Health and saftey law......

[DHTiling]

Your health, safety and welfare at work are protected by law.

Health and safety law

What you should know
■ ​

if there are five or more employees, draw up a health and safety policy

statement



, including the health and safety organisation and arrangements in

force, and



bring it to your attention;

■



appoint someone competent to assist with health and safety responsibilities,

and consult you or your safety representative about this appointment;

■ ​

co-operate on health and safety with other employers sharing the same

workplace;

■ ​

set up emergency procedures;

■



provide adequate first-aid facilities;

■



make sure that the workplace satisfies health, safety and welfare

requirements, eg for ventilation, temperature, lighting, and sanitary, washing

and rest facilities;
■ ​

make sure that work equipment is suitable for its intended use, so far as

health and safety is concerned, and that it is



properly maintained and used;

■



prevent or adequately control exposure to substances which may damage

your health;

■ ​

take precautions against danger from flammable or explosive hazards,

electrical equipment, noise and radiation



;

■



avoid hazardous manual handling operations, and where they cannot be

avoided, reduce the risk of injury;

■ ​

provide health surveillance as appropriate;

■



provide free any protective clothing or equipment, where risks are not

adequately controlled by other means;

■ ​

ensure that appropriate safety signs are provided and maintained;

■



report certain injuries, diseases and dangerous occurrences to the

appropriate health and safety enforcing authority (see box below for who

this is).
As an employee you have legal duties too. They include:
■ ​

taking reasonable care for your own health and safety and that of others who

may be affected by what you do or do not do;

■ ​

co-operating with your employer on health and safety;

■



correctly using work items provided by your employer, including personal

protective equipment, in accordance with training or instructions; and

■ ​

not interfering with or misusing anything provided for your health, safety

or welfare



.

If you think there is a health and safety problem in your workplace you should first

discuss it with your employer, supervisor or manager. You may also wish to discuss
it with your safety representative, if there is one. You, your employer or your safety
representative can get information on health and safety in confidence by calling
HSE’s Infoline telephone service on 0845 345 0055.
If you think your employer is exposing you to risks or is not carrying out legal
duties, and you have pointed this out without getting a satisfactory answer, you
can contact the enforcing authority for health and safety in your workplace. Health
and safety inspectors can give advice on how to comply with the law. They also
have powers to enforce it. HSE’s Employment Medical Advisory Service can give​

advice on health at work. Your employer can give you their names and addresses.

................dave..


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