Handcare
The most common skin condition to affect people due to their work is dermatitis. The term 'dermatitis' can be used interchangeably with the term 'eczema'. When talking about eczema related to work, it is generally referred to as 'dermatitis' or 'contact dermatitis' and there is no medical difference.
Ionising radiation
Radiation from radioactive decay causes the material it passes through to become ionised, hence the term 'ionising radiation'. Ionising radiation attacks the cells of the body by producing chemical changes in the cell DNA, leading to abnormal cell growth.
Contractors and sub-contractors
The use of contractors and sub-contractors is increasing in the NHS, yet according to a National Audit Office (NAO) report, A safer place to work: improving the management of health and safety risks to staff in NHS trusts, a third of trusts believe that they have limited control over their contractors' health and safety.
Latex
Exposure to natural rubber latex (NRL), used in gloves, can produce skin and respiratory problems. The proteins naturally present in NRL can cause allergies, either through direct contact with the skin or by inhalation of powder from powdered latex gloves.
Dangerous substances
The nature of medical work means that patients and staff may sometimes be exposed to dangerous substances.
Home working
The Government puts the number of home workers in the UK at well over three million and is encouraging employers to be flexible as to where people work. This is a method of working which can be relevant to many jobs, but is not a specific job in itself.
Lone working
There are many situations where NHS staff work alone, either because they are physically separate from other people or through working in the community.
Manual handling
Work-related musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs), including manual handling injuries, are the most common type of occupational ill health in the UK. Back pain and other MSDs account for approximately 40 per cent of all sickness absence in the NHS, resulting in a cost in the region of £400 million each year.
Needlestick injury
Needlestick and sharps account for 400,000 injuries to NHS staff each year.
Managing risk
Indications from recent court cases, and from HSE inspections, suggest that there is still room for improvement in NHS risk management processes.
Safe management of healthcare waste
A wide variety of waste is generated from healthcare activities and employers have a statutory duty of care in relation to the management of that waste. They are also responsible for complying with health and safety and transport legislation.
Tackling slips and trips
Slips and trips resulting in falls are the most common cause of major injuries in all workplaces in Great Britain and the second biggest cause of over-3-day injuries. Over 48% of all major injuries to employees in healthcare are attributed to slips and trips (HSE Slips and Trips Workplace Newsletter). They also account for three times more major in
