Health & Safety Policy

1. Statement of intent

ExcelCare Agency accepts its responsibility under the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 to ensure, so far as is reasonably practicable, the health, safety and welfare of all employees, the people we support, visitors and anyone else affected by our work.

Because we deliver care in the homes of others, we manage risk in spaces we do not own. That makes assessment, reporting and the right to refuse unsafe work especially important.

2. Responsibilities

Directors

Provide a written safety statement, adequate financial and physical resources, and competent advice.
Review health and safety performance at every Board meeting.

Registered Manager

Implements this policy, maintains the risk assessment suite and the accident record.
Ensures all staff complete mandatory health and safety, fire and manual handling training at induction and annually.
Investigates every accident and incident and reports to the Board quarterly.

All staff

Follow safe systems of work, report hazards immediately and never attempt a task they have not been trained or assessed for.
Report accidents, near misses and equipment faults the same day, including when nothing was damaged.
Are responsible for their own safety and for stopping work if a situation becomes unsafe.

3. Lone working

Each visit is scheduled with an expected start time, duration and call length in the rostering system. A missed check-in triggers an automatic monitoring alert.
Staff carry a charged mobile phone and share their location for the duration of the visit.
Where a risk assessment identifies risk of violence or aggression, staff do not visit alone and a joint visit is arranged.
Staff are instructed to leave immediately and call the emergency services if they feel unsafe, then inform the office.
A daily welfare call-back is made to any lone worker who cannot be contacted.

4. Manual handling and moving and assisting

Moving and assisting is assessed for every person at the start of their care, using the safer manual handling assessment record held in the care file.
Hoists, slide sheets and standing aids are checked before each use and subject to a formal inspection every six months by a competent person.
Staff perform no lift that is not documented in the care plan, and two carers are used wherever the assessment requires it.
Any change in a person's mobility triggers an immediate reassessment of the moving and assisting plan.

5. Risk assessment

A home and environmental risk assessment is completed at the first visit and reviewed annually, after any incident and when the person's needs change.
Assessments record hazards including flooring, stairs, pets, smoking, hoarding, temperature, infection risk and the availability of running water and electricity.
Identified controls are agreed with the person wherever possible; where residual risk remains unacceptable, the Registered Manager decides whether care can safely continue and records the reasoning.

6. Display screen and office safety

Office and home-working staff complete a workstation self-assessment and are offered a further assessment where they report discomfort. Workstations are adjusted to suit the individual.

7. Electricity, gas and equipment

Portable electrical equipment is visually checked by staff before use and formally inspected and tested in line with our maintenance schedule.
Any equipment belonging to a person that we use is checked with their consent and recorded; defective equipment is withdrawn from use, labelled and reported.
Staff do not use equipment that shows damage to plugs, leads or casing, and do not use extension leads as a permanent solution.

8. Fire safety in people's homes

Fire risks, escape routes and smoke alarm presence are recorded in the care plan.
Where a person has a fire risk assessment from the fire service, the relevant control measures are reflected in their care plan.
Staff do not smoke in a person's home or on duty, and follow our smoke-free working guidance.

9. First aid and accident reporting

Every care worker holds a current emergency first aid certificate appropriate to their role.
Accidents, incidents and near misses are recorded on the incident reporting system before the end of the shift. The Registered Manager reviews all reports within 24 hours.
Under RIDDOR 2013, injuries, occupational diseases, dangerous occurrences and specified incidents are reported to the Health and Safety Executive within 15 days, and deaths or specified injuries without delay.
Where a person we support is injured, we also notify their family, commissioner and, where required, CQC under Regulation 18.

10. Violence, aggression and challenging behaviour

Triggers and early warning signs are recorded in the care plan, along with de-escalation approaches that work for that person.
Staff are trained in breakaway techniques and receive post-incident debrief and supervision after any incident.
Following any assault on a member of staff, an incident report is completed, the police are informed where appropriate and occupational health support is offered.

11. Monitoring and review

Accident trends, near misses, equipment inspections and training compliance are reviewed monthly by the management team and reported quarterly to the Board. This policy is reviewed annually, or sooner following a notifiable incident or legislative change.