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HEALTH & SAFETY AT WORK - THE BASICS

THERE ARE A RAFT OF HEALTH & SAFETY REGULATIONS, THIS GUIDE SETS OUT A BASIC GUIDE ON WHERE TO START WITH THE MEASURES AN BUSINESS NEEDS TO IMPLEMENT TO COMPLY WITH HEALTH & SAFETY REGULATIONS. THE HEALTH & SAFETY EXECUTIVE (HSE) PROVIDES DETAILED ADVICE ON HOW TO COMPLY WITH THE INDIVIDUAL LAWS.

WORKPLACE ENVIRONMENT

Basic amenities must be provided for employees and these amenities must be consistently maintained to an acceptable standard in terms of both comfort & cleanliness:-

Toilets - Must be kept in good working condition, be clean, provide hot & cold water and hand drying facilities whether it be electronic air dryers or towels.
Mains Drinking Water - Must be provided if possible & where this is not possible replenishable containers must be provided instead.
Work Areas - Must be kept both clean & tidy, free from waste or rubbish and any waste must be regularly disposed of.
Comfort - There should be sufficient ventilation & working space such that employees are provided with a comfortable working environment.

ASSESSMENT OF WORKPLACE RISKS

It is a mandatory requirement for an employer/ business to conduct a full risk assessment of their premises including both internal & external work areas and facilities.

The object of risk assessments is to identify potential hazards/ dangers and whenever possible to eliminate the hazard. If elimination is not possible or reasonably practicable, then the level of risk must be minimised. Hazards include both those that pose a risk of accident and those that pose a risk to health ie. diseases/ contaminents.
Indentify the hazard - these will typically include slippery surfaces, noise, hazardous substances, vehicle movement, plant & equipment, manual handling, working at heights etc.
Identify those individuals at risk - this includes your own employees, employees of other businesses who attend your premises in the course of your business (such as maintenance engineers/contractors/salespersons/delivery drivers etc) and members of the public.
The level of risk/likelyhood of an incident occuring must be identified.
The adequacy of the provisions or precautions currently in place must be assessed & if they are not adequate, further measures must be put into place as soon as is practicably possible.
Risk assessments must recorded in writing (businesses with 5+ employees) & reviewed on a regular basis to ensure continued compliance.

HSE - Examples & Advice Risk Assessments

FIRE

All employers/businesses must perform a sufficient & suitable fire risk assessment of their premises.

The assessment will need to include escape routes, fire doors/walls, fire fighting equipment including extinguishers, fire training, storage of combustable materials, emergency lighting, signage, alarms etc.
As with other risk assessment provisions must be reviewed on a regular basis, regular tests of alarms should take place along with practice evacuations. Additional information from HMGovt

WORKPLACE SIGNAGE

The following must be prominently displayed:-

The Health & Safety Law poster, duly completed. Otherwise each employee must be provided with a copy "Your health, your safety - a guide for workers"
Employers Liability Insurance Cerificate.
Signs where appropriate must be displayed to warn of specific dangers in the workplace i.e. plant & machinery, vehicle traffic areas (including forklifts), hazardous substances, noise etc.

SAFETY EQUIPMENT

Equipment used by employees (or external parties if using your equipment) regradless of whether it is you who supplies the equipment or the employee provides their own must be safe.

Equipment must be regurlarly inspected for faults/defects and be in sound working condition.
Equipment must be suitable for the purpose for which it is being used and any adaptations must meet the manufacturers standard & operating instructions.
You must provide the appropriate warning signs & personal protective equipment (PPE).
Adequate training and information must be given to all persons who operate the equipment, this must include any issues arises from the environment in which the equipment is being used.
Specfic regulations apply to the use of computers & associated equipment and include detailed provisions in respect of such issues as screens, chairs, workspace etc. These are contained in the Health & Safety (Display Screen Equipment) Regulations 1992.

FIRST AID

Employers must ensure that sufficient first aid provision is made in the workplace.

First Aid Box appropriately filled
Nominated person whose role it is to ensure the First Aid Box is properly stocked at all times & whose responsibility it is to take charge when a workplace accident occurs.
Employees must be informed of the location of the First Aid Box, company procedures & the name of the nominated person.
If the workplace contains hazardous substances/ dangerous plant & machinery, then additional provisions will be required.

ACCIDENT REPORTING REQUIREMENTS

These have recently been simplied and cover the reporting of injuries, diseases & dangerous occurences RIDDOR

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