Awareness of Health & Safety
All workers have a right to work in places where risks to their Health and Safety are properly controlled.
Health and safety is about stopping you from getting hurt at work or ill through work.
Your employer is responsible for Health and Safety, but you must help.
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List of Health & Safety Legislation from HSE
Click on the links below
Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 (HASAWA)
Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations (RIDDOR)
Control of Substances Hazardous to Health (COSHH)
Construction Design and Management (CDM) regulations
Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations (PUWER)
Manual Handling Operations Regulations (MHOR)
Lifting Operations and Lifting Equipment Regulations (LOLER)
Work at Height Regulation (WAHR)
Personal Protective Equipment (P.P.E.)
The Health and Safety (Safety Signs and Signals) Regulations 1996.
Health and Safety at Work Act 1974
An Employee is an individual who offers his or her skill and experience etc. to his or her employer in return for a monetary payment.
It is the duty of all employees while at work to comply with the following:
Take care at all times and ensure that their actions do not put at ‘risk’ themselves, their workmates or any other person.
Co-operate with their employers to enable them to fulfil the employers’ health and safety duties.
Never misuse or interfere with anything provided for health and safety.
Use the equipment and safeguards provided by the employers.
Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations 1995 (RIDDOR)
RIDDOR requires employers to record and report accidents and injuries at work.
This law says that if something dangerous happens at work, like an accident or injury, you usually need to report it.
Here’s what to consider:
- Was the way work was done or supervised a factor?
- Was the accident related to any machinery or equipment?
- Are the premises poorly maintained?
If the answer is no to any of these,
you probably don’t need to report it.
Reportable incidents include:
- Death from a work-related accident
- Specific injuries like fractures, amputations, electric shocks, severe burns, etc.
- Accidents to the public needing hospital treatment
- Worker injuries keeping them off work for over seven days
- Some occupational diseases like repetitive strain injury, carpal tunnel syndrome, etc.
Control of Substances Hazardous to Health 2002 (COSHH)
Regulations require employers to control the use, storage, transport of any substances which may be harmful to health in order to reduce the workers’ possible exposure.
Employers must address risks from:
- Chemicals, fumes, dust, vapour, gases, and biological agents.
- To safeguard workers:
- Identify and assess harmful substances.
- Introduce and enforce control measures.
- Train employees and others at risk.
- Provide health surveillance as needed.
- Prepare for emergencies.
Construction Design and Management regulations (CDM)
is responsible for:
- Coordinating Health and Safety during pre-construction.
- Facilitating Communication between parties.
- Compiling the Health and Safety File.
- Managing Design-related risks.
- Cooperating with other duty holders.
- Providing Information to designers and contractors.
- Supporting the client.
- Documenting Decisions and actions.
Their role ensures safety throughout the design and planning phases of construction projects.
The Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998 (PUWER)
The Regulations 1998 place duties on businesses and organisations who own, use or operate work equipment.
Under these regulations,
employers must ensure any equipment provided or used is:
- Suitable for the intended use.
- Safe to use.
- Properly maintained.
- Used only by those who have had proper training or instruction.
- Accompanied by health and safety measures such as emergency stop buttons and signage.
Some equipment is also covered in other legislation.
For instance, PPE equipment is covered by the PPE regulations.
The Manual Handling Operations Regulations 1992 Amended 2002 (MHOR)
apply to a wide range of manual handling activities, including lifting, lowering, pushing, pulling or carrying.
Who is Responsible for Manual Handling Regulations?
Employers have the primary responsibility.
The Manual Handling Operations Regulations Require Employers to:
- Provide information and training on correct manual handling techniques.
- Ensure the equipment provided is suitable for the purpose for which it is intended.
- Properly maintain manual handling equipment.
Employees have responsibilities too they should:
- Follow safe systems of work.
- Use equipment correctly and safely.
- Cooperate with employers on health and safety matters.
- Let their employer know if they identify any manual handling risks
- Ensure they do not put others at risk.
Lifting Operations and Lifting Equipment Regulations (LOLER)
- Key points include:
- A thorough examination by a Competent Person before first use, after assembly or exceptional events, and at regular intervals.
- Records of examinations must be kept and made available for inspection.
- Inspection reports must be produced after each examination.
- Competence is required for those conducting examinations.
- Compliance with safe working loads is mandatory.
- Regular maintenance to keep equipment in safe working order is necessary.
Adhering to LOLER is essential for workplace safety, as failure to comply can result in fines and legal consequences.
The Work at Height Regulations 2005 (WAHR)
These regulations typically outline specific requirements, procedures, and precautions that must be followed to prevent falls and other accidents when working at elevated locations.
- Risk Assessment: Assess risks before any work at height, addressing hazards and implementing controls.
- Competence and Training: Ensure all involved are competent and trained adequately.
- Equipment Care: Properly select, inspect, maintain, and use appropriate equipment like ladders, scaffolding, and harnesses.
- Fall Prevention and Protection: Install guardrails, toe boards, and provide fall protection gear when necessary.
- Emergency Procedures: Have procedures in place for accidents or emergencies, including rescue plans.
- Clear Communication: Provide employees with clear instructions and information on working safely at height.
- Regular Maintenance: Regularly inspect and maintain height work equipment for safety
The Personal Protective Equipment at Work Regulations 1992 (P.P.E.)
Employers must provide P.P.E. to protect staff when Health & Safety risks can’t be controlled otherwise, as per regulations.
What is PPE?
PPE equipment that needs to be provided may include protective face masks, visors, helmets, goggles, gloves, ear protectors, overalls, safety boots, air filters, and hairnets.
Furthermore, employers must:
- Provide the PPE equipment free of charge where it is necessary
- Provide instructions and information on how to correctly use the PPE equipment.
- PPE is used as a last resort after implementing other controls to reduce or avoid risk.
The Health and Safety (Safety Signs and Signals) Regulations 1996.
Safety Signs and Signals are vital for communicating hazards, regulations, and instructions to ensure safety.
They include prohibition, warning, mandatory, emergency, and fire safety signs.
They use standardized colours, symbols, and pictograms for universal understanding.
Proper placement, maintenance, and training are essential for their effectiveness in promoting safety.
