Health and safety

Jun 27 2006 By Evening Gazette

Everyone at work must consider the health and safety of themselves, their colleagues, and anyone else affected by their work and the way they do it. The Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 also states that employers must:

* Have a written statement of general policy (if they have five or more employees) with respect to health and safety at work.

* Identify risks at work and possible precautions

* Provide a means of carrying out the policy and a procedure for reporting accidents

* Identify the person responsible for carrying out the precautions.

* Identify relevant legal standards that apply in each part of the workplace.

Since the introduction of these requirements, a series of regulations have been introduced to address specific areas of workplace health and safety in more detail. This checklist covers the main aspects of health and safety law, helping you to ensure your business complies with the relevant legislation.

Risk assessment and policy statement

* Every employer with five or more employees is legally required to have a written policy on health and safety, and must carry out an assessment of all the risks involved in its operations. Employers of fewer than five staff don't need a written policy, but must still conduct a risk assessment.

* Under the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999, you must make a reasonable assessment of any risks to employees or yourself if self-employed and appoint a competent person to give assistance on health and safety and ensure that contacts with the emergency services are in place.

* Firms with five employees or more must record any significant risks found by the assessment. This assessment must also cover the risk to the health and safety of any person not employed by them, including the public. The 1999 Regulations make specific provision for pregnant workers, new mothers and young people.

* On a practical level you need to look at ways in which your staff staff work, ask if the working environment is affecting health and identify whether there is a high level of absence.

* In accordance with the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974, your health and safety policy should:

1. Be in writing, dated and signed by the managing director or owner.

2. Set out your aims and objectives for improving Health and Safety at work.

3. Describe the organisation and arrangements currently in force for achieving those objectives

4. Be kept up-to date with any changes in safety personnel and fire procedures.

5. All employees should have easy access to the policy

Protecting staff

* Under the Personal Protective Equipment at Work Regulations1992, you must provide suitable personal protective equipment

* You must assess which types of personal protective equipment are suitable to protect against specific hazards and ensure compatibility where more than one item of equipment needs to be worn.

* Equipment must be kept clean and in good repair, replaced when necessary and properly stored when not in use. You must provide adequate information, instruction and training to ensure that equipment is used properly.

* A fire certificate from the Fire Officer is required where more than 20 people are employed or where there are 10 or more people on floors above the ground floor.

* You must provide some protection, for non-employees such as visitors, contractors or if necessary, the general public.

* Premises should be secure from unauthorised entry and warning signs may also help to reduce risk. Visitors on a work site should follow the same procedures as employees.

Safety Committees

* Under the Safety Representatives and Safety Committees Regulations 1977, recognised trade unions have the right to appoint safety representatives to consult with employers about workplace safety.

* If requested in writing by two or more safety representatives, you must set up a safety committee. The role of the committee will be to ensure health and safety is kept under review and to make sure any practical measures are implemented.

Reporting accidents and ill-health at work

* The Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences require deaths, major injuries from work-related accidents, diseases and dangerous occurrences to be reported to the enforcing authorities - either the Health and Safety Executive or relevant local authority.

* Details of what must be reported, together with an accident report form are set out in the free leaflet 'RIDDOR explained - Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations' available from the Health and Safety Executive.

* An accident which leaves a worker unable to do the full range of their normal duties for more than three days must be reported within 10 days via an accident report form. Work related diseases must also be reported to the enforcing authority on a disease report form.

* Records must be kept for three years after the incident and the enforcing authorities can ask for these records to be produced.

First Aid

* You have a duty to provide adequate equipment and facilities in the workplace to enable first aid to be provided to employees if they are injured or become ill at work. To decide what is suitable you must make an assessment of first aid needs.

Providing information and training

* All employers have an obligation to provide training to new employees as part of the induction process. New recruits need basic induction training in how to work safely, this should include fire safety, evacuation procedures and first aid. You should identify those employees within the firm who have specific responsibilities related to health and safety, such as first aiders, fire safety officers and so on.

* Provide refresher training to those workers who need it especially when there are changes to procedures or legislation.

* In a small business, it is likely that your staff will deliver on-the-job training in health and safety procedures. An external trainer will only be needed if a particular training need cannot be met by your staff.

* People changing or taking on new responsibilities will need to know about the additional health and safety implications.

* Particular attention should be given to the training needs of young employees who can be vulnerable to accidents.

Business Link has access to a wide range of expertise and can work with you to build an understanding of your business's health and safety requirements, source the most relevant assistance and, if appropriate, help with the identification of funding, to ensure you achieve your business goals.

Call Business Link now on 0845 600 9 006 or email info@tees.businesslink.co.uk or alternatively visit www.businesslink.gov.uk to see how you can get the most from your business.