For this unit and assignment, I will be required to work with a PC repair
company with a job role of IT Technician. My manager has been interested in
branching out in the IT support and management market, which will provide an
outstanding support to local IT businesses. The manager has asked me to
throughout examine what might this support involve. I will be asked to write a
report where I evaluate the support and management needs and their
characteristics; including the purpose, nature, safe working practices, job roles
and system and network tools used for 2 organizations of my choice. The
organisations I will be documenting in this assignment are Google and BT
(British telecoms). I will be required to consider what improvements could be
made and justify the suggestions I come up with, why I think they will be useful
to those organisations.
They key criteria I need to cover is the following:
o P1 Explain the purpose and nature of safe working practices, required in
the support and management of different IT systems
o P2 Explain the job roles and system and network tools used in the support
and management of different IT systems.
o M1 Compare the support and management needs and characteristics of
different IT systems, showing how they would meet the client’s
requirements.
o D1 I will have to evaluate the support needs and characteristics of
different IT systems, justifying where improvements can be made.
Display screen equipment (DSE) Regulations 1992
The health and safety regulation, put specific requirements on employers with
the aim of protection workers from health risks associated with display screen
equipment. These duties also apply for self-employed. The definition that can be
used to describe the DSE is simply any alphanumeric or graphic display screen,
regardless of the display process involved. It includes Computers, laptops,
tablets, and smartphones. The user or operator would classify as a worker or
self-employed person who uses display screen equipment as a significant part of
their normal work. Eye tests and corrective eyewear must be provided by the
employer (Free of charge, if needed). A test should also be carried out by a
specialist optician if a DSE user requests it. Employers should also offer vision
screening tests and they will not be able to stop a person from obtaining a full
eyesight test if needed. The correct training and information must be provided to
users and operators explaining the potential risks of Display screen equipment.
The employer should also train a person what to do if they start to develop any
related health problems.
Manual Handling Operations Regulations 1992
This guidance is designed mainly for employers, managers, and safety
representatives. Every employer must comply with the manual handling
operations regulations 1992. This would train them how to avoid, assess and
reduce the risk of injury from manual handling. We are required to follow the
, manual handling operations in order to ensure we stay safe whenever a heavy
lifting or carrying is required. There are ways that this affect businesses. One of
the ways it affects a bussiness is ensuring each bussiness provides the
necessary equipment for each employee.
Electricity at work Regulations 1989
This act expands on the rules regarding electrical safety in the health and safety
at work act 1974. Employers are required and responsible to make sure that all
work activity that employees are carried out, must be done safely and that all
possible risks are minimised as much as possible. The reason why this act exist
is to prevent death or injury to any employee from electrical causes while
working in or out of work. This would include electric shocks or burns. This act
applies everywhere to any employer or self-employed person in a workplace.
Portable appliance testing (PAT)
This term is used to describe the examination of electrical appliances and the
equipment, to make sure it is safe to use at work. Most electrical safety defects
can be found by visual examination, but some of their defects can only be found
when testing. The way this affects companies is that they must ensure regular
testing is carried out with professional testers, preferably every 6 months or
once a year. The frequency of testing can be determined with the type of
equipment. For example, a power tool used on a construction site will be
examined a lot more than a lamp in a room.
Case Study:
In the summer of 2015, the smiler roller coaster at “Alton towers” has crashed,
which resulted in a life-changing injuries for the 4 riders. A HSE investigation has
not reported any faults from the track or the cars, neither the system that was
designed to keep the cars sperate while the ride was running. The HSE
investigators found the root cause to be the “lack of detailed, robust
arrangements for making safety-critical decisions”. The entire system was not
strong enough to stop a series of errors made by staff. The company were fined
£5 million after pleading guilty to violating section 3(1) of the health and safety
at work act.
Hazard Mitigation
Hazard mitigation is the act that helps reduce or eliminate a long-term risk
caused by hazards or disasters. That will include flooding, earthquakes, wildfires,
landslides, or dam failure. There are many types of mitigation techniques which
include, planning and zoning. This ensures that you are prepared, and the risk is
kept as further away from you as possible. Stormwater management regulations
and space preservation. Property protection includes the modification of
buildings tor structures to protect them from a hazard. The measure might
include structural retrofit, storm shutters and shatter-resistant glass. Public
Education and awareness, this would be actions to information the citizens and
officials about the hazards and how they can mitigate them.
Common mitigation actions: