Element 2.1 Contribute to the maintenance of health and safety at work

Performance Criteria

You must be able to:

1. carry out working practices in accordance with legal requirements
2. identify any health and safety risks in different locations
3. ensure your own personal conduct in the workplace does not endanger the health and safety of self and other people
4. follow the workplace policies and suppliers’ or manufacturers’ instructions for the safe use of equipment, materials and products
5. implement emergency procedures effectively to protect the health and safety of people
6. pass on any suggestions for improving health and safety within the workplace to the responsible persons


Knowledge and Understanding

You must know and understand:

(a) the legal duties for health and safety in the workplace as required by legislation
(b) what health and safety risks could exist in different locations
(c) why it is important to remain alert to the presence of risks in the entire workplace
(d) the importance of personal conduct in maintaining the health and safety of self and others
(e) suppliers’ and manufacturers’ instructions for the safe use of equipment, materials and products
(f) who should be informed of any conflicts between different health and safety requirements
(g) the procedures for different types of emergency
(h) who the appointed first aiders are
(i) what types of suggestions for improving health and safety at work could be made and who should be given them


Scope

This Element requires that you:

A. are aware of health and safety risks, which may include:
(i) the presence of equipment and its use
(ii) power supplies
(iii) fixtures
(iv) interactions with other people
(v) accidents
(vi) effects of VDUs

B. identify health and safety risks in different locations:
(i) office
(ii) development site including new houses or converted buildings with some adjacent properties in a state of partial completion
(iii) vacant property
(iv) occupied property

C. contribute to health and safety in the workplace, which may be:
(i) the office
(ii) the home being inspected
(iii) any other location you visit in the course of your work