Download How does Legislation Minimise the Risk of Infection

How Does Legislation Minimise the Risk of Infection
The Health and Safety at Work Act (1974)
The Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations (1999)
The two pieces of legislation above minimises the risk of infection as they set minimal
standards of personal and environmental cleanliness that need to be followed. This ensures
health care settings are cleaned regularly and at a high standard and do not become
reservoirs for infectious agents. They also set legal requirements that state staff must wear
PPE whilst at work. This is turn will minimise the risk of infections in care settings as it will
reduce the chances of cross infection.
These two pieces of legislation ensure settings have a written health and safety
policy specific to its organisation that covers areas such as infection control. Staff will be
made aware of this, thus minimising the risk of infections occurring as standard precautions
will be followed. These acts also ensure staff are appropriately trained to carry out their
role, therefore they will be sent on infection control courses and courses such as the safe
disposal of waste. Increasing the knowledge of staff will also minimise the spread of
infection.
The Public Health (Control of Diseases) Act 1984 and the Public Health (Infectious Diseases)
Regulations 1988
This act makes it a legal requirement for organisations to ensure that adequate and proper controls
are in place. For example, for the safe disposal of waste, clean water and adequate sanitation
facilities. These in turn will minimise the risk of infection. Both these acts also minimise the spread of
infection as they ensure that medical and health care staff report any infectious diseases that are
stated within them to the appropriate local authority. This will allow the local authority to put
standard precautions and intervention programmes in place such as immunisation schedules and
isolation procedures to prevent the spread of the infectious illness and get it under control. These
acts also give the government statistics on the incidence of certain diseases in certain areas. This
allows them to see whether or not immunisation programmes should be put back in place and
whether or not they are cost effective.
Food Safety Legislation (Food Safety Act 1990, Food Hygiene Regulations 2006, Food Safety
Temperature Control Regulations 1995.
These acts minimise the risk of infection by ensuring that food is stored, processed,
prepared and cooked appropriately, therefore minimising the risk of it becoming
contaminated and causing food related illnesses. They also minimise the spread of infection
by ensuring that any organisation that deals with food has high standards of cleanliness and
pest control measures in place and that all staff that work with food hold a basic food
hygiene certificate.
Control Of Substances Hazardous to Health (2002)
This act minimises the spread of infection as it requires employers to take certain steps
when working with hazardous substances. These hazardous substances could be infectious
agents such as bacteria, viruses and fungi. It ensures that the risks are assessed and
precautions decided and taken when dealing with infectious agents, for example wearing
PPE such as gloves, aprons and if necessary face masks. It also ensures exposure to
infectious illnesses is controlled through methods such as isolation and appropriate health
surveillance if carried out for health care staff to check their immunity to certain infectious
diseases. It ensures plans are in place to deal with accidents, incidents and emergencies, for
example needle stick injuries and employees are properly informed, trained and supervised.
The Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations (1995)
This act minimises the spread of infection as it ensures that incidences of infectious illnesses
are reported. Reportable diseases relevant to health and social care workers include
hepatitis, tuberculosis and meningitis. If these are reported methods can be put in place to
minimise their spread, e.g. strict use of the standard precautions of immunisation
programmes.
The Environmental Protection (Duty of Care) Regulations (1991)
The Hazardous Waste Regulations (2005)
Both these acts minimise the spread of infection as they ensure waste is stored and
disposed of correctly by proper, licensed waste contractors. If these legislations were not in
place waste would be disposed of incorrectly and could lead to incidents such as needle
stick injuries. Incorrect waste disposal can also become a breeding ground for bacteria, thus
increasing the incidence of disease.