Exam Pass Notes - GOC Standard 12: Health & Safety in Optical Practice

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Key takeaways

• Safe premises and simple routines underpin care quality - tidy, well lit, predictable spaces reduce errors and build patient trust.
• Know the core UK legal framework (H&S at Work Act 1974; Management of H&S Regs 1999; Workplace Regs 1992; Electricity at Work 1989; Manual Handling 1992; COSHH; PPE; DSE; RIDDOR 2013; Equality Act 2010).
• Apply the five steps of risk assessment and the hierarchy of control (eliminate → substitute → engineering → administrative → PPE).
• Keep records short, factual and auditable: who, what, when, how fixed, and why.
• Roles, simple checklists and brief induction for locums/new starters make small teams resilient.
• Emergencies require calm, role allocation, prompt action, and proportionate documentation.

Quick legal & professional essentials (must-know)

• Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 - general duty to ensure health, safety and welfare so far as reasonably practicable.
• Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999 - risk assessments, preventive measures, competent help, emergency plans.
• Workplace (Health, Safety and Welfare) Regulations 1992 - lighting, cleanliness, space, welfare facilities.
• Electricity at Work Regulations 1989 - safe electrical systems and maintenance (PAT testing programme).
• Manual Handling Operations Regulations 1992 - safe lifting, domiciliary kits, trolleys/team lifts.
• COSHH - hazardous substances control, SDS/COSHH sheets available by chemicals.
• PPE at Work Regulations - suitable, maintained PPE for specific tasks.
• DSE Regulations 1992 - workstation assessments for screens (dispensing, admin, OCT).
• RIDDOR 2013 - report specified work-related injuries, diseases and dangerous occurrences.
• Equality Act 2010 - reasonable adjustments for patients and staff (accessibility as safety).

Risk assessment - five-step process (concise)

1. Identify hazards.
2. Decide who might be harmed and how.
3. Evaluate risk and select controls (use hierarchy).
4. Record findings and implement controls.
5. Review and update after changes or incidents.

Hierarchy of control (priority)

1. Eliminate
2. Substitute
3. Engineering controls
4. Administrative controls
5. PPE (last resort)

Exam tip: when asked to justify a control, reference "reasonably practicable" - balance risk vs time, trouble and cost.

Practical day-to-day controls (high-yield checks)

Daily/Opening/Closing check examples:

• Floors clear, wet-floor signage, mats secured.
• Cables tucked or covered; no trailing flexes.
• Fire routes unobstructed; exits clear.
• Equipment visually intact; no burning smells.
• Eye-wash/isotonic saline accessible and in-date.
• COSHH sheets present near chemicals and decanted containers labelled.
• Statutory posters and employers' liability certificate visible.

Quarterly/Periodic:

• Equipment safety checks logged (date, signature, outcome, out-of-service tag).
• PAT testing schedule and records.
• Fire alarm/extinguisher service log and drill records.
• Deep-clean and storage audit.

Record format (short and effective)

• Who checked | What found | When fixed | Action owner | Why control chosen | Review date

Roles, competence and records

Core roles

• H&S lead - coordinates policy, risk assessments, training.
• Fire responsible person - assessment, drills, signage.
• First aider(s)/appointed person(s) - first-aid cover and stock.
• Equipment custodian(s) - ownership of specific devices.
• COSHH coordinator / DSE assessor / Lone-worker lead (as needed).

Role register fields

• Role | Holder | Duties | Training completed (date/expiry) | Time allocated | Deputy | Escalation route

Small-practice tip: one person may hold several roles - document deputies and allocated time to avoid gaps.

Health & Safety policy - structure and use

Three-part policy:

1. Statement of intent (aims, commitment).
2. Organisation (who does what).
3. Arrangements (practical controls: fire, COSHH, DSE, manual handling, equipment checks, emergency plans).

Make it usable:

• Keep concise, link to detailed procedures.
• Attach risk assessment summaries, checklists, training plans.
• Use a revision log (date, change, approver).
• Test the policy by walking the premises and asking staff to demonstrate key controls.

Legal trigger: written policy required if five or more employees.

Records and incidents

Accident/incident record essentials (facts only)

• Date & time | Location | Persons involved | Witnesses | Immediate first aid/actions | Equipment involved | Next steps/owner | Photos if relevant

RIDDOR: know when to report - fractures (excluding fingers/toes), >7 day incapacity, specified dangerous occurrences, diagnosed occupational diseases. Use online HSE forms within the required timescale.

Near-miss learning: log with same clarity; review trends quarterly.

Privacy: minimal personal data; clinical/system notes neutral and necessary only.

Training, consultation & information

Induction should cover:

• Fire procedure and exits, first aid contacts, incident reporting, equipment isolation, COSHH basics, manual handling, DSE assessments, lone-working checks.

Training matrix columns:

• Topic | Target roles | Frequency | Trainer | Evidence | Expiry | Owner

Consultation: record date, attendees, issues raised, decisions, review date. Invite locums/new starters to share observations.

Information location: COSHH sheets by product; fire plans near routes; first-aid contacts visible.

