Topic 2 - Safe Working Practices

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Topic 2 - Safe Working Practices

• Textbook pages 6267

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Learning outcomes

• By the end of the topic learners will have an
  awareness of, and key intentions in
• The Health and Safety at Work Act (HASAWA), for
  leisure contexts
• The main European regulations in leisure contexts
  (the six-pack)
• Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Act
  (COSHH)
• The Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous
  Occurrences (RIDDOR)
• The Disability Discrimination Act (DDA) though
  knowledge of the DDA is not required in the
  assessment.

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Health Safety At Work Act 1974HASAWA

• Staff Responsibilities
• Under HASAWA, Leisure Staff would have to ensure
  that
• Customers are safe at all times which changing,
  swimming or playing
• Materials and equipment are stored away correctly
  and out of the way in proper store rooms
• Notices, signs and information about safety
  procedures are clearly displayed
• Any maintenance processes are carried out as per
  the required schedule e.g. gum equipment, lifts
  and escalators
• Locations around the facility and practises that
  the staff are suppose to carry out are checked
  regularly

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Health Safety At Work Act 1974HASAWA

• Employers Responsibilities
• Under HASAWA, Employers in the Leisure Industry
  would have to ensure that
• Staff take care of their own and colleagues
  health and safety, an know how to do so
• Action I taken on any faults or repairs reported
  or logged
• Staff are trained to use equipment safely, and
  follow the manufacturers recommendations
• Training and awareness of staff is kept up to date

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Health Safety At Work Act 1974HASAWA

• HASAWA was reviewed an amended in 1999
• The 1999 update brought in some important
  changes
• Risk Assessment became the basis of all safety
  checks. This means identifying hazards,
  assessing how dangerous they are and what action
  is needed to make them sage
• Special measures for the protection of young
  people and pregnant workers were introduced
  police checks on anyone working with young
  people, and regular health checks for pregnant
  workers.
• It became compulsory for an organisation or
  facility to have a written safety plan
• It became compulsory for an organisation or
  building to appoint a safety officer
• Emergency procedures now have to be agreed and
  practised for fire and bomb threats, and for
  evacuation of large numbers quickly

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The European Regulations of 1992The Six Pack

• The Management of Health and Safety at Work 1992
• The Workplace Regulations 1992
• Manual Handling Operations Regulations 1992
• Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations
  1991
• Personal Protective Equipment (and Clothing) at
  Work 1992
• Display Screen Equipment Regulations 1992

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The Management of Health Safety at Work 1992

• Brought in Risk Assessments
• The need for employers and employees to take
  action when a hazard is identified
• Everyone in the team becomes a risk assessor
• Employer MUST take action when problem is reported

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The Workplace Regulations 1992

• Provide minimum standards for the working
  environment relating to Health, Safety and
  Welfare of Staff and Customers
• In a leisure context
• In administrative areas adequate space to work,
  work stations must be set up correctly for
  height, light and seating, smoking has become
  totally banned from these areas
• In playing and changing areas heating, lighting
  and ventilation must be maintained at recognised
  levels for comfort, e.g. around 21C, with a free
  flow of air and low-glare bulbs. In leisure
  areas such as Ice Rinks, Ski Slopes or Indoor
  Spas, suitable clothing must be provided for
  staff
• Doors, windows and any escalators or lifts must
  fire retardant, unobstructed and of safe material
  and have emergency stop buttons or crash bars for
  escape

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Manual Handling Operations Regulations 1992

• Relevant to leisure workers as they are often
  asked to carry, lift and move leisure equipment,
  boxes, mats and other sports kit.
• The regulations set out how to manage loads
  better, by suggesting that before you begin the
  task you
• Think about redesigning the task by breaking it
  into smaller chunks or using some lifting and
  carrying gear
• Carry out a risk assessment to identify the
  things that could go wrong and decide if you can
  still manage the task safely in those
  circumstances
• Ask to be trained in shifting the load, ask for
  better lighting if that will help or ask the load
  to be repositioned to shorten the lift

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Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations
1991

• PUWER for Short
• Meant to ensure the provision of safe working
  equipment and its proper use
• Examples
• Poolside, there might be a lifting hoist for
  disabled people, which needs correct use so as
  not to drop them into the pool and maintenance as
  it in a humid atmosphere and parts may rust
• Theme parks with a range of rides are
  particularly susceptible to mechanical failure if
  proper maintenance and safety checks are not
  carried out
• Museums may well have large displays that need
  cleaning with electric machines
• Staff in botanical gardens have to carefully
  consider how the tall hothouse plants or trees
  are reached, e.g. by using climbing equipment

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Personal Protective Equipment (and Clothing) at
Work 1992

• PPE for short
• Helps to ensure that when staff are working in a
  noisy, dangerous or unusual conditions they have
  the use of protective equipment and clothing to
  minimise risk and have been trained in how to
  wear it effectively, for example
• Climbing instructors need helmets, harnesses,
  ropes and other hardware
• Canoeing instructors need helmets, lifejackets,
  throw lines and spray decks, among other things

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Display Screen Equipment Regulations 1992

• Staff in the Leisure Industry may use computers
  for many purposes
• These regulations ensure that organisations must
  provide equipment that complies with the minimum
  standards for Visual Display Units (VDUs). They
  recommend that
• Any employees who use a computer for more that an
  hour a day should have health checks
• All workstations should be checked for sitting
  and reading heights, distance from the screen,
  glare and lumbar support
• Staff should have several regular short breaks
  rather than fewer longer breaks

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COSHH

• Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Act
  1994
• Often large amounts of cleaning fluids, pool
  chemicals, caustic substances for cleaning
  drains, pesticides, etc. on leisure premises.
  This would include Swimming Pools, premises with
  Canteens and kitchens, multi-sports centres,
  theme parks, hotels and childrens farms or
  visitor centres about 2/3 of the industry
• The Act requires staff to
• Pass on any information about Hazardous Materials
• Assess risks to staff and customers carefully
• Store and handle chemicals safely

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RIDDOR

• Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous
  Occurrences Regulations 1995
• Requires organisations and individuals to keep a
  record of and report any accidents or serious
  occurrences of ill health so that
• Organisations can assess if there is a pattern or
  cause, and identify solutions
• If an claims are involved, a clear record of the
  incident helps decisions be made fairly
• Within 3 years of an incident, customer or staff
  may make claims of negligence against individuals
  or the organisation, and if they are found guilty
  in court, compensation may have to be paid

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RIDDOR

• Examples of incidents in the leisure industry
  that would certainly require recording and
  reporting are
• If someone has a fall, or is injured by something
  falling, or
• If someone trips over an obstruction or slips on
  a wet surface
• It is wise to ensure that all incidents are
  reported