What is Entonox?
Entonox is a gas – a mixture of half oxygen and half nitrous oxide that is used for pain relief. Entonox can also be called ‘gas and air’.
Entonox can be used to control pain and anxiety during some medical tests and procedures. It is often used to treat pain during childbirth. The ambulance service and hospitals also use it for different procedures and conditions.
Reference – https://www.guysandstthomas.nhs.uk/health-information/entonox-gas-and-air-endoscopy-unit
What do employers have to do?
Employers have a legislative duty under ‘The Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations (COSHH) 2002’
https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2002/2677/regulation/7/made
COSHH requires employers to conduct a suitable and sufficient risk assessment which means it must:
- Identify the hazards
- Decide if they have the potential to cause harm
- Identify those at risk and how, including particularly vulnerable groups
- Identify further measures of prevention and control that need to be applied.
The risk assessment must be based on the real-life situation: how the work is actually done, taking into account when and where it is carried out, and with the actual number of staff available to do the work, not the theoretical staffing levels.
Reference: www.unison.org.uk/content/uploads/2015/04/On-line-Catalogue22976.pdf
What can health and safety reps do?
Entonox is used across the UK. Branch health and safety reps are encouraged to read NHS England’s ‘Guidance on minimising time weighted exposure to nitrous oxide in healthcare settings in England’.
https://www.england.nhs.uk/long-read/guidance-on-minimising-time-weighted-exposure-to-nitrous-oxide-in-healthcare-settings-in-england/
The guidance covers the mitigations, risk assessment, monitoring and assurance needed from employers and several other applicable regulations including detailed guidance.
Health and safety reps play an important role in holding the employer to account, being involved in the risk assessment process and helping members to get more information about the risks and mitigations in place.
Start by asking for this issue to be discussed at your employer’s health and safety committee using your rights under the ‘Safety Representatives and Safety Committees Regulations 1977’.
More information
For more information about your rights visit the TUC https://www.tuc.org.uk/guidance/what-rights-do-safety-reps-have
Read UNISON’s hazardous substances at work guidance
https://www.unison.org.uk/content/uploads/2015/04/On-line-Catalogue22976.pdf
Read UNISON’s COVID-19 and Ventilation in the Workplace guidance for UNISON Safety Representatives
https://www.unison.org.uk/content/uploads/2021/07/26474_final.pdf