Essentials of health and safety at work

Transcription

1 Health ad Safety Essetials of health ad safety at work Health ad Safety Health ad Safety Essetials of health ad safety at work This is a free-to-dowload, web-friedly versio of Essetials of health ad safety at work (Fourth editio, published 2006). This versio has bee adapted for olie use from HSE s curret prited versio. You ca buy the book at ad most good bookshops. ISBN Price This is the fourth editio of HSE s most popular guidace book. Essetials of health ad safety at work is easy to use ad will help you prevet workplace accidets ad ill health ad comply with the law. Packed with soud advice to put you o the right track, it covers the whole rage of workplace hazards. Havig the basics at your figertips could t be simpler ad if you eed more detailed iformatio, it poits you i the right directio. This ew editio has bee expaded to iclude: ew chapters o slips ad trips, work at height, cotractors ad agecy workers, ad geeral fire safety; ew sectios o stress, rehabilitatio ad sickess absece; a focus o special groups youg people, the disabled, o-eglish speakers, ew ad expectat mothers, ad loe ad mobile workers; a ew subject idex (prited versio oly). This book is great value if you re startig up or ruig a small busiess, preparig a compay safety policy or have bee appoited as a trade uio safety represetative, but whatever lie of work you re i, it will help you ru a safe ad healthy workplace ad that makes good busiess sese. Essetials of health ad safety at work oe of the most useful books you ll ever buy. Page 1 of 105

2 Health ad Safety Crow copyright 2006 First published 1988 Secod editio 1990 Third editio 1994 Fourth editio 2006 ISBN All rights reserved. No part of this publicatio may be reproduced, stored i a retrieval system, or trasmitted i ay form or by ay meas (electroic, mechaical, photocopyig, recordig or otherwise) without the prior writte permissio of the copyright ower. Applicatios for reproductio should be made i writig to: The Office of Public Sector Iformatio, Iformatio Policy Team, Kew, Richmod, Surrey TW9 4DU or [email protected] This guidace is issued by the Health ad Safety. Followig the guidace is ot compulsory ad you are free to take other actio. But if you do follow the guidace you will ormally be doig eough to comply with the law. Health ad safety ispectors seek to secure compliace with the law ad may refer to this guidace as illustratig good practice. Ackowledgemets Betley Motors Ltd Greecore Group plc Kajima Costructio Europe (UK) Ltd Sciece Photo Library Uited Utilities Page 2 of 105

3 Health ad Safety Essetials of health ad safety at work Cotets Itroductio 5 1 Maagig health ad safety 7 2 The workplace 13 3 Slips ad trips 18 4 Geeral fire safety 21 5 Work at height 24 6 Buildig work 27 7 Machiery safety 31 8 Plat ad equipmet maiteace 34 9 Gas- ad oil-fired equipmet Pressurised plat ad equipmet Workplace trasport Liftig ad hadlig Noise Vibratio Electricity Radiatios Harmful substaces Flammable ad explosive substaces 70 Essetials of health ad safety at work Page 3 of 105

4 Health ad Safety 19 Maagig health Safe ways of workig Selectio ad traiig Cotractors ad agecy workers Special groups of workers Persoal protective equipmet Accidets ad emergecies 100 Useful cotacts 104 Further iformatio 105 Essetials of health ad safety at work Page 4 of 105

5 Health ad Safety Itroductio Why read this book? Health ad safety maagemet should be a straightforward part of maagig your busiess as a whole. It ivolves practical steps that protect people from harm ad at the same time protect the future success of your busiess. There are legal health ad safety requiremets that you have to meet, but accidets also cost moey ad time people off work, material costs ad damage to buildigs, plat or product. These costs are ofte ot covered by isurace. This book explais what the law requires ad helps you put it ito practice. What are the mai causes of ill health ad accidets at work? Every year over 200 people are killed at work ad several hudred thousad more are ijured ad suffer ill health. The biggest causes of days off work sick are aches ad pais such as back problems (see Chapter 12) ad stress (see Chapter 19). The most commo causes of serious accidetal ijury at work are slips ad trips (see Chapter 3). The most commo causes of death from accidets are falls from a height (see Chapter 5) ad beig struck by vehicles i the workplace (see Chapter 11). The law ad guidace There are two mai kids of health ad safety law. Some is very specific about what you must do, but some, such as the Health ad Safety at Work etc Act 1974 (HSW Act), is geeral, requirig you to do what is reasoably practicable to esure health ad safety. The Health ad Safety (HSE) has produced publicatios (may available to view at to help you to decide what this meas i practice. Iformatio about useful publicatios ad websites is give i a Fid out more sectio i each chapter. Priced publicatios have a ISBN umber. HSE leaflets are free for a sigle copy, but are sold i priced packs for multiple copies. This book Chapter 1 suggests how you ca tackle the basics of health ad safety. It tells you how to idetify, assess ad cotrol the activities that might cause harm i your busiess. Chapters 2 to 25 are for ayoe who eeds to kow more about a particular Essetials of health ad safety at work Page 5 of 105

6 Health ad Safety subject. Each chapter tells you what you eed to do to work safely as well as what laws apply. Lookig at your busiess i the way this book suggests will help you stay safe. It will go a log way to satisfyig the law icludig the risk assessmet that you must do uder the Maagemet of Health ad Safety at Work Regulatios It might save you moey as well! Essetials of health ad safety at work Page 6 of 105

7 Health ad Safety 1 Maagig health ad safety The hazards A hazard is aythig that might cause harm (eg chemicals, electricity, vehicles, workig from ladders). Risk is the chace (big or small) of harm beig doe, as well as how serious that harm could be. Who do I have to cosider? You eed to cosider people who: How to maage health ad safety What you have to do to maage health ad safety effectively is: Kow about the risks i your work. Cotrol the risks that eed it. Make sure the risks stay cotrolled. Kow about the risks i your work Risk is a part of everyday life, ad eve quite straightforward busiesses ca have a rage of hazards. You are ot expected to elimiate all risk. What you must do is make sure you kow about the mai risks that affect you, ad what you eed to do to maage them resposibly. Thikig this through is called risk assessmet. All busiesses have to do this by law. It s also practical, as you ca make sure you put effort ito the right thigs, avoid wastig time o trivial risks, ad do t miss aythig importat. work for you, icludig casual workers, parttimers, traiees ad subcotractors; use workplaces you provide; are allowed to use your equipmet; visit your premises; may be affected by your work, eg your eighbours or the public; use products you make, supply or import; or use your professioal services, eg if you are a desiger. How to assess risks Look for all the hazards i your work, cosiderig what could realistically harm people. For each of these hazards thik: How serious could the harm be? Is it a cut figer or moths off work with a back ijury? Who could be harmed, ad how likely is that? Do you eed to do more to cotrol the risks? Not all risks may be easy to spot. Some may be obvious ad quite likely to happe, such as slippig i a place where floors are ofte wet. Others may be less obvious, but could have such serious cosequeces that you eed to make sure the risks are cotrolled, eg goig oto a roof for cleaig or repairs. The law Uder the Health ad Safety at Work etc Act 1974 (the HSW Act), you have to esure the health ad safety of yourself ad others who may be affected by what you do or do ot do. It applies to all work activities ad premises ad everyoe at work has resposibilities uder it, icludig the self-employed. The Maagemet of Health ad Safety at Work Regulatios 1999 also apply to every workplace ad require all risks to be assessed ad cotrolled. Essetials of health ad safety at work Page 7 of 105

