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HEALTH & SAFETY – THE LAW!The basis of the United Kingdom’s health and safety law is the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974. The Act sets out the general duties which employers have towards employees & members of the public as well as the duties employees have to themselves & to each other. These duties are qualified in the Act by the principle of 'so far as is reasonably practicable'. In other words, the degree of risk in a particular job or workplace needs to be balanced against the time, trouble, cost & physical difficulty of taking measures to avoid or reduce the risk. Basically it requires good management & common sense as well as looking at what the risks are & to take sensible measures to tackle them. The Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1992 (the Management Regulations) is more explicit as to what employers are required to do to manage health & safety under the Health and Safety at Work Act. Remember that both Acts apply to every work activity. Although the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974 is the basis of all UK health & safety law, it is supported/complimented by a number of other pieces of legislation. Below is a brief summary of some other important legislation but please bear in mind that it is not a complete list of all relevant legislation. If you require more information regarding health & safety legislation please contact your local Health & Safety Executive (HSE) or Local Council. The Main Areas of Safety legislationHealth and Safety at Work etc Act 1974 (policies) Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1992 (risk assessment) Health and Safety (Consultation with Employees) Regulations 1996 Safety Representatives and Safety Committees Regulations 1977 Other Areas of Important Health & Safety Legislation Besides the Health and Safety at Work Act itself; the following legislation applies across the full range of workplaces: Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1992: requires employers to carry out risk assessments, make arrangements to implement necessary measures, appoint competent people & arrange for appropriate information & training. Workplace (Health, Safety and Welfare) Regulations 1992: covers a wide range of basic health, safety & welfare issues such as ventilation, heating, lighting, workstations, seating & welfare facilities. Health and Safety (Display Screen Equipment) Regulations 1992: sets out requirements for work with Visual Display Units (VDUs). Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) Regulations 1992: requires employers to provide appropriate protective clothing & equipment for their employees. Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations (PUWER) 1992: requires that equipment provided for use at work, including machinery, is safe. Manual Handling Operations Regulations 1992: covers the moving of objects by hand or bodily force. Health and Safety (First Aid) Regulations 1981: covers requirements for first aid. The Health and Safety Information for Employees Regulations 1989: requires employers to display a poster telling employees what they need to know about health & safety. Employers' Liability (Compulsory Insurance) Regulations 1969: requires employers to take out insurance against accidents & ill health to their employees. Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations 1995 (RIDDOR): requires employers to notify certain occupational injuries, diseases & dangerous events. Noise at Work Regulations 1989: requires employers to take action to protect employees from hearing damage. Electricity at Work Regulations 1989: requires people in control of electrical systems to ensure they are safe to use and maintained in a safe condition. Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations 1999 requires employers to assess the risks from hazardous substances & take appropriate precautions. In addition, specific regulations cover particular areas, for example asbestos & lead. Chemicals (Hazard Information and Packaging for Supply) Regulations (CHIP 2) 1994: requires suppliers to classify, label & package dangerous chemicals & to provide safety data sheets for them. Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 1994: cover safe systems of work on construction sites. Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations 1994: cover safe installation, maintenance & use of gas systems & appliances in domestic & commercial premises European LawIn recent years much of the United Kingdom's health & safety law has originated in Europe. Proposals from the European Commission may be agreed by Member States, who are then responsible for making them part of their own domestic law. As legislation is subject to frequent change it is advisable to contact the HSE on a regular basis to establish what (if any) changes to legislation have been or are likely to be introduced.
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