Health and Safety at Work Regulations

This assessment is required under the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999.

This document identifies general hazards in the working environment, such as slips, trips and fall hazards, hygiene considerations, heating, cleaning, lighting and general environmental features including the provision for first aid and recommends control measures aimed at reducing the likelihood of harm occurring from these hazards.

This assessment is required under the Regulatory Reform (Fire) Safety Order 2005.

This document identifies fire hazards in the working environment, in areas such as fire routes, fire exits and all other areas. It checks for the presence of necessary arrangements, facilities and detection such as smoke and heat detection, fire extinguishers, fire marshals and emergency lighting and recommends control measures aimed at reducing the likelihood of harm occurring from these hazards.

This assessment is required in accordance with Health and Safety Display Screen Equipment Regulations 1992.

These documents refer to each individual habitual computer user, and summarises both positive and negative points identified at the user’s workstation setup, including desk, chair, keyboard, mouse and screen, electrical and welfare considerations at the workstation. Recommendations may be made for any provisions which will improve the user’s setup, and posture training will be provided where required during the assessment.

This assessment is required in accordance with The Manual Handling Operations Regulations 1992.

This document identifies the hazardous manual handling tasks which are carried out, and makes recommendations designed to reduce the likelihood that manual handlers will suffer injury. Recommendations may include the provision of manual handling training, or the provision of suitable manual handling aids for specific tasks.

• The employer must avoid the need for workers to do any manual handling task which involves a risk of injury.
• When this cannot be done, the employer must assess the task taking into account the range of risk factors specified in the Regulations.
• The employer must reduce the risk involved to the lowest reasonably practicable level.
• The employer must provide workers with general indications of the risks and where possible specific information on the weight of each load and the heaviest side of a load with an off-centred centre of gravity.
• Employees must make full and proper use of systems of work provided by the employer.

This assessment is required under the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999.

This assessment looks in detail at the daily work routine of a new or expectant mother at work. It identifies any potential areas which may cause harm or discomfort and makes recommendations for any reasonable adjustments required.

This act is required under the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974.

The Equality Act 2010. The Equality Act became law in October 2010. It replaced previous legislation (such as the Race Relations Act 1976 and the Disability Discrimination Act 1995) and ensures consistency in what employers and employees need to do to make their workplaces a fair environment and comply with the law.

This assessment is required under the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999.

This document refers to individuals or departments and seeks to make recommendations to reduce work-related stressors to an acceptable level. This risk assessment is specifically required when your organisation has been informed that someone is either experiencing a stress-related illness or work-related stress beyond an acceptable level.

This assessment is required in accordance with Health and Safety Display Screen Equipment Regulations 1992.

This document refers to any individual who formally or habitually spends a significant time working from home. It takes into account the working environment including the workstation setup and also checks that electrical appliances which are being used for work purposes are in a safe condition.

This assessment is required in accordance with Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations 2002.

This document relates to any chemical or flammable liquids or substances which are hazardous to health. Amongst other things, it will recommend that COSHH items are suitably and securely stored, and that data sheets are available giving specific information about each substance used.

This assessment is required in accordance with The Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999.

This document refers to any persons in the working environment below the age of 18 and considers specific hazards which may have a high risk due to the inexperience and potential immaturity of the individual. This assessment is highly specific to the individual, their working environment and the nature of work which is being undertaken.

This assessment is required in accordance with The Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999.

This document relates to any individual whose place and hours of work result in them being on their own for prolonged periods of time. The assessment will make recommendations considering fire safety and first aid along with relevant medical conditions and will often recommend that remote monitoring is affected for the lone worker.

This assessment is required in accordance with The Work at Height Regulations 2005 and The Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999.

This document relates to any tasks carried out within the working environment where working at height is involved. This may include tasks such as changing light bulbs, general maintenance and cleaning of ceilings or windows. The assessment is likely to recommend that suitable and sufficient ladders are provided, as well as individuals receiving work at height / ladder safety training where appropriate.

