Unit 4: Laboratory Techniques and their Application
Learning aim A: Understand the importance of health and safety in scientific
organisations.
Health and safety in science organisations
The company I have selected to perform occupational health and safety
research is GlaxoSmithKline or in short, (GSK). This company is a research
organisation that studies and produces new prescription medications,
vaccines, and health care goods for customers. With distinct, high quality and
creative health care goods, this business helps improve the quality of life of
millions of people worldwide.
The Heath and safety executive (HSE) is responsible for unannounced
inspections to scientific organisations such as the GSK to investigate if
legislation is being adhered to if not this could theoretically close down a site ,
which could potentially prompt prosecution. GSK is regulated by the 1974
Occupational Health and Safety Act to ensure that injuries are substantially
minimised. The principles of risk evaluation and the hierarchy of controls was
further established by the 1999 Health and Safety at Work Regulations
Administration. There are a lot of other regulations within this law that
together, if ensured, include the idealistic work environment.
regulations that must be followed are:
GSK is compliant with the HSE legislations as there aren’t any reported
incidents of them not doing so stated in their official websites and reports. In
the HSE official website GSK’s Site was accredited under ISO 14001 and OHSAS
18001. These certification are for occupational health and safety and
environmental health and safety.
• Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations 2002
The institutional use of nano materials is regulated under the Health-Hazardous
Substances Regulation (COSHH). COSHH is the legislation authorising workers
to monitor health-hazardous compounds that contain nano materials. Many
industries use chemicals or commodities that are mixtures of ingredients.
, Substances create certain systems. These may inflict damage to workers,
contractors and other persons. Chemicals are often readily identified as
dangerous. While awareness gaps remain, HSE advises a risk mitigation
preventative approach with control techniques aimed at minimising exposure
as much as possible.
• Dangerous Substances and Explosive Atmospheres Regulations 2002
This law prohibits fire or fires from causing damage. As they can cause collateral
harm, life-threatening injury, or accidents, these possible dangers are high risk.
Acting with resource types such as flammable/toxic gas, hazardous chemicals,
and biological agents may cause this.
• Fire Precautions (Workplace) Regulations 1999
HSE is primarily concerned with fire precautions in processes. These are the
specific fire precautions required in any workplace in relation to the work
process being carried out there (including the storage of articles, substances
and materials relating to that work process). They are intended to prevent or
decrease the probability of a fire breaking out and to decrease its spread and
intensity if a fire occurs.
• Health and Safety (Display Screen Equipment) Regulations 1992 (as amended)
As a boss, operating with computer screen devices such as PCs, notebooks,
smartphones, and tablets must shield your employees from health hazards.
This rule applies exclusively to staff who use DSE on a regular basis and for
more than an hour at a time.
• Ionising Radiation Regulations 2017( IRR17)
IRR17 refers to a wide variety of workplaces where radioactive chemicals and
ionising radiation-emitting electrical devices are used. IRR17 allows workers to
keep sensitivity as low as realistically possible to ionising radiation. The
exposure must not exceed the dose limits stated. Exposure limitation can first
be accomplished by means of engineering regulation and design
characteristics. If this is not fairly possible, workers should enforce secure work
systems and, as a last resort, rely only on the availability of personal protective
equipment.