8 Health ad Safety Where to get help I geeral, the bigger the risk, the more iformatio ad guidace you will eed. This book may tell you much of what you eed to kow. Other sources of iformatio ad advice iclude: kowledge of good practice i the idustry; guidace ad advice from idustry bodies ad HSE; experiece of accidets ad ear miss ijuries, or illess caused by work; the experiece of employees. It helps to kow what the most commo causes of ijury, ill health ad death at work are across all busiesses i the UK see the Itroductio sectio for more details. Small busiesses may fid the web-based Health ad Safety Performace Idicator helpful ( This will help you assess how well you are maagig your health ad safety performace by takig you through most of the commo risks ad suggestig a actio pla. Competet advice Although you ca probably fid out most of what you eed to kow for yourself, you might fid that you are dealig with issues that eed techical kowledge you have ot got. I that case, you eed to have a source of competet advice. If ot already available i-house, there are may people you ca tur to for help employers orgaisatios, trade associatios, chambers of commerce, local traiig orgaisatios, local health ad safety groups, trade uios, isurace compaies, suppliers of plat, equipmet ad chemicals, ad cosultats. You ca get iformatio o specific issues by rigig HSE s Ifolie (Tel: ). Keepig a record If you employ five or more people you have to write dow the mai coclusios of your risk assessmet. For most people this does ot eed to be a big exercise just ote the mai poits dow about the sigificat risks ad what you cocluded, eg usig short bullet poits. You should write dow: the sigificat hazards, eg back ijury whe liftig packs of products ; who is at risk, eg all workers i the storeroom ; what more you eed to do ad why, eg explore bulk delivery or mechaical liftig to reduce the risk of back ijury to workers liftig heavier packs. Remember, though, that the test of a good risk assessmet is ot how good your paperwork is, it is your practical uderstadig of the mai risks i your work ad what you eed to do about them. If a risk is trivial ad could ot realistically result i ay sigificat harm you do ot eed to write aythig dow. Essetials of health ad safety at work Page 8 of 105

9 Health ad Safety Cotrol the risks that eed it Pick out the priorities for actio The aim of risk assessmet is to idetify what more you eed to do. If, like may busiesses, you fid that there are quite a lot of improvemets that you could make, big ad small, do t try to do everythig at oce. Make a pla of actio to deal with the most importat thigs first. A good pla to act o the fidigs of your risk assessmet ofte icludes a mixture of differet thigs: a few cheap or easy improvemets that ca be doe quickly, perhaps as a temporary solutio util more reliable cotrols are i place; log-term solutios to risks which are the most likely to cause accidets or ill health, eg slips ad trips or heavy liftig; log-term solutios to risks with the worst potetial cosequeces, eg falls from height or a explosio; arragemets for traiig employees o the mai risks that caot be elimiated ad how best to avoid them; clear resposibilities who will lead o what, ad by whe; realistic dates for completig ay improvemets. What do I have to do? Decide what could cause harm to people as a result of your busiess ad what precautios you are goig to take. This is your risk assessmet. Decide how you will maage health ad safety i your busiess. If you have five or more employees, you must write this dow. This is your health ad safety policy. Display a curret certificate as required by the Employers Liability (Compulsory Isurace) Act 1969, if you employ ayoe. Provide free health ad safety traiig for your employees so they kow what hazards they may face ad how to deal with them (see Chapter 21). You must have competet advice to help you meet your health ad safety duties. This ca ivolve employees from your busiess, exteral cosultats or a combiatio of both. Provide toilets, washig facilities ad drikig water for all your employees, icludig those with disabilities (see Chapters 2 ad 23). Cosult uio safety represetatives, represetatives of employee safety or employees o health ad safety matters (see Chapter 20). Display the Health ad Safety Law poster for employees, or give out the leaflet with the same iformatio. Notify certai work-related icidets, accidets ad occupatioal diseases (see Chapter 25). Do ot employ childre uder school leavig age i a idustrial udertakig, except o authorised work experiece schemes (see Chapter 23). Notify your local HSE office or Evirometal Health Departmet if you start a ew commercial or idustrial busiess or relocate oe (cotact HSE s Ifolie for details). Essetials of health ad safety at work Page 9 of 105

10 Health ad Safety Choosig solutios There ca be a umber of ways to cotrol the risks you idetify as a priority for actio. Do ot make the mistake of oly goig for optios that seem easy ad cheap but may ot work reliably, eg givig employees istructios that are difficult to follow. If you are dealig with a relatively commo risk, it is ofte easiest to idetify a suitable solutio from the guidace HSE publishes i prit ad o its website ( ad put it ito practice. Solutios which may appear expesive ca actually save you moey if you combie them with improvemets to your busiess, eg orderig bulk materials i big bags that ca be lifted mechaically rather tha had-liftig lots of smaller bags, freeig your employees to do somethig else. Startig with the best ad most effective, the ways to deal with risks are: Get rid of the risk altogether. For example, avoid the eed to work at heights by movig thigs to groud level, stop usig highly flammable chemicals if you do t really eed them, or chage the layout of work so vehicles like lift trucks do ot eed to go through areas where there are pedestrias. Swap for a lower risk. For example reduce the weight of thigs that eed liftig, or use pedestria-operated pallet trucks istead of lift trucks. Separate the risks from people. For example put barriers betwee pedestrias ad traffic, put guards o dagerous machiery, or use fixed pipes to pump dagerous liquids alog rather tha maual carryig ad pourig. Give people rules, procedures, traiig or persoal protective equipmet. These rely o people always beig careful ad ever makig mistakes. Make sure the risks stay cotrolled Puttig the right risk cotrols i place is importat, but makig sure they stay cotrolled is just as importat. Make sure everyoe is clear who has resposibility for what. All employers have to summarise this i a health ad safety policy. If you employ five or more people you should write this policy dow ad show it to them. Employees also have resposibilities to co-operate with their employer s efforts to improve health ad safety ad to look out for each other. Make regular, plaed checks of the workplace to look for risks that may have bee overlooked, or people who are ot workig safely. Remember that thigs chage equipmet wears out, people forget their traiig, ad do ot always follow rules, especially whe they thik they have foud a quicker or better way of gettig the job doe. Do ot forget maiteace. Be guided by maufacturers recommedatios whe workig out your ow maiteace schedules for items such as vehicles, lift trucks, vetilatio plat, ladders, portable electrical equipmet, protective clothig ad equipmet, ad machie guards. Ivestigate whe thigs go wrog. If there is a ijury or ear-miss, do t just blame someoe or look for a quick fix. Use your ivestigatio to lear more about how well you are maagig health ad safety. Follow up abseces from work. There may be a work-related illess you did ot kow about, or there could be thigs that you ca do to help people get back to work (see Chapter 19). Review where you are every year or two, to make sure you are still improvig or at least ot slidig back. Look at your health ad safety policy ad risk Essetials of health ad safety at work Page 10 of 105

11 Health ad Safety assessmet agai. Have there bee ay chages? Are there improvemets you still eed to make? Have you leart somethig from accidets or ear-misses? Make sure your risk assessmets stay up to date. Ispectors ad the law Health ad safety laws which apply to your busiess are eforced by a ispector either from HSE or from your local authority. Their job is to see how well you are dealig with your workplace hazards, especially the more serious oes which could lead to ijuries or ill health. They may wish to ivestigate a accidet or a complait. Ispectors do visit workplaces without otice but you are etitled to see their idetificatio before lettig them i. Do t forget that they are there to give help ad advice, particularly to smaller busiesses who may ot have a lot of kowledge. Whe they do fid problems they will aim to deal with you i a reasoable ad fair way. If you are ot satisfied with the way you have bee treated, take the matter up with the ispector s maager. Your complait will be ivestigated, ad you will be told what is to be doe to put thigs right if a fault is foud. Ispectors have the right of etry to your premises, the right to talk to employees ad safety represetatives ad to take photographs ad samples. They are etitled to your co-operatio ad aswers to questios. If there is a problem they have the right to issue a otice requirig improvemets to be made, or (where a risk of serious persoal ijury exists) oe which stops a process or the use of dagerous equipmet. If you receive a improvemet or prohibitio otice you have the right to appeal to a idustrial tribual. Ispectors do have the power to prosecute a busiess or, uder certai circumstaces, a idividual for breakig health ad safety law, but they will take your attitude ad safety record ito accout. Fid out more Maagemet of health ad safety at work. Maagemet of Health ad Safety at Work Regulatios Approved Code of Practice ad guidace L21 (Secod editio) ISBN Successful health ad safety maagemet HSG65 (Secod editio) ISBN Health ad safety law poster Ecapsulated ISBN Rigid PVC ISBN Employers Liability (Compulsory Isurace) Act 1969: A guide for employers Leaflet HSE40(rev1) Five steps to risk assessmet Leaflet INDG163(rev1) A itroductio to health ad safety: Health ad safety i small busiesses Leaflet INDG259(rev1) Need help o health ad safety? Guidace for employers o whe ad how to get advice o health ad safety Leaflet INDG322 Essetials of health ad safety at work Page 11 of 105

