose

2. Cleaning e.g bleach

What do professionals need to know about medicine

• How to dispose of it

• How to monitor the individual taking it

• Make sure it’s locked away

• Fully trained and training updated regularly

Chemical hazard example

Unlocked medication trolley

Prevention of chemical hazards

• COSHH regulations (control of substances hazardous to health)

• Save storage and labelling

• Staff training

Two environmental hazards

1. Temperature

2. Noise

Risks of temperature

• Overheating - dehydration

• Cold environments - hypothermia, increased illness risk

Risk management of temperature

• Regular monitoring of room temperature

• Heating and cooling systems maintained

• Ventilation

• Policies for hot weather and winter conditions

Examples of noise hazards

• Beeping equipment

• Staff talking loudly

• Maintenance workers

Risks of noise hazards

• High noise levels - stress and anxiety

• Communication difficulties - mistakes in care

• Hearing damage

Two types of working conditions hazards

• Moving and handling

• Equipment used

Type of moving and handling

• Manual handling (movement of people or objects)

• e.g transferring a patient to a bed from a trolley

Two types of physical hazards

1. Slips and trips

2. Radiation

Causes of slips and trips

• Uneven floors

• Poor fitting footwear

• Objects left on the floor

Two types of poor working practices

• Working hours and breaks

• Supervision

Impact of long working hours with insufficient breaks

• Extreme tiredness - fustrated with service user

• Lack of concentration - mistakes

Impacts of poor working conditions

• Illness

• Poor mental health

• Poor physical health

• Physical harm

• Infection

• Poor standard of care

Two types of a lack of security systems

1. Door/window locks

2. Alarm systems