When running a care home, the health and safety of your guests and your employees need to be your number one priority. There are many potential hazards in a care home, and you need to consider that the people staying there are most likely not very mobile. As such, you will need to carry out a risk assessment of your facilities and ensure you address any issues that may be dangerous.
There are various factors you will need to consider, and below are some ways you can assess your facilities and ensure your care home is safe for everyone.
Observation
Before you look for residential care home risk assessment support, you can start the ball rolling by doing some observation of your premises. As everyone is going about their daily routine, you will want to walk about the care home and observe your facility, making notes of potential hazards and problems you find. You will want to look for things such as:
- Trip Hazards
- Blocked Fire Exits
- Poorly Stored Equipment
- Blocked Pathways
- Poor Behaviour
Once you have finished your observations and collated the results, you will want to speak to the people staying in the care home and your employees. Get their opinion of how things are run and the areas they think could be improved. It is also worth looking at the accident and health records for your facility. These can tell you a lot, and if a common injury is caused by slipping, you will need to enhance your housekeeping and prevent slip hazards in your facility.
Consider Who Is At Risk
You will often find that the residents and workers are exposed to different risks, so you will need to create a risk assessment look at both perspectives. Those residents who are not very mobile will have more risks than those that can get about easily. You will also find that some staff members are more at risk than others, especially if they are dealing with biohazard materials and other things you will have in your facility. You will also need to consider the risks to visitors and ensure you assess and address these accordingly.
Implementing Your Findings
Once you have looked at everything in your facility and observed where the most likely hazards lay, you can start implementing changes to address these issues. You may need to store things differently and implement new processes to monitor stuff you use, such as medication and cleaning supplies. It is also an excellent idea to offer your employees regular training, which can help ensure you run a functional care home that is a safe environment for guests and everyone else who visits.
Train Your Staff
When your staff members have the training to identify and rectify potential hazards, it will go a long way in making your facility safe. Many courses may be suitable for your employees, and you must consider the training as an investment instead of an expense. You can also decide to have a professional company assess your facilities and report back their findings, which will ensure you have an impartial view and valid observations.