Regardless of the industry you work in, all workers within the UK are subject to the same Working Time Regulations. The Working Time Regulations 1998 outline the number of hours that can be worked, and the required rest breaks during these hours.

Under the Working Time Regulations 1998, no worker can work for more than 48 hours, unless they themselves choose to do so by “opting out”.

For any shift lasting over 6 hours, workers are required to have a 20-minute rest. The legislation also stipulates that in any 24 hours, there must be at least 11 consecutive hours of rest.

For more information about Working Time Regulation 1998, please get in touch.

• The employer must assess all significant risks to their employees or to other persons. If there are more than 5 employees a record of the assessment must be kept. The assessment must also identify preventive or protective measures designed to control the risk.
• The employer must take particular account of risks to new and expectant mothers when assessing risks. If they cannot be protected from the risk by other means, they must be given paid leave for as long as necessary to protect the health of their child or themselves.
• The employer must assess particular risks for young people, taking into account their inexperience, lack of awareness of potential risks and immaturity. If children under minimum school leaving age are employed, the parents must be given details of the risk assessment and control measures.
• The employer must make arrangements for effective planning, organisation, control, maintaining and review of health and safety. Where necessary these arrangements should include health surveillance of workers.
• The employer must appoint as many competent persons as are necessary to ensure compliance with health and safety laws. Competent persons must be given sufficient information, training and resources to enable them to do their job.
• The employer must devise procedures to deal with situations of serious or imminent danger. As part of these emergency procedures, they must nominate competent persons to take charge if evacuation is necessary. They must make sure that access to any danger areas is restricted to those workers who have received appropriate training. They must allow workers to stop work and proceed to a place of safety when faced with a serious or imminent danger. Save for exceptional cases, they must prevent workers from returning to work until the danger is over. They must inform workers exposed to serious or imminent danger of the hazards involved and procedures to follow.
• Where two or more employers share a workplace or where employees of one employer visit another’s workplace in the course of their work, the employers must co-operate to ensure that their own staff and others are protected. Similar duties apply where an employer hires agency labour from an employment service.
• The employer must provide comprehensive and relevant training to all employees on health and safety. They must also provide information to workers on the risks involved, the preventive and protective measures, the emergency procedures and the identity of competent persons responsible for health and safety or for evacuation procedures.

• The employer must make a risk assessment of all workstations which might be used by DSE ‘users’ employed by them.
• The employer must reduce risks to the lowest reasonably practicable level.
• Daily work routine of ‘users’ must be planned so that DSE work is periodically interrupted by rest breaks or other types of work.
• If they wish it, ‘users’ are entitled to an eye and eyesight test paid for by their employer. The test must be repeated at regular intervals. If it shows that special spectacles or lenses are needed for DSE work, the employer must cover the cost of this as well.
• The employer must provide ‘users’ with health and safety training on the use of their workstation and with information on the risks and the measures to control those risks

