HSE Revising Guidance for Health and Safety in Care Homes
It addresses the various hazards encountered in group homes, such as infectious diseases, slips and falls, and patient lifting injuries.
Britain's Health and Safety Executive, HSE, is taking comments on proposed changes to its guidance on health and safety in care homes, which originally was published in 2001. The agency, equivalent to OSHA in the United States, reported the revised version "will continue to provide essential and updated guidance to owners, managers of care homes, as well as to employees and safety representatives to help them understand and meet their duties under health and safety legislation. It describes the main health and safety risks found in care homes, and what should be done to protect both workers and those receiving care."
Those risks include Legionella and infectious diseases, slips and falls, patient lifting injuries, fall hazards, workplace violence, and ventilation and lighting problems, according to the proposed guidance.
According to the agency, the changes are part of HSE's efforts to make it easier for businesses and other users to understand what they need to do to comply with health and safety laws.