12 Health ad Safety Reduce risks cut costs: The real costs of accidets ad ill health at work Leaflet INDG355 Visit the risk maagemet pages o HSE s website at: Essetials of health ad safety at work Page 12 of 105

13 Health ad Safety 2 The workplace The hazards You must provide a safe ad healthy eviromet for all your employees. You also eed to take accout of their welfare eeds. You will eed to cosider, for example, lightig, vetilatio, temperature, toilets ad washig facilities. Assess your ow workig eviromet by usig the guidelies i this chapter. Do t forget ay people with disabilities who may eed special toilet ad washig facilities, wide doorways ad gagways. Also see Chapter 3 for iformatio o slips ad trips ad Chapter 4 for iformatio o fire safety. A safe place of work You must: make sure your buildigs are i good repair; maitai the workplace ad ay equipmet so that it is safe ad works efficietly; put right ay dagerous defects immediately, or take steps to protect ayoe at risk; take precautios to prevet people or materials fallig from ope edges, eg fecig or guard-rails; fece or cover floor opeigs, eg vehicle examiatio pits, whe ot i use; have eough space for safe movemet ad access, eg to machiery; provide safe glazig, if ecessary (eg protected, tougheed or thick) which is marked to make it easy to see; make sure floors, corridors ad stairs etc are free of obstructios, eg trailig cables; provide good draiage i wet processes; have widows that ca be opeed ad cleaed safely. They should be desiged to stop people fallig out or bumpig ito them whe ope. You may eed to fit achor poits if widow cleaers have to use haresses; provide weather protectio for outdoor workplaces, if practical; keep outdoor routes safe durig icy coditios, eg salt/sad ad sweep them. Also thik about: sitig machiery ad furiture so that sharp corers do ot stick out; ot overloadig floors; providig space for storig tools ad materials; markig the edges of opeigs like vehicle pits; fidig out the views of employees o the desig of the workplace. The law Look at the Workplace (Health, Safety ad Welfare) Regulatios 1992 for the full requiremets. The Health ad Safety (Display Scree Equipmet) Regulatios 1992 (as ameded) apply where staff habitually use computers ad other display screes as a sigificat part of their ormal work. Essetials of health ad safety at work Page 13 of 105

14 Health ad Safety Lightig You must provide: good light use atural light where possible but try to avoid glare; a good level of local lightig at workstatios where ecessary; suitable forms of lightig. Some fluorescet tubes flicker ad ca be dagerous with some rotatig machiery because the rotatig part ca appear to have stopped; special fittigs for flammable or explosive atmospheres, eg from pait sprayig; well-lit stairs ad corridors. Thik about: havig light-coloured walls to improve brightess (but darker colours to reduce arc-weldig flash). Movig aroud the premises You must have: safe passage for pedestrias ad vehicles you may eed separate routes (see Chapter 11); level, eve surfaces without holes or broke boards (see Chapter 3); had-rails o stairs ad ramps where ecessary; safe doors, eg visio paels i swig doors, sesitive edges o power doors; surfaces which are ot slippery; well-lit outside areas this will help security. Thik about: markig steps, kerbs ad fixed obstacles, eg by black ad yellow diagoal stripes. Desigig workstatios Make sure: workstatios ad seatig fit the worker ad the work; backrests support the small of the back ad you must provide footrests if ecessary; work surfaces are at a suitable height; there is easy access to cotrols o equipmet. Thik about: providig well-desiged tools to reduce had or forearm ijury from repeated awkward movemets; reducig exposure to hazardous substaces, oise, heat or cold, eg by usig local exhaust vetilatio or egieerig cotrols there is more about these i later chapters. Essetials of health ad safety at work Page 14 of 105

15 Health ad Safety Display scree equipmet (DSE) What must employers do by law? Idetify what display scree equipmet ad users i your workplace are covered. Assess workstatios ad meet the miimum requiremets for them. Pla the work so there are breaks or chages of activity. O request provide eye ad eyesight tests, ad spectacles if special oes are ecessary. Provide traiig ad iformatio. What does this mea i practice? Esure that: risks are assessed ad reduced; all workstatios meet the miimum requiremets for: equipmet such as screes ad keyboards; desks; chairs; the workig eviromet; ad software; work is plaed so that there are breaks or chages of activity; users are give traiig ad iformatio; eye tests are provided o request. Fid out more Work with display scree equipmet. Health ad Safety (Display Scree Equipmet) Regulatios 1992 as ameded by the Health ad Safety (Miscellaeous Amedmets) Regulatios Guidace o Regulatios L26 (Secod editio) ISBN The law o VDUs: A easy guide HSG90 ISBN Workig with VDUs Leaflet INDG36(rev2) Clealiess You must: provide clea floors ad stairs, which are draied ad ot slippery (see Chapter 3); provide clea premises, furiture ad fittigs (eg lights); provide cotaiers for waste materials; remove dirt, refuse ad trade waste regularly; clear up spillages promptly; elimiate traps for dirt or germs, eg by sealig joits betwee surfaces; keep iteral walls or ceiligs clea. They may eed paitig to help easy cleaig. Essetials of health ad safety at work Page 15 of 105

16 Health ad Safety Hygiee ad welfare You must provide: clea, well-vetilated toilets (separate for me ad wome uless each coveiece has its ow lockable door); wash basis with hot ad cold (or warm) ruig water; showers for dirty work or emergecies; soap ad towels (or a had dryer); ski cleasers, with ail brushes where ecessary; barrier cream ad ski-coditioig cream where ecessary; special hygiee precautios where ecessary, eg where food is hadled or prepared; dryig facilities for wet clothes; certai facilities for workers workig away from base, eg chemical toilets i some circumstaces; lockers or hagig space for clothig; chagig facilities where special clothig is wor; a clea drikig water supply (marked if ecessary to distiguish it from the o-drikable supply); rest facilities, icludig facilities for eatig food which would otherwise become cotamiated; arragemets to protect o-smokers from discomfort caused by tobacco smoke i ay separate rest areas, eg provide separate areas or rooms for smokers ad o-smokig or prohibit smokig i rest areas ad rest rooms (see Chapter 19); rest facilities for pregat wome ad ursig mothers (see Chapter 23). Comfortable coditios You must provide: a reasoable workig temperature i workrooms usually at least 16 O C, or 13 O C for streuous work; local heatig or coolig where a comfortable temperature caot be maitaied throughout each workroom (eg hot ad cold processes); thermal clothig ad rest facilities where ecessary, eg for hot work or cold stores; good vetilatio avoid draughts; heatig systems which do ot give off dagerous or offesive levels of fume ito the workplace; eough space i workrooms. Remember that oise ca be a uisace as well as damagig to health (see Chapter 13). Essetials of health ad safety at work Page 16 of 105

17 Health ad Safety Fid out more Workplace health, safety ad welfare. Workplace (Health, Safety ad Welfare) Regulatios Approved Code of Practice L24 ISBN Thermal comfort i the workplace: Guidace for employers HSG194 ISBN Lightig at work HSG38 (Secod editio) ISBN Seatig at work HSG57 (Secod editio) ISBN Workplace health, safety ad welfare: A short guide for maagers Leaflet INDG244 Welfare at work: Guidace for employers o welfare provisios Leaflet INDG293 Essetials of health ad safety at work Page 17 of 105