• Maintenance – the workplace and equipment must be maintained in good condition. Where appropriate, there must be a planned system of regular maintenance.
• Ventilation – enclosed workplaces must be provided with fresh or purified air.
• A reasonable temperature must be maintained inside the building during working hours. Thermometers must be provided for staff to consult.
• Suitable and sufficient lighting must be provided. Natural light should be used where possible. Emergency lighting must also be provided where necessary.
• Cleanliness – the workplace and equipment must be kept clean. Waste should not be allowed to accumulate (except in suitable receptacles).
• Space – room dimensions should provide sufficient floor area, height and unoccupied space for the health safety and welfare of the staff.
• Workstations must be suitable for the workers who use them and the work which is done.
• Where work can be done sitting, suitable seating must be provided for each person doing that work.
• Floors should be suitable and not uneven, holed or slippery. They should be kept free from obstruction or contamination likely to cause slipping. Staircases should normally have a hand-rail.
• Falls – precautions should be taken to prevent people from falling or being struck by falling objects. Tanks or pits must be covered or securely fenced
• Windows, transparent or translucent doors or walls must be made of a safety material or protected against breakage and must be clearly marked. Opening windows must be safe to use. All windows and skylights must be designed to allow safe cleaning.
• Traffic routes – design must allow safe circulation of pedestrians and vehicles and traffic routes should be clearly indicated.
• Doors and gates must be suitably constructed. Devices should be fitted to keep sliding doors on their tracks; to prevent upward opening doors from falling back; to ensure safe operation of powered doors. Doors which can be pushed from either side should have panes to provide a clear view of the space around the door.
• Escalators and moving walkways shall be safe in use, and fitted with necessary safety devices, including emergency stop controls.
• Sanitary conveniences – suitable and sufficient toilets shall be provided at readily accessible places. They must be well ventilated and lit and kept clean. A schedule to the Regulations specifies how many are needed, depending on the number of workers.
• Washing facilities, including showers if needed, with hot and cold water, soap and hygienic means of drying must be provided.
• A supply of Drinking water must be provided for all workers at readily accessible places.
• Clothing – accommodation must be provided for storage of a person’s own clothing not worn at work; work clothing kept at the workplace; and for changing facilities.
• Rest and meals – suitable rest facilities must be provided at conveniently accessible places. Arrangements must be made to protect non-smokers from discomfort from tobacco smoke in rest rooms and rest areas. Pregnant women and nursing mothers must be given suitable facilities. Facilities for eating meals must be provided where meals are normally taken at work

• The employer must make sure that work equipment is suitable for the purpose intended, taking into account the nature of the work, working conditions and risks in their workplace.
• The employer must ensure that equipment is properly maintained. Where routine maintenance is needed a ’maintenance log’ should be kept.
• The employer must provide users of equipment and their supervisors with information, instruction and training on the correct use and on foreseeable abnormal situations which might occur when the equipment is being used.
• Where equipment carries a specific risk, use (and any maintenance, modification or repair) should be restricted to workers with specific training.
• The employer should take measures to prevent access to dangerous parts of machinery and to protect against the ejection of articles, substances, gases, liquids, dusts etc.; overheating, fire or explosion, disintegration of parts of equipment, extreme hot or cold surfaces.
• The employer must ensure that all controls are safe to use and clearly identifiable. In particular, start and stop controls, including emergency stops, must be designed to ensure health and safety.
• Where appropriate, it must be possible to isolate machinery from its energy source.
• Where necessary equipment must be stabilised by clamping or other means.
• Adequate lighting must be provided to allow safe use. Where necessary, clearly visible markings or other warning devices must be fitted.
• Particular precautions are required to ensure that maintenance operations do not give rise to health and safety risks.
• If a particular piece of equipment is covered by a European Community Directive the employer must ensure that it complies with the requirements of that Directive.

• Provision – the employer must provide suitable PPE when the risk cannot be controlled by other means.
• To be Suitable PPE must be appropriate to the risks involved and the work done. It must take account of ergonomic factors and the state of health of the user and must fit the user. It must comply with relevant European Community Directives where they apply.
• Compatibility – where more than one item of PPE has to be worn, they must be compatible and effective when worn together.
• Before buying any PPE the employer must do a risk Assessment to identify the risks which cannot be controlled by other means and to make sure that the PPE protects against those risks.
• Maintenance – the employer must ensure that PPE is maintained in good repair and cleaned or replaced as often as necessary.
• Accommodation – the employer must provide storage for protective equipment when it is not in use
• The employer must provide staff with information, instruction and Training on the risks the PPE is intended to avoid, the use of the PPE and steps the employees are expected to take to maintain the PPE.
• Use – the employer must take steps to ensure that PPE provided is properly used.
• Employees’ duties – employees must use PPE as directed and must report any loss or obvious defect to the employer.