Unit M6165166 Move and position individuals in accordance with their care plan
1.1 Identify current legislation, national guidelines, policies, procedures and protocols in
relation to moving and positioning individuals
The Health and Safety at Work Act (HSWA) 1974
This is the primary piece of legislation covering occupational health and safety in the UK.
Before 1974 approximately 8 million employees had no legal safety protection at work. This
act provides the legal framework to promote, stimulate and encourage high standards of
health and safety in places of work.
Weston Area Health Trust (WAHT) – as my employer – must provide and maintain safety
equipment and safe systems of work, as well as they also must provide training, information
and observation to ensure its staff are aware of instructions provided by
manufacturers/suppliers of equipment.
WAHT must provide a safe place of employment and a safe working environment,
additionally a written safety policy or risk assessment. It has to look after the public’s health
as well.
Employees have specific responsibilities, too – they must:
take care of their own health and safety and that of other persons
co-operate with their employers
not interfere with anything provided in the interest of health and safety
The Manual Handling Operations Regulations 1992 (MHOR, amended in 2002)
These regulations are designed specifically to eliminate or reduce a manual handling risk to
an acceptable level.
The Regulations impose duties on employers, employees, and self-employed people. They
state that employers must avoid all hazardous manual handling activities where it is
reasonably practicable to do so.
If this is not possible, they must assess the risks in relation to the nature of the task, the load,
the working environment and the ability of the handler, and take appropriate action to reduce
the risk to the lowest level.
The Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations (MHSWR) 1999
The principal objective of the MHSWR is to ensure ’suitable and sufficient’ risk assessments
are done.
1.1 Identify current legislation, national guidelines, policies, procedures and protocols in
relation to moving and positioning individuals
The Health and Safety at Work Act (HSWA) 1974
This is the primary piece of legislation covering occupational health and safety in the UK.
Before 1974 approximately 8 million employees had no legal safety protection at work. This
act provides the legal framework to promote, stimulate and encourage high standards of
health and safety in places of work.
Weston Area Health Trust (WAHT) – as my employer – must provide and maintain safety
equipment and safe systems of work, as well as they also must provide training, information
and observation to ensure its staff are aware of instructions provided by
manufacturers/suppliers of equipment.
WAHT must provide a safe place of employment and a safe working environment,
additionally a written safety policy or risk assessment. It has to look after the public’s health
as well.
Employees have specific responsibilities, too – they must:
take care of their own health and safety and that of other persons
co-operate with their employers
not interfere with anything provided in the interest of health and safety
The Manual Handling Operations Regulations 1992 (MHOR, amended in 2002)
These regulations are designed specifically to eliminate or reduce a manual handling risk to
an acceptable level.
The Regulations impose duties on employers, employees, and self-employed people. They
state that employers must avoid all hazardous manual handling activities where it is
reasonably practicable to do so.
If this is not possible, they must assess the risks in relation to the nature of the task, the load,
the working environment and the ability of the handler, and take appropriate action to reduce
the risk to the lowest level.
The Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations (MHSWR) 1999
The principal objective of the MHSWR is to ensure ’suitable and sufficient’ risk assessments
are done.
