The following questions require you to follow your legal responsibilities to conduct a WHS inspection and complete a risk assessment of a new client’s home. For these questions, you will use your own home to conduct the WHS inspection and risk assessment.
Your assessment will be based on the needs of the client in the scenario below. Read the scenario about Matthew before you complete questions 11 and 12.
You are a personal care worker, employed in the home care services division of Lotus Care. Your client is Matthew Sandson, an 18-year-old recovering from a broken leg and other injuries to his arm and back, sustained in a car accident.
Before the accident, Matthew shared a unit with a couple of friends, had an active social life, and was about to finish his mechanic apprenticeship. Matthew is due to move back home to his parents' house after the accident as he needs assistance with his ADL. He manages to move around the house on crutches but is still in a fair bit of pain. He is expected to need support for at least another six months and won’t be able to return to work before then.
While he’s at home, his mother, Lynn, will be looking after him; however, she still needs to work as Matthew’s parents are going to cover the cost of Matthew’s bills while he recovers. Matthew will be on his own around 5-6 hours during the day. This will mean Matthew will need to organize his own lunch and get to and from the bathroom as required. Lynn will organize food for Matthew and leave it in the fridge for him.
You have been assigned to inspect the home to ensure it is safe for Matthew to return and determine any support equipment that may need to be organized. Matthew’s address is:
54 Cleveland St
Smith Heights