DISPENSARY AND SAFETY MEASURES

. A safe place of work with a means of safe access and exit in an emergency . Safe plant and equipment, including means for ensuring their effective maintenance . Safe systems of work, taking into account the relationship between the worker and the task . A safe working environment, with adequate facilities and arrangements for employee welfare . Safe methods for handling, storage, use and transport of articles and substances . Mechanisms to consult employees . Enough information, instruction, training and supervision as is necessary . A written safety policy reviewed and revised as appropriate, together with details of the organisation and arrangements for ensuring that the policy is effective.

Safety Rules

Usually organisations have specific rules written into their policies and procedures that define how employees should behave to fulfil their responsibilities to work safely. The number of specific rules will generally depend on the degree of risk that prevails for a particular company or organisation. However, HASAWA imposes a statutory duty on every employee To take reasonable care for the health and safety of him or herself and other people who may be affected by any lapses

Protective Clothing
The right to the provision of appropriate protective clothing is enshrined in Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) Regulations 1992. PPE includes protective clothing such as aprons, protective clothing for adverse weather conditions, gloves, safety footwear, safety helmets, high visibility waistcoats and so on. In general

Safe Storage and Housekeeping and Dealing with Waste Storage, a safe environment and waste disposal are key aspects of hazard avoidance in many areas of the Practice and there are some key principles listed below. You may be able to think of more.

Storage

Environment.

Items

such

as

vaccines

need

Good Housekeeping.
Everyone with access to drugs of any kind should adopt normal principles of housekeeping, applied to systematic storage. This includes high standards of

Waste Disposal

Dispose of waste in a systematic and safe way. Medicinal waste includes expired, unused, spilt, and contaminated pharmaceutical products, drugs, vaccines, and sera that are no longer required and need to be disposed of appropriately. The category also The most likely and common risk to a storage area from damaged goods occurs in the form of a spillage. In practical terms, it is important to deal with them quickly and systematically. Most practices will have a proprietary spillage kit that is most often used for dealing with the risk of contamination or infection from body fluids. You should know where this is kept. In general the protocol should be as follows Close the area off temporarily Locate the manufacturers safety guidance leaflet Contact the manufacturer if needed Contact a professional disposal company, if necessary, to assist

2. Manual Handling
Manual handling is regulated through the Manual Handling Regulations 1992. The regulations, which have emerged from continental Europe, are intended to deal with the growing problem caused by back and other injuries. Employers have a

duty to assess activities that require significant lifting and the risk involved. If an employee fails to observe precautions, it could lead to difficulties later if compensation or government allowances are sought.

Advice on safe manual handling

Potential manual handling hazards and safety risks in the Practice

3. Working with VDUs

All Practices will have VDUs that will be used for a variety of tasks. The amount of time you spend working at a VDU will depend on the nature of your role, and how the work of the Practice team is organised. Typically, a team

member may spend

4. Fire Regulations

Employers responsibilities for ensuring the health, safety and welfare of their employees include safety in relation to fire hazards, both from the work processes and activities, as well as general fire safety in the workplace. The Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 came into force on 1 October 2006 and shifts the emphasis towards risk reduction and fire prevention. Responsibility for complying with the Fire Safety Order rests with the 'responsible person'. In your workplace

Storage of Oxygen Cylinders

All persons involved in the use and handling of oxygen cylinders should be suitably trained. Oxygen aids combustion and feeds fires and therefore must be stored well away from combustible materials like cardboard and paper. In close proximity to any oxygen supply there should be a warning sign, which prohibits naked lights. Cylinders should be opened slowly and not at all if any resistance is encountered.

Responsibilities

Your Practice may by now have carried out a fire risk assessment and created an emergency plan. This will include communicating details of individual responsibilities in the case of fire, what to do and how to behave.

You should take some

Procedures
If fire does occur it often spreads quickly. It is important to know what to do if you discover a fire or hear the alarm. There will be a procedure to follow in your Practice to ensure that the alarm is raised and the building is evacuated efficiently. If you discover a fire, the usual procedure is