18 Health ad Safety 3 Slips ad trips The hazards A third of major ijuries i the workplace, such as broke boes, serious burs, ad loss of cosciousess, are caused by someoe slippig or trippig. Slips ad trips also accout for half of all the reported ijuries to members of the public i workplaces where there is public access, such as shops, restaurats ad hospitals. Slips ad trips ofte cause other types of accidets ad i some situatios the potetial for serious ijury is much greater. People workig i kitches who slip or trip are at risk of beig scalded, people workig o high platforms who slip or trip may fall from height, ad slippig while carryig a load may cause a straied back. The basic requiremets for prevetig slips ad trips Floors must ot have holes or slopes, or be ueve or slippery so that people might be put at risk. Floors i a workplace must be kept free from obstructios ad from ay article or substace that may cause a perso to slip, trip or fall. Slips: What to look for People rarely slip o clea, dry floors. If your floor gets cotamiated with water, other liquids, dirt, dust or aythig else the you may have a problem. If the floor has a smooth surface, eg viyl, polished surfaces, ceramic tiles or metal, eve a tiy amout of cotamiatio ca be a real slip problem. Floors with higher surface roughess geerally have better slip resistace. Work through each of the followig poits i tur to see what you ca do about slip risks. Stop the floor gettig wet or cotamiated i the first place Maitai equipmet to stop leaks. Clea floors to a dry fiish. Cotrol ad cotai processes to prevet spillages ad splashes. Stop cotamiatio from gettig oto the walkways Stop water gettig walked i o people s feet, eg provide good etrace mattig. Site messy activities away from walkways. Extract vetilatio ca stop steam ad grease beig deposited o floors. If floor cotamiatio does happe, deal with it Clea up spillages immediately. If floors are left wet after cleaig, stop ayoe walkig o them util they are dry. Have procedures for both routie ad spillage respose cleaig. The law Look at the Workplace (Health, Safety ad Welfare) Regulatios 1992 for full details. Essetials of health ad safety at work Page 18 of 105

19 Health ad Safety Get the best grip you ca from your existig floor A floor gets its grip from its surface roughess. Poorly cleaed floors lose that roughess ad grip. Good cleaig maitais ad ca eve restore surface grip. Check you are usig the right cleaig methods ad products for your floor. Icrease the grip of the existig floor Some floors ca be treated (o-slip pait, etchig etc) to provide more surface roughess ad more grip. Stick-o ati-slip strips ca be sometimes be useful (but be sure they do t cause a trip hazard). Ati-slip treatmets might oly work for a while. Keep a check o them over time. Replace the floor surface with oe with better grip If you have goe through the first five steps ad still have a slip problem the a ew floor surface is probably eeded. Thik about how your floor is used ad what type of cotamiat will get oto it ad the specify a floor surface that has eough grip to deal with that. Make sure that you use the right cleaig system for your ew floor or it might ot last or may lose its grip. Trips: What to look for Floors i poor coditio ad bad housekeepig are resposible for most trip ijuries at work. If you aswer yes to ay of these questios you eed to take actio. These are commo problems but there may be others. Trip ijuries are ofte caused because floor surfaces have become damaged or ueve. Do yours eed improvemet or repair? Are cables or pipes sometimes allowed to trail where people walk? May trip ijuries are caused simply by thigs beig left where they should ot be. Are there ay obstructios i your work areas or walkways? Ca ay mats slip about? Do mats or floor tiles curl up at the edges? Are there ay chages i level such as slopes or a step that might ot be plaily see? Ca deliveries sometimes clog up walkways ad workig areas? At busy times do you sometimes ru out of space to put dow goods ad materials that you are workig o or with? What else ca cause a slip or trip accidet? Look out for poor lightig, shadows ad glare, as people are more likely to be ijured if it is difficult for them to see where they are goig. Trip or slip hazards ear distractios are especially dagerous, eg sudde loud oises or displays which deliberately divert people s attetio. Are people rushig, carryig loads, pushig or pullig thigs? Might some pedestrias be less steady o their feet or more at risk such as visually impaired people, older people, mothers with youg childre? Essetials of health ad safety at work Page 19 of 105

20 Health ad Safety Are all pedestrias familiar with the layout ad walkway routes? Have employees bee istructed ad traied i how to prevet slips ad trips? Do they kow what is expected of them? What about footwear? Wearig suitable footwear ca sometimes help prevet slips ad trips. Footwear used to try to deal with slips ad trips is classed as persoal protective equipmet (PPE). Do everythig you ca to deal with cotamiatio ad floor problems first ad use PPE as a last resort (see Chapter 24). The right o-slip footwear ca help but wo t work everywhere. Some types of footwear marked as ati-slip might ot provide ay additioal protectio i some workplaces. If you ca, carry out a trial of ay footwear you choose to make sure it is suitable for your workplace ad workforce. Always iclude employees i the choosig process or they might ot wear it. Specialist footwear might ot be ecessary adoptig a sesible shoe policy for all employees might be eough. Fid out more Slips ad trips: Guidace for employers o idetifyig hazards ad cotrollig risks HSG155 ISBN Prevetig slips ad trips at work Leaflet INDG225(rev1) The assessmet of pedestria slip risk: The HSE approach web/slips01.pdf (web oly) Slips ad trips: The importace of floor cleaig slips02.pdf (web oly) Visit HSE s slips ad trips web pages: Essetials of health ad safety at work Page 20 of 105

21 Health ad Safety 4 Geeral fire safety The hazards Geeral fire safety covers the steps that eed to be take to avoid fires i the workplace ad the precautios required to protect people if there is a fire. For fire to start, three thigs are eeded: a source of igitio (heat), a source of fuel (somethig that burs) ad oxyge. Sources of igitio: eg heaters, lightig, aked flames, electrical equipmet, hot processes (such as weldig or gridig), smokers materials (cigarettes, matches etc), ad aythig else that ca get very hot or cause sparks. Sources of fuel: eg flammable liquids (petrol, pait, varish, white spirit etc), wood, paper, plastic, rubber or foam, liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), loose packagig materials, waste rubbish, furiture. Sources of oxyge: the air aroud us ad also some chemicals (oxidisig materials) ad oxyge supplies from cyliders etc. You must carry out a fire risk assessmet You must carry out a fire risk assessmet ad uder curret law (which will chage o 1 October 2006) you must also decide whether your busiess requires you to obtai a fire certificate. For futher advice cotact your local fire ad rescue authority. Your fire risk assessmet ca be doe as part of the geeral risk assessmet required uder health ad safety law (see Chapter 1). This will eable you to idetify ad the take steps to elimiate, reduce or cotrol risks to prevet ijury from fire. Idetify fire hazards Idetify ay igitio sources ad sources of fuel at your workplace (see The hazards ). Idetify people at risk If there is a fire, all people i ad aroud the premises are at risk, however, some people may be at greater risk. This icludes ight staff or loe workers; people who are ufamiliar with the premises, such as visitors or customers; ad childre, the elderly ad the disabled. Evaluate the risks ad take steps to reduce the risks ad protect people Thik about how a fire could start. Keep igitio sources ad sources of fuel apart. Avoid accidetal fire, eg do ot put heaters where they could be kocked over. Fires ca be caused deliberately, so do ot leave potetial sources of fuel aroud, eg check outside that rubbish is ot lyig aroud or allowed to build up. The law New fire safety legislatio, the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005, is due to come ito force i Eglad ad Wales o 1 October I Scotlad, Part 3 of the Fire (Scotlad) Act 2005, which is cocered with fire safety ad supported by the Fire Safety (Scotlad) Regulatios, is due to come ito force i October 2006, at the earliest. At most workplaces the local fire ad rescue authority is resposible for eforcig geeral fire safety ad if you eed advice you should cotact them. Essetials of health ad safety at work Page 21 of 105