Workplace facilities & accessibility

Facilities essentials:

• Clean toilets, handwashing, drinking water, staff rest area separate from chemical storage.
• Adjustable seating, wheelchair space, accessible reception, hearing loop where needed.
• Storage: keep chemicals away from food; label decanted containers.
• DSE: adjustable chairs/screens; offer footrests/document holders.

Accessibility & Equality Act:

• Reasonable adjustments = part of safety. Examples: escorts for those who need support, quieter appointment slots, step-free routes where possible, printed large-font or easy-read materials, interpreter/bookable access.

Domiciliary-specific:

• Pre-visit risk call about pets, trip hazards, lighting. Lone-worker check-in protocol.

Specific risks & controls (common in practice)

DSE: perform workstation assessments; offer breaks and task variety. Electrical: PAT testing, label faults, isolate and tag faulty kit. Fire: keep routes clear, train staff, drill and review. Manual handling: plan lifts, use trolleys, team-lift heavy items. PPE & hygiene: task-specific gloves, safety glasses for labs, masks if indicated. Slips/trips: immediate clean-up, secure mats, cable covers. Contact dermatitis: low-irritant products, emollients, gloves where required.

Keep these on opening/closing checks and rotate monthly deep-dive topics.

Emergencies - immediate actions and follow-up

Fire evacuation:

• Follow fire risk assessment; ensure identified assisted-evacuation patients have personal plans; record drills and issues.

Medical emergency:

• Check responsiveness & breathing; call 999 for life-threatening events; start CPR/AED if indicated.
• Assign roles: lead rescuer, 999 caller, ambulance meet-and-guide, documenter.
• After event: debrief, incident report, review controls (layout, kit location, training).

Chemical eye exposure:

• Immediate irrigation at eye-wash station for at least 15 minutes; check COSHH Sheet; remove contact lenses if safe to do so; seek urgent assessment as needed; record product, batch, PPE, first aid.

Documentation: emergency log with times, actions, people, outcomes.

Scenario-style quick answers (exam focus)

Scenario - elderly trip in waiting room

• Immediate: check patient (first aid), offer seating, call ambulance if red flags. Remove hazards, assign staff to monitor, implement signage/bag stands. Record facts in accident book and plan layout review.

Scenario - fundus camera hot/smells

• Immediate: stop use, isolate and tag out-of-service (date/time/name), inform equipment custodian, log maintenance call, review PAT/service history, update equipment register and return-to-service checks.

Scenario - wheelchair cannot fit consultation doorway

• Immediate: provide accessible room or reschedule to accessible site/time. Record barrier and interim arrangements. Add premises improvement (widen doorway or re-purpose room) with owner and target date.

Scenario - autistic child distressed by sensory overload

• Immediate: move to quiet space, reduce lights if safe, provide visual schedule and allow aids (headphones/familiar toy). Note preferences in record and plan quieter future appointment times.

Scenario - cleaner splashes disinfectant in eye

• Immediate: go to eye-wash, irrigate ≥15 minutes, consult COSHH sheet, remove contacts, seek urgent medical review if needed. Record product, batch, PPE, first aid, and review decanting practice.

Scenario - patient collapses unresponsive

• Immediate: check responsiveness/breathing, call 999, start CPR/AED, allocate roles, protect privacy. After handover complete incident report and staff debrief.

Exam tip: when describing scenario responses, include immediate safety, equipment isolation, documentation, and prevention action with ownership and review date.

Complaints, openness & external routes

Internal process should state:

• Who receives complaint | Acknowledgement timeframe | Expected response time | Review stages | Accessible formats

External escalation:

• Local authority (retail premises) or HSE for workplace H&S issues.
• GOC for professional concerns about registrants.
• Police for criminal matters.

Protect whistleblowers; provide anonymous reporting route and feedback loop.

Insurance & statutory displays

• Display the HSE "Health and Safety Law" poster or give the leaflet to staff; keep readable and current.
• Employers' Liability (Compulsory Insurance) certificate visible (electronic allowed if accessible).
• Keep professional indemnity and policy details (policy numbers, expiry, contact) and check cover matches activities (domiciliary/lab work).

Maintain a display register: item | location | last checked | checker | issues.

Continuous improvement & governance

Use a few focused measures:

• Incident/near-miss counts by type; equipment faults; slip/trip events; dermatitis reports; drill findings. Monthly governance slot: review trends, assign actions, set dates and owners.

Audit cycle (practical):

1. Identify issue.
2. Choose control.
3. Assign owner & date.
4. Test change.
5. Record outcome and next steps.

Encourage near-miss reporting; thank reporters and feedback fixes. Use photos and short notes rather than long memos.

Memory anchors for exam answers

• Who/What/When/How/Why - use for records.
• Five steps of risk assessment - list them.
• Hierarchy of control - state order and give an optical-practice example for each.
• RIDDOR triggers - mention fractures, >7 day absence, dangerous occurrences, occupational diseases.
• Policy structure - Statement / Organisation / Arrangements.

Study this sheet to answer questions that ask for: immediate action, documentation required, legal duty, proportionate control, role allocation, and follow-up (owner + review date).