Maintain health, safety and security
Overview
This standard covers the key activities that are required to maintain good health, safety and security practices in your workplace to protect yourself and others from the risk of harm or injury. The workplace is wherever your work activities take place.
To maintain a healthy and safe working environment, you are required to take reasonable care of the health and safety of yourself and others who may be affected by your work. This involves co-operating with your employer to help them to comply with their duties under the relevant health and safety legislation. It includes following set health and safety procedures and identifying and assessing unsafe situations in the workplace or during work activities.
You will need to be aware of the main risks to health, safety and security in your workplace and the control measures or safe systems of work put in place by your employer.
You must also be able to follow the required procedures in the event of an accident or emergency.
It is important that in all your activities you recognise the limits of your competence and ask for help and advice when it is needed.
This standard is for all workers.
Links to other NOS:
LANCS11 Respond to incidents and emergencies in the land-based sector
Performance criteria
You must be able to:
- identify hazards and assess risks to health, safety and security before starting work and throughout the activity
- take action to control the risks where possible or seek guidance in line with organisational procedures
- comply with control measures put in place to eliminate or reduce risks and adopt safe systems of work (SSoW)
- follow organisation security procedures to prevent risks to security
- work in a way that minimises risks to your own health, safety or security and that of others who may be affected by your work
- follow the training you have received when using any work items your employer has supplied you with
- wear suitable clothing and personal protective equipment (PPE) for the environment and the work to be carried out
- check and maintain PPE regularly in accordance with manufacturers’ instructions
- adopt safe working practices to protect yourself against injury, disease or other health problems
- use safe methods of lifting and handling in accordance with manual handling regulations, to reduce risk of injury
- prepare, use, maintain and store equipment and machinery safely in accordance with relevant legislation, manufacturers’ instructions and organisational procedures
- confirm that equipment and machinery has been checked, tested where required, and is fit for purpose in accordance with the relevant legal requirements and manufacturer’s instructions
- handle, use and store hazardous substances in accordance with the relevant legislation, manufacturers’ instructions and organisational procedures
- follow the procedures of your organisation and adopt safe systems of work when working alone or in a potentially hazardous situation
- stop work immediately if there is the danger of an accident or injury and take the required action
- follow the required procedures safely and without delay in an emergency situation
- report and record accidents, incidents and near misses in accordance with legal requirements and organisational procedures
Knowledge and Understanding
You need to know and understand:
- the relevant legal responsibilities of employers and employees for health and safety and the importance of following health and safety legislation and codes of practice
- the effects that work-related accidents and ill health can have on workers and businesses and the importance of avoiding these
- the difference between "hazard" and "risk", the importance of identifying hazards and assessing risks to yourself and others when carrying out your work, and what action to take when hazards are identified
- the risks of personal injury, contracting disease or other physical and mental health problems associated with your work
- the risks to others from your work activities, including members of the public, children, visitors and contractors
- how to monitor and identify health, safety or security risks
- the control measures and safe systems of work (SSoW) put in place to control these
- where to locate organisation risk assessments and why these should be followed
- the importance of following procedures to maintain workplace security
- who to seek guidance from with regard to health, safety or security
- the importance of good housekeeping in the workplace in maintaining health and safety
- the risks of injury associated with lifting and handling and how these can be minimised
- the safe methods of checking, preparing, using, maintaining and storing equipment and machinery
- the key requirements of the regulations relating to the handling, use and storage of chemicals and hazardous substances
- the suitable clothing and personal protective equipment (PPE) required for work in your industry and the importance of regularly checking and maintaining PPE
- the risks of working in isolation, in remote locations or potentially hazardous situations and the need to follow safe systems of work, including communication and emergency procedures
- the actions to take in the event of incidents and emergencies, including accidents and near misses
- the legal and organisation requirements for recording and reporting health, safety and security issues and incidents
Scope/range
Scope Performance
Scope Knowledge
Values
Behaviours
Skills
Glossary
Hazard: something with the potential to cause harm
Risk: the likelihood of the hazard’s potential being realised
In the land-based industry the most common risks arise from:
- workplace transport
- working at height
- machinery or equipment
- lifting and handling
- noise and vibration
- dust, chemicals and hazardous substances, including microorganisms
- confined spaces
- sources of power: gases, electricity, compressed air
- slips, trips and falls
- animals
- lone working
Organisational procedures refer to procedures set by the organisation you are employed by or the organisation that you are doing the work on behalf of (the client or customer)
Safe System of Work (SSoW) – is a method of work that puts in place control measures arising from a risk assessment, in order to manage identified hazards, which are broken down into four elements: safe person; safe equipment; safe place; and safe practice.
Security: relates to e.g. land, buildings, equipment and machinery, stock, resources, personnel and information