22 Health ad Safety Precautios to protect people if there is a fire How will a fire be detected, particularly i areas that are ot frequetly used? If a fire does start, how will people be wared, eg if you have a fire alarm, check regularly that it is workig. Ca it be heard everywhere over ormal backgroud oise? Is appropriate fire-fightig equipmet available, eg eough fire extiguishers of the right type (ad properly serviced) to deal promptly with small outbreaks? Will people be able to escape before the fire puts them at risk, eg are there eough clearly marked, uobstructed escape routes ad fire doors that ca be opeed easily from the iside? Never wedge fire doors ope. Do you have arragemets for ayoe who eeds help such as elderly or disabled people? Who will check that everyoe gets out safely ad who will call the local fire ad rescue authority? How do you kow that your fire precautios will work do you check them regularly? Everyoe should kow what to do i case of fire display clear istructios ad have regular fire drills. Record, pla ad trai Keep a record of the hazards you have idetified ad what you have doe to remove or reduce them. Make a pla so you ad your staff will kow what to do if there is a fire. Take ito accout the fidigs of your risk assessmet. Provide iformatio, istructio ad traiig to esure people kow what to do if there is a fire. Practise the fire drill. Is everyoe with a role to play competet to carry out their role? If you share a buildig with others you should co-ordiate your pla with them. Where dagerous substaces are stored or used i large eough quatities to make the risk more tha slight, iform the local fire ad rescue authority. (Also see Chapter 18 for iformatio o flammable ad explosive substaces.) Review the risk assessmet Review your risk assessmet regularly ad wheever you are plaig to make sigificat chages to your premises or work practices, or if there is a fire or a ear miss. What are the key features of the ew fire legislatio? I Eglad ad Wales, the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 is due to come ito force o 1 October. I Scotlad, Part 3 of the Fire (Scotlad) Act 2005 is due to come ito force i October 2006, at the earliest. Both will create a simplified fire-safety regime applyig to most workplaces ad other o-domestic premises. Both will be risk-assessmet based with resposibility for fire safety i Eglad ad Wales restig with a resposible perso, or equivalet perso i Scotlad with duties uder Part 3 of the Fire (Scotlad) Act There will be o separate certificatio system for higher risk premises (the Fire Certificate (Special Premises) Regulatios will be removed ad fire certificates will o loger be valid). Some self-employed people ad parts of the volutary sector, eg charity shops, will be icluded. Essetials of health ad safety at work Page 22 of 105

23 Health ad Safety Fid out more A series of idustry sector-specific guidace documets will be published to provide practical advice o how to comply with the ew legislatio. For more iformatio, visit the websites for the Office of the Deputy Prime Miister (ODPM) ( for Eglad ad Wales ad the Scottish (www. scotlad.gov.uk) for Scotlad. Essetials of health ad safety at work Page 23 of 105

24 Health ad Safety 5 Work at height The hazards Falls from height result i aroud 60 deaths at work ad about 4000 major ijuries every year. Oe of the mai causes is falls from ladders. What do I eed to do? You must esure work at height is carried out safely. The Work at Height Regulatios set out a hierarchy of cotrol measures to follow whe plaig work at height. Avoid work at height where you ca Also see Chapter 6 which deals with buildig work, roof work ad scaffolds. Do as much work as possible from the groud or partly from the groud. For example, use log-hadled poles whe cleaig widows or use other equipmet to avoid havig to climb; assemble structures o the groud ad lift them ito positio with liftig equipmet. Where you caot avoid work at height Prevet falls. Use collective prevetio methods which iclude guard rails ad workig platforms (eg cradles, scaffoldig, mobile elevatig work platforms) before persoal methods (eg a work restrait which stops the user gettig ito a positio where they could fall). If you caot elimiate the risk of a fall, take steps to miimise the distace ad cosequeces of a fall, eg use ets or airbags. If you caot use collective methods, use a fall-arrest layard, rope access ad work-positioig techiques to protect agaist a fall. If you caot miimise the distace ad cosequeces of a fall, take other steps to esure safe systems of work ad to prevet the likelihood of a fall causig ijury, eg istructio, iformatio ad traiig ad esurig the access equipmet you use (such as ladders or kick stools) is well maitaied ad suitable for the work. The law The Work at Height Regulatios came ito force o 6 April They cover work i ay place from which a perso could fall far eough to cause persoal ijury. The Regulatios place duties o employers, the self-employed ad others who have cotrol over work at height. You must make sure that all work at height is properly plaed, supervised ad carried out by people who are competet to do the job. Essetials of health ad safety at work Page 24 of 105

25 Health ad Safety Thik about the followig Make sure the surface/access equipmet you use is stable ad strog eough to support your weight ad that of ay equipmet. Ay edge protectio should be wide eough ad strog eough to prevet a fall. If you are workig o or ear a fragile surface, eg a asbestos cemet roof, you must take precautios to prevet a fall or to miimise the distace ad cosequeces of ay fall if there is oe. If you are workig at height, make sure you ca get safely to ad from where you wat to work ad also cosider emergecy evacuatio ad rescue procedures. Make sure everyoe ivolved is competet to do the work they are resposible for, icludig those who pla ad orgaise the work. Cosider the risks from workig i extreme weather coditios if the weather could edager your health ad safety, stop work util it is safe to cotiue. Choose the most appropriate equipmet for the type of work beig doe ad how ofte it will be used. Provide protectio agaist fallig objects. Make sure equipmet used for work at height is well maitaied ad ispected regularly. Ladders Usig ladders icorrectly causes about a quarter of falls which result i major ijuries. Ladders should oly be used where a risk assessmet shows that the job is low risk ad will ot last log (up to a maximum of miutes depedig o the job) or where there are features of the site which mea that other equipmet caot be used. Ladders are ofte used whe it would be better to use other equipmet, eg mobile tower scaffolds, podium steps or mobile elevatig work platforms (MEWPs). Whe choosig a ladder, you must make sure it is i good coditio, eg o rugs are cracked or missig ad the ladder feet are preset ad i good coditio. Do a daily pre-use check (icludig the feet). Ispect the ladder periodically ad make sure it is maitaied properly. Do ot use makeshift or homemade ladders or carry out makeshift repairs to a damaged ladder. Never pait ladders this may hide defects. Positio the ladder so that the bottom will ot slip outwards. Use it at a agle of 75 O (1 uit out for every 4 uits up the 1 i 4 rule). Secure ladders to prevet movemet. Rest the top of the ladder agaist a solid surface. Whe placig the ladder, rest its foot o a firm, level surface ad make sure the rugs are level. Do ot place it o material or equipmet to gai extra height. Make sure floor surfaces are clea ad ot slippery. Access ladders must exted at least 1 m above the ladig places uless there is a suitable hadhold to provide equivalet support. Extedig ladders eed a overlap of at least three rugs. Usig a ladder Always grip the ladder whe climbig. Do ot work off the top three rugs these are to provide a hadhold. Do ot carry heavy items or log legths of material up a ladder use it for light work oly.both hads free to hold the ladder. Essetials of health ad safety at work Page 25 of 105

26 Health ad Safety Carry light tools i a shoulder bag or holster attached to a belt so that you have both hads free to hold the ladder. Do ot overreach. Step ladders Do a daily pre-use check (icludig the feet). Ispect the step ladder periodically ad make sure it is maitaied properly. Whe i use make sure the rugs are level ad it is restig o firm, level groud. Make sure floor surfaces are clea ad ot slippery. Make sure step ladders are used for light work oly. Have eough space to fully ope ad use ay lockig devices provided. Do ot work off the top two steps uless you have a safe hadhold o the steps. Avoid side-o workig. Do ot overreach. Fid out more The Work at Height Regulatios 2005: A brief guide Leaflet INDG401 Safe use of ladders ad stepladders: A employers guide Leaflet INDG402 Essetials of health ad safety at work Page 26 of 105

27 Health ad Safety 6 Buildig work The hazards Fallig from height is the major cause of serious accidets whe buildig or doig maiteace work o existig buildigs (see Chapter 5 for the hierarchy of cotrols to follow for workig at height ad for detailed advice o usig ladders ad step ladders). Other hazards iclude beig struck by fallig materials; strikig buried electric cables or gas pipes; burial by excavatio collapses; cotact with electricity (see Chapter 15); exposure to harmful substaces such as asbestos, paits, glues, or cleaig materials (see Chapter 17); ad beig ru over by costructio vehicles which ca have poor driver visibility (see Chapter 11). Costructio work Most activities ivolvig buildig work are subject to the various Costructio Regulatios which specify stadards for a wide rage of issues such as safe access ad safe liftig. The Regulatios apply to costructio, structural alteratio, repair, maiteace, repoitig, redecoratig ad exteral cleaig, demolitio, site preparatio ad layig of foudatios. If you are a cotractor ad buildig works are expected to last loger tha 30 days or ivolve more tha 500 days to complete the work you must otify your HSE ispector. If you use a cotractor you still have legal resposibility for may matters o your premises (see Chapter 22). Before you start Ca you do the work i a differet way to make it safer? Pla the work to remove or reduce the risks. Do t take o work for which you are uprepared. You may eed specialist help with, eg demolitio of buildigs, diggig deep treches or roofig. Protect other people Use barriers or feces to keep people out of the workplace. Use sigs to war people of specific dagers. Do ot allow material to be dropped where it will cause a risk of ijury. Keep childre away from all buildig work. The law Look at the Workplace (Health, Safety ad Welfare) Regulatios 1992, the Provisio ad Use of Work Equipmet Regulatios 1998 (PUWER) ad the Work at Height Regulatios If you are a builder, look at the Costructio (Health, Safety ad Welfare) Regulatios 1996, which apply istead of the Workplace Regulatios. The Costructio (Desig ad Maagemet) Regulatios 1994 place additioal duties o pricipal cotractors, cliets, desigers ad plaig supervisors. Essetials of health ad safety at work Page 27 of 105

28 Health ad Safety Usig a cotractor for buildig work Clearly idetify all aspects of the work you wat the cotractor to do ad cosider the associated health ad safety implicatios. Provide iformatio to the cotractor o ay site- or task-specific hazards, eg if a surface is fragile. Choose a cotractor who you are satisfied is competet to do the work without puttig themselves or other people at risk. Obtai a method statemet writte by the cotractor specifyig the precautios required to carry out the work safely. Moitor their work to make sure the job is beig doe safely as agreed. Whe the work is fiished check that the area is left i a safe coditio. Mobile tower scaffolds Erectig the tower Be traied i the safe erectio ad use of tower scaffolds. Follow the maufacturer s istructios do ot exceed the maximum height allowed for a give base dimesio. Lock ay wheels ad exted outriggers. Do ot mix compoets from differet types of scaffold or use damaged compoets. It must rest o firm, level groud securely lock ay wheels before use. Provide a safe way to get to ad from the work platform, eg by a iteral ladder. It is ot safe to climb up the outside. Workig platforms must be provided with guard rails ad toe boards. Tie the tower rigidly to the structure if it is likely to be exposed to strog wids, or if materials are lifted up the outside of the tower. You must ot overload the workig platform. Do ot apply pressure, which could overtur the tower. Do ot cover the tower with sheetig. Never work off a ladder placed o top of the workig platform. Movig the tower Check there are o power lies i the way or obstructios, holes etc i the groud. Do ot allow people or materials to remai o the tower. Beware of towers ruig away with you whe beig moved dow or across slopes. Geeral access scaffolds Whe providig a scaffold you must make sure: it is erected, altered or dismatled by competet scaffolders; scaffoldig i public areas does ot edager people passig earby while it is beig erected or used; the scaffolders uderstad what you wat to use the scaffold for. Never add sheetig to a scaffold without tellig the scaffolders; you kow how much load the scaffold ca carry. Never overload a scaffold; it is properly tied ever alter a scaffold or remove ties, boards, ad hadrails. Such work should be doe by a traied scaffolder; workig platforms have guard rails ad toe boards. Brick guards or similar will ofte be eeded to provide extra protectio to prevet materials fallig; Essetials of health ad safety at work Page 28 of 105

29 Health ad Safety platforms are wide eough for the work to be doe, boards are properly supported ad do ot overhag too much (at least three supports ot more tha 1.5 m apart); stairs or a ladder tower are provided for safe access betwee each level or lift; the scaffold is ispected at least oce a week, or wheever it is substatially altered or after very bad weather; the perso doig the ispectio fully uderstads scaffold safety ad records the results. If you are goig to work o a scaffold someoe has provided for you, do t start work without checkig the above poits (icludig a look at the ispectio register). Roof work Whe workig o a roof you must: always establish if the roof is or has become fragile or cotais fragile material. Falls through fragile materials are a major cause of fatal accidets; have safe access oto ad off the roof, eg by a geeral access or tower scaffold; use edge protectio at the ope edge/eaves level of a roof to stop people ad materials fallig off it; cover opeigs ad fragile materials such as roof lights or provide barriers aroud them; have safe meas of movig across the roof. O slopig roofs you will eed purpose-made roof ladders. Do ot use homemade ladders or boards as these have caused may accidets; ot walk alog the lie of the roof bolts above the purlis or alog the roof edge of a fragile roof this is as usafe as walkig a tightrope; place promiet warig otices where someoe ca approach a fragile surface; have safe meas of gettig material up oto the roof; ever throw materials, old slates, tiles etc from the roof or scaffold where this could cause ijury. Use eclosed debris chutes or lower the debris i skips or baskets. You should: Provide permaet meas of safe access, eg to plat rooms, vetilatio equipmet, ad roof lights that eed cleaig. Groud work Idetify the locatio of udergroud services before startig to dig. Dig well away from udergroud services such as electricity cables, gas pipes etc. If you have to work ear services, use service plas, locators ad safe diggig practices to avoid dager. Trech ad excavatio sides ca collapse suddely whatever the ature of the soil. Always assess whether a excavatio eeds to have the sides sloped back or supported. Essetials of health ad safety at work Page 29 of 105

30 Health ad Safety Other hazards Paits, glues, cleaig materials etc used durig maiteace may be a health risk use the iformatio from maufacturers ad suppliers to idetify hazards (see Chapter 17). Beware of gases foud i sewers, ad fumes or lack of oxyge i cofied spaces (see Chapter 8). Fid out more Health ad safety i roof work HSG33 (Secod editio) ISBN Avoidig dager from udergroud services HSG47 (Secod editio) ISBN Health ad safety i costructio HSG150 (Secod editio) ISBN Maagig health ad safety i costructio: Costructio (Desig ad Maagemet) Regulatios Approved Code of Practice ad guidace HSG224 ISBN A guide to the Costructio (Health, Safety ad Welfare) Regulatios 1996 Leaflet INDG220 Essetials of health ad safety at work Page 30 of 105

31 Health ad Safety 7 Machiery safety The hazards Movig machiery ca cause ijury i may ways. Hair or clothig ca become etagled ad drag a perso ito rotatig parts, ad parts of the body ca be draw i or trapped betwee rollers, belts ad pulley drives. People ca be crushed, both betwee parts movig together or towards a fixed part of the machie, wall or other object, ad two parts movig past oe aother ca cause shearig. People ca be struck ad ijured by movig parts of machiery or ejected material. Sharp edges ca cause cuts ad severig ijuries, sharp poited parts ca cause stabbig or pucture the ski, ad rough surface parts ca cause frictio or abrasio. Parts of the machie, materials ad emissios (such as steam or water) ca be hot or cold eough to cause burs or scalds ad electricity ca cause accidets (see Chapter 15). Assess the risks Before you start: check, before usig ay machie, that it is complete ad free from defects; look at the residual risks idetified by the maufacturer i their iformatio/ istructios provided with the machie ad deal with them; put procedures i place for usig ad maitaiig the machie; take care to esure every static machie is stable (usually fixed dow); choose the right machie for the job ad do ot site machies where customers or visitors may go ad be exposed to risk. Make sure the machie is safe: for ay work which has to be doe i settig up, maiteace, repair, breakdows ad removig blockages, as well as ormal use; to be used, ot oly by experieced ad well-traied workers, but also by ew starters, people who have chaged jobs or those who have particular difficulties; to be used by workers who may act foolishly or carelessly or make mistakes. Make sure you deal with the risks from: electrical, hydraulic or peumatic power supplies; badly desiged safeguards beig icoveiet to use or easily defeated, which could ecourage your workers to risk ijury ad break the law. What suppliers must do By law the supplier must provide the right safeguards ad iform buyers of ay risks ( residual risks ) that users eed to deal with because they could ot be desiged out. The law The Provisio ad Use of Work Equipmet Regulatios 1998 (PUWER) cotai the requiremets for work equipmet to be safe. Maufacturers ad suppliers have duties to provide safe equipmet. If i doubt, ask your ispector. Essetials of health ad safety at work Page 31 of 105

32 Health ad Safety Guards You must use fixed guards (eg secured with screws or uts ad bolts) to eclose the dagerous parts, wheever practical. Thik about the best materials to use plastic may be easy to see through but ca easily be damaged. Where you use wire mesh or similar materials, make sure the holes are ot large eough to allow access to movig parts. If you have to go ear dagerous parts regularly ad fixed guards are ot practical, you must use other methods, eg iterlock the guard so that the machie caot start before the guard is closed ad caot be opeed while the machie is still movig. I some cases, eg guilloties, trip systems such as photo-electric devices, pressure-sesitive mats or automatic guards may be used if fixed or iterlocked guards are ot practical. Some machies are cotrolled by programmable electroic systems. Your supplier must tell you about the safety of the system. Chages to routie workig or mai programmes should oly be carried out by a competet perso. Keep a record of programmig chages ad check they have bee doe properly. Where guards caot give full protectio, use jigs, holders, push sticks etc if practical. Make sure the guards you use allow the machie to be cleaed safely. Machie operatio Some workers, eg if they are youg, iexperieced or have a disability, may be particularly at risk ad will eed extra istructio, traiig or supervisio. Sometimes formal qualificatios are eeded, eg for chaisaw operators. You must ever allow childre to operate or to help at machies. All machie operators must be traied ad, if ecessary, give protective clothig (see Chapters 21 ad 24). You must provide adequate lightig for all machies. Machiery maiteace You must make sure the guards ad other safety devices are checked ad kept i workig order. If maiteace workers eed to remove guards or other safety devices, make sure the machie is stopped first or is safe ad caot be restarted, eg by havig a lock-off system (see Chapter 20). Make sure o oe is defeatig or gettig aroud the guards or safety devices ad, if they are, make sure it does ot happe agai. Check the safeguardig after ay modificatios. Whe puttig i ew machies, thik about safe maiteace. Machie cotrols You must: esure cotrol switches are clearly marked to show what they do; have emergecy stop cotrols where ecessary, eg mushroom-head push buttos withi easy reach; make sure operatig cotrols are desiged ad placed to avoid accidetal operatio, eg by shroudig start buttos ad pedals. Essetials of health ad safety at work Page 32 of 105

33 Health ad Safety Operator s checklist Check every time that: you kow how to stop the machie before you start it; all guards are i positio ad all protective devices are workig; the area aroud the machie is clea, tidy ad free from obstructios; you tell your supervisor at oce if you thik a machie is ot workig properly or ay safeguards are faulty; you are wearig appropriate protective clothig ad equipmet, such as safety glasses or shoes (see Chapter 24). Never: use a machie uless you are authorised ad traied to do so; try to clea a machie i motio switch it off ad uplug it or lock it off; use a machie or appliace which has a dager sig or tag attached to it. Dager sigs should be removed oly by a authorised perso who is satisfied that the machie or process is ow safe; wear daglig chais, loose clothig, gloves, rigs or have log hair which could get caught up i movig parts; distract people who are usig machies. Fid out more Safe use of work equipmet. Provisio ad Use of Work Equipmet Regulatios Approved Code of Practice ad guidace L22 (Secod editio) ISBN Safe use of power presses. Provisio ad Use of Work Equipmet Regulatios 1998 as applied to power presses. Approved Code of Practice ad guidace L112 ISBN Safe use of liftig equipmet. Liftig Operatios ad Liftig Equipmet Regulatios Approved Code of Practice ad guidace L113 ISBN Safe use of woodworkig machiery. Provisio ad Use of Work Equipmet Regulatios 1998 as applied to woodworkig machiery. Approved Code of Practice ad guidace L114 ISBN Safety i the use of abrasive wheels HSG17 (Third editio) ISBN Simple guide to the Provisio ad Use of Work Equipmet Regulatios 1998 Leaflet INDG291 Essetials of health ad safety at work Page 33 of 105

34 Health ad Safety 8 Plat ad equipmet maiteace The hazards Maiteace is carried out to prevet problems arisig ad to put faults right. It may be part of a plaed programme or may have to be carried out at short otice after a breakdow. It always ivolves o-routie activities. Hazards ca occur whe machiery starts up accidetally or too early; whe usig had tools ad electrical equipmet; durig cotact with materials which are ormally eclosed i plat ad equipmet; ad whe eterig vessels or cofied spaces where there may be toxic materials or a lack of air. Lack of commuicatio or cofusio ca cause accidets where maiteace is carried out durig ormal productio work or where differet cotractors are workig together at the same time o a site. Take extra care whe gettig up to ad workig at heights, or whe doig work which requires access to uusual parts of the buildig (see Chapter 5). Before you start Is the job ecessary? Ca it be doe less ofte without icreasig other risks? Should it be doe by specialist cotractors? Never take o work for which you are ot prepared or ot competet. Pla the work to cut dow the risks, eg the difficulties i co-ordiatig maiteace ad routie work ca be avoided if maiteace work is performed before start-up or at shut-dow periods. Access is easier if equipmet is desiged with maiteace i mid Safe workig areas You must provide safe access ad a safe place of work (see Chapters 5 ad 6 o usig ladders ad scaffolds). Esure the safety of maiteace workers ad others who may be affected, eg other employees or cotractors. Set up sigs ad barriers ad positio people at key poits if they are eeded to cotrol the risk. Safe plat Plat ad equipmet must be made safe before maiteace starts. You will ormally eed to: isolate electrical ad other power supplies. Most maiteace should be carried out with the power off. If the work is ear uisulated overhead electrical coductors, eg close to overhead travellig craes, cut the power off first; lock off machies if there is a chace the power could be switched back o; isolate plat ad pipelies cotaiig pressured fluid, gas, steam or hazardous material. Lock off isolatig valves; support parts of plat which could fall; esure movig plat is stopped; allow compoets which operate at high temperatures time to cool; place mobile plat i eutral gear, apply the brake ad chock the wheels; safely clea out vessels cotaiig flammable solids, liquids, gases or dusts The law Look at the Provisio ad Use of Work Equipmet Regulatios 1998 (PUWER) ad the Workplace (Health, Safety ad Welfare) Regulatios 1992 for the full requiremets. You may also eed to cosider the Cofied Spaces Regulatios Essetials of health ad safety at work Page 34 of 105

35 Health ad Safety ad check them before hot work is carried out to prevet explosios. You may eed specialist help ad advice to do this safely. Avoid eterig taks ad vessels where possible as this carries a very high risk. If required, get specialist help to esure adequate precautios are take (see Cofied spaces ); clea ad check vessels cotaiig toxic materials before work starts. Cofied spaces A umber of people are killed ad seriously ijured i the UK each year while workig i cofied spaces. Asphyxiatio ad toxic fumes are the two most commo causes of death, but others iclude drowig i free-flowig solids, eg grai silos, ad fire ad explosios. Two or more people are ofte ivolved i these icidets. Oe perso is overwhelmed ad the others attempt to rescue them without beig adequately prepared. What is a cofied space? Some cofied spaces are fairly easy to idetify, eg closed taks, vessels ad sewers. Others are less obvious but may be equally dagerous, eg ope-topped taks ad vats, closed ad uvetilated rooms ad silos. Cofied spaces exist i all sectors of idustry, so it is ot possible to provide a complete list. You should idetify where these hazards arise i your workplace ad take precautios. Deal with cofied spaces Idetify all cofied spaces. Do the work from outside where possible. If etry is ecessary follow the guidelies i Chapter 20. Appropriate precautios Isolate the vessel to stop dust, fume or hazardous substaces gettig i. Clea up to esure fumes do ot develop from residues etc while the work is beig doe. Test the atmosphere to check that it is free from toxic or flammable vapours ad that there is eough fresh air. Make sure there is eough vetilatio to esure a adequate supply of fresh air. Use o-sparkig tools. Do ot use petrol or diesel equipmet iside the cofied space. Make sure rescue equipmet ad eough traied persoel are ready at had for rescue ad resuscitatio. Use safe lightig (eg low voltage). See Chapter 24 for protective clothig ad equipmet ad Chapter 21 for selectio ad traiig. Fid out more Safe work i cofied spaces. Cofied Spaces Regulatios Approved Code of Practice, Regulatios ad guidace L101 ISBN Safe work i cofied spaces Leaflet INDG258 Essetials of health ad safety at work Page 35 of 105

36 Health ad Safety Clear workig procedures Use the maufacturer s maiteace istructios where provided. Chapter 20 gives more iformatio o safe systems, icludig the use of permits to work. Persoal protective equipmet Maiteace staff must be give clothig ad equipmet which is appropriate for the job to be doe (see Chapter 24). Had tools You must esure had tools are properly maitaied, eg: Hammers avoid split, broke or loose shafts ad wor or chipped heads. Make sure heads are properly secured to the shafts. Files should have a proper hadle. Never use them as levers. Chisels the cuttig edge should be sharpeed to the correct agle. Do ot allow the head to spread to a mushroom shape grid off the sides regularly. Screwdrivers should ever be used as chisels, ad hammers should ever be used o them. Split hadles are dagerous. Spaers avoid splayed jaws. Scrap ay which show sigs of slippig. Have eough spaers of the right size. Do ot improvise by usig pipes etc as extesio hadles. Fid out more Safe use of work equipmet. Provisio ad Use of Work Equipmet Regulatios Approved Code of Practice ad guidace L22 (Secod editio) ISBN Workplace health, safety ad welfare. Workplace (Health, Safety ad Welfare) Regulatios Approved Code of Practice L24 ISBN Usig work equipmet safely Leaflet INDG229(rev1) Simple guide to the Provisio ad Use of Work Equipmet Regulatios 1998 Leaflet INDG291 Vehicle repair Make sure brakes are applied ad wheels are chocked. Always start ad ru egies with the brakes o ad i eutral gear. Support vehicles o both jacks ad axle stads (ever rely o jacks aloe). Always prop raised bodies. Beware of the explosio risk whe draiig ad repairig fuel taks, ad from battery gases do ot drai petrol taks over a pit. Take care ot to short-circuit batteries. Use a tyre cage whe iflatig commercial tyres, particularly those with split rim wheels explosios do happe! Avoid breathig asbestos dust from brake ad clutch liig pads the best approach is to use asbestos-free liigs. Essetials of health ad safety at work Page 36 of 105

37 Health ad Safety Wear protective clothig whe hadlig battery acid. Be aware of the risk from mieral oil cotamiatio o hads ad other parts of the body, eg for those chagig egie oils. Good hygiee is essetial icludig makig sure overalls are cleaed regularly ad that you wash your hads hads before goig to the toilet to avoid trasferrig oil. See Chapter 24 for more iformatio o protective clothig ad equipmet. Fid out more Health ad safety i tyre ad exhaust fittig premises HSG62 ISBN X Health ad safety i motor vehicle repair HSG67 ISBN Essetials of health ad safety at work Page 37 of 105

38 Health ad Safety 9 Gas- ad oil-fired equipmet The hazards There is a dager of fire ad explosio ad of toxic fumes (carbo mooxide) from piped gas supplies ad appliaces if they are ot properly istalled ad maitaied. Explosios ca occur i gas- ad oil-fired plat such as oves, stoves ad boilers. Gas supply If you suspect a leak, tur off the supply ad immediately call the Gas Emergecy Freephoe umber for atural gas, or, for liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), your gas supplier. If i doubt, evacuate the buildig ad iform the police as well as the emergecy call cetre or gas supplier. Do ot check for leaks with a aked flame. Do ot tur the gas back o util the leak has bee dealt with by a competet perso. Appliaces You must: use a competet fitter to istall, maitai or repair your appliaces; ot use ay appliace you kow or suspect is usafe; check also that the room has adequate vetilatio do ot block air ilets to prevet draughts, ad do ot obstruct flues ad chimeys; get your appliaces regularly serviced by a competet perso. Ay busiess (icludig a self-employed perso) which works o gas fittigs i premises covered by the Gas Safety (Istallatio ad Use) Regulatios 1998, such as caterig establishmets, schools ad hospitals but excludig factories, must be registered with the Coucil for Registered Gas Istallers (CORGI). It is importat to check this by askig to see a CORGI idetity card or checkig with CORGI (Tel: ). The reverse of the card details what kid of work the istaller is able to do (see example of card overleaf). The law The Gas Safety (Istallatio ad Use) Regulatios 1998 cover gas appliaces, both atural gas ad LPG, i most premises except i factories, where the Health ad Safety at Work etc Act 1974 (the HSW Act) requires a equivalet or higher stadard to be met. Essetials of health ad safety at work Page 38 of 105

39 Health ad Safety Plat Explosios ca be caused by igitio of uburt fuel or flammable vapours from plat such as dryig oves o a pait-sprayig lie. There is a similar risk with electrically-heated equipmet. Fit explosio relief ad flame-failure protectio as ecessary. Iterlock the heat source ad the vetilatio system if flammable vapours could build up to dagerous levels if there is a vetilatio failure. Plat, icludig petrol-drive compressors ad LPG-fuelled equipmet, such as heaters ad pait strippers, should be desiged ad operated to esure there is eough air to bur the fuel properly. There should be eough vetilatio to remove combustio products ad solvets give off. Make sure the operators are fully traied use a safe procedure for purgig, lightig up ad shuttig dow the plat. Fid out more Safety i the istallatio ad use of gas systems ad appliaces. Gas Safety (Istallatio ad Use) Regulatios Approved Code of Practice ad guidace L56 (Secod editio) ISBN Gas appliaces: Get them checked keep them safe Leaflet INDG238(rev2) Oil Firig Techical Associatio (OFTEC) Tel: HSE Gas safety advice lie Tel: Essetials of health ad safety at work Page 39 of 105

40 Health ad Safety 10 Pressurised plat ad equipmet The hazards If a piece of pressurised plat fails ad bursts violetly apart, the results ca be devastatig. May kids of pressurised plat ad equipmet ca produce a hazard, icludig steam boilers ad associated pipework; pressurised hot water boilers ad heatig systems; air compressors, air receivers ad associated pipework; autoclaves; chemical reactio vessels; slurry takers; ad highpressure water jettig. There will be further risks if the system cotais harmful substaces such as flammable or toxic materials. There may be special risks associated with the maiteace of such plat (see Chapter 8). Before you start Ca the job be doe aother way without usig pressurised equipmet? Do t use high