Personal Protective Equipment Act 1992
Under this act employers have a responsibility to provide safe, effective and properly fitting personal protective equipment (PPE) where appropriate. All PPE should be stored and maintained correctly and where training is needed there is a legal requirement for this to be provided by the employer. PPE should be provided by the employer where it is necessary to reduce the risk of injury or cross contamination.
In order for PPE to be effective it must fit correctly, be fit for purpose and well maintained.
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Waste Disposal Legislation
The main aim of waste disposal legislation is to minimize environmental damage and maintain human health and safety. The safe disposal of waste products are controlled by 43 different pieces of legislation including the Environmental Protection Act 1990, and the Controlled Waste Regulations 2012 and the Hazardous Waste Directive 2011 as well as the EU Waste Framework Directive and the Waste Duty of Care Code of Practice. This collection of legislation details the collection, transport and disposal of all types of waste for the general public and businesses including:
General Waste
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Business have a duty of care to keep waste to a minimum. Where waste is produced it should be sorted and stored safely and securely. This waste should then be disposed of by a registered waste carrier.
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Examples of general waste include:
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Paper and cardboard (to be recycled)
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Plastics (to be recycled where possible)
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Unused food and packaging
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Hazardous Waste
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Hazardous waste is defined as waste which has the potential to cause significant harm to the environment and human health. It is controlled under the Hazardous Waste Directive 2011
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Examples of hazardous waste include:
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asbestos
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chemicals, such as print toner.
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batteries
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pesticides
Electrical and electronic equipment
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Waste electrical equipment must be disposed of under the Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment Regulations (WEEE Regulations 2013) and the Restriction of Hazardous Substances in Electrical and Electronic Equipment Regulations (RoHS). The aim of these acts is to reduce the volume of waste from electrical equipment by encouraging recycling of its component parts.
Clinical waste
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Clinical waste is defined as waste which is or contains human or animal tissue, bloods or other body fluids. This includes pharmaceutical products, swabs, dressings, syringes etc. The disposal of clinical waste is controlled by the Hazardous Waste Directive 2011, The Controlled Waste Regulations 2012 and the Environmental Protection Act 1990
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Clinical waste should be stored in specialist clinical waste bags or bins and must be disposed of at a facility licensed to take clinical waste for incineration.
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Examples of clinical waste include:
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human or animal tissue
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blood or other bodily fluids
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drugs or other pharmaceutical products
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used swabs or dressings
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Dog Faeces (offensive waste)
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Dog faeces is classed as offensive / hygiene waste due to its appearance and smell but is not classed as hazardous waste unless it is not known to be infectious.
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The disposal of offensive waste is by the Controlled Waste (England and Wales) Regulations 2012.
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Offensive waste should be double bagged for disposal (a poo bag inside a binbag). Yellow and black striped bags are often used for offensive waste. If you have more the 7kg of offensive waste it should be placed in a separate waste rather than in with other controlled waste. For a business it should be disposed of using a registered carrier of controlled waste who holds a current Waste Carrier Licence in accordance with section 2 of the Control of Pollution (Amendment Act) 1989.
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In England and Wales public dog fouling is controlled under the Clean Neighborhoods and Environment Act 2005 and the Anti-Social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014, in Scotland there is separate legislation – The Dog Fouling (Scotland) Act 2003.
Recycling
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Recycling is controlled by the Environmental Protection Act 1990 and the Controlled Waste Regulations 2012. The act requires local councils to provide appropriate waste disposal services although these services can be charged for.
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Examples of recyclable waste include:
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Paper and cardboard (may need to be shredded first to meet GDPR requirements
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Plastics
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Glass
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Data Protection Act 1998 / General Data Protection Regulation 2017 (GDPR)
The Data Protection Act 1998 and GDPR control the lawful use and storage of personal information and details how this information must be disposed of. This includes hard copies and IT based information. Staff and client records would be covered under the data protection legisaltion. When dealing with personal data the “data protection principles” must be followed. The principles include:
§ Using the information fairly and lawfully
§ Using the information for the specified purpose only
§ Using the information in a way which is adequate and not excessive
§ Ensuring the information is accurate
§ Keeping the information safe and secure and for no longer than is necessary
§ Confidential and secure disposal of data, usually by shredding.
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Employers Liability (Compulsory Insurance) Act 1969
Employers are legally required to take out insurance against potential employees’ claims for injury and illness. The up to date insurance certificate must be on display within the premises.
Employers' liability insurance protects employees if they are injured as a result of an accident at work or if they become ill as a result of their work. if the employer is responsible and compensation has to be paid, employer liability insurance aims to provide the funds to meet the liability. it can also cover the legal costs in dealing with a claim. Cover from a approved insurer of at least £5 million is required by the employers' Liability Act 1969.