Corporate

Work Equipment: Standard Operating Procedure

Document Control Summary

New
Status:
v1.0 Date: January 2016
Version:
Author/Title: Nick Hulme - Health, Safety and Security Advisor
Owner/Title: Liz Lockett - Associate Director or Quality and Risk
Policy and Procedures Committee Date: 21/01/2016
Approved by:
Policy and Procedures Committee Date: 21/01/2016
Ratified:
Risk Management Strategy
Related Trust Strategy
and/or Strategic Aims
February 2016
Implementation Date:
February 2019
Review Date:
Work; Equipment; Risk; Hazard
Key Words:
Health and Safety Policy
Associated Policy or
Standard Operating
Procedures

Contents

1. Introduction .............................................................................................................. 2
2. Purpose ..................................................................................................................... 2
3. Scope ........................................................................................................................ 2
4. Process for the Safe Management of Work Equipment ......................................... 2
5. Process For Monitoring Compliance And Effectiveness ....................................... 4
6. References ................................................................................................................ 4

Change Control – Amendment History

Version Dates Amendments

 Work Equipment SOP/February 2016

1. Introduction

The Trust has in place a Health and Safety Policy which sets out the Trust’s overall
approach to health and safety, details the organisational arrangements, responsibilities,
sets out the arrangements including providing information and guidance on compliance
with legal requirements through the use of policies, procedures, standard operating
procedures and other media and for consulting with staff through the health and safety
committee.
The purpose of this SOP is to highlight the health and safety issues around Work
Equipment. The topic covered by this SOP requires the non-trivial risks to be assessed
and control measures implemented as per the non-clinical risk assessment and
management SOP. When risks are identified, appropriate changes will be made to
manage and where possible improve the situation. Records of risk assessments will be
kept in each department, communicated to staff in a useable and understandable
manner and readily accessible to staff for them to view.
This SOP should be read in conjunction with the Health and Safety Policy

2. Purpose

This Standard Operating Procedure has been developed to ensure robust processes in
respect to effective management of work equipment.

3. Scope

This Standard Operating Procedure applies to all staff within South Staffordshire and
Shropshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust
All equipment used for work including but not limited to hand tools, power tools,
furniture, beds, computers, medical equipment, vehicles and mechanical equipment
constitutes ‘work equipment’ and should be selected, purchased, brought into service,
used, serviced and maintained in accordance with manufacturers’ directions for use and
any other relevant information including adequate training in its use. This minimises the
risk of defects arising, of damage to the equipment and other property and the risk of
injury to users and clients.

All these aspects are requirements of the Provision and Use of Work Equipment
Regulations 1998.

4. Process for the Safe Management of Work Equipment

4.1 Electrical Equipment:

The installation and maintenance of electrical equipment is the responsibility of the

Facilities and Estates Department, and all work on electrical equipment must be carried
out by qualified staff.

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 Work Equipment SOP/February 2016

Overloading of power points, obstruction of /storage within electrical distribution switch

rooms, and interference or misuse of electrical equipment is dangerous, and could
endanger the lives of staff and especially patients if attached to life saving electrical
equipment. Electrical apparatus and equipment must only be used in accordance with
the manufacturer’s instructions.

All faults must be reported immediately and repairs carried out by authorised employees
of the Facilities and Estates Department.

4.2 Use of Extension Leads

Wherever possible the use of extension leads should be avoided because they
frequently pose a trip hazard and can become overloaded leading to their being a
potential fire hazard through imposing too great an electrical load leading to
overheating. Shortage of permanently installed power outlet sockets should be notified
to the Facilities Department.

Under no circumstances should one extension lead be plugged into another. Reel
type extension leads must not be used coiled up.

4.3 Portable Electrical Equipment

The Trust has thousands of items of electrical equipment and procedures in place to test
them periodically. It is still possible that electrical equipment may become defective and
might be rendered unsafe to use. Often this will arise from accidental damage but may
arise through wear and tear.

All portable electrical equipment must be checked for electrical safety by Facilities and
Estates department before being put into use. All private equipment used by patients or
staff e.g. radios, stereos, TVs, DVD players, hair dryers, electric shavers is included
under this ruling.

Staff are not permitted to bring their own portable equipment to work unless they
obtain written permission from their manager and the equipment is checked for
electrical safety by the Facilities and Estates Department before use

All equipment should be checked by staff prior to using it but with it disconnected from
the power supply, for obvious signs of defects to the item, damage to plug / plug top
(cracks, pieces missing, exposed wires etc), damage to flex (cuts, abrasions, coloured
internals or wires showing etc)

If in any doubt as to safety for use withdraw equipment from use, prevent others from
using it, report it to your manager to get it checked etc by the Facilities Dept. If fuses
and/or trip devices activate seek technical assistance from Facilities.

Only appropriately trained Facilities and Estates staff are

authorised to change electrical plugs and fuses.

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 Work Equipment SOP/February 2016

4.4 Equipment (General Maintenance)

All employees using any equipment including portable mechanical equipment must
observe the manufacturers’ and local instructions/procedures for its use.

With any equipment staff should take care when using, adjusting, or moving equipment.
This will avoid physical injury, e.g. cuts, bruises, back strain, injury to feet, damage to
the equipment and other problems such as electrical shock arising from such damage.

4.5 Pressure Equipment (e.g. Autoclaves)

There are various types of pressurised equipment in use across the Trust of which
Autoclaves, medical gases, non-medical gases, fuel gases, cryogenics as some
examples. In all cases such equipment should only be used by properly trained
personnel. Faults should be reported to enable appropriately trained personnel to attend
to rectify / service such equipment.

4.6 Defective Equipment

Any member of staff on becoming aware that any piece of equipment is defective must
bring the matter to the attention of their supervisor or manager. If appropriate they
should take steps to ensure that no other person, colleague, patient, visitor, contractor
or member of the public is likely to be harmed.

The NHS has special arrangements requiring all those working in the NHS to report
instances where medical equipment is or suspected to be defective. Reports are
normally made through the Trust’s Risk and Claims Manager to the Medicines and
Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA).

The term ‘Medical Device’ covers all products, except medicines, used in healthcare for
the diagnosis, prevention, monitoring or treatment of illness or handicap. The wide
range includes contact lenses and condoms, heart valves and hospital beds,
resuscitators and radiotherapy machines, surgical instruments and syringes (and
needles), wheelchairs and walking frames, examination gloves and catheters – many
thousands of items used each and every day.

5. Process for Monitoring Compliance and Effectiveness

Monitoring of the implementation of this SOP will be through monitoring of and

responding to regular environmental assessments and audits, monitoring of incidents
and reviews undertaken by the Medical Devices Group.

6. References
Health and Safety Executive – PUWER 1998: Provision and User of Work Equipment
Regulations 1998 http://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/books/puwer.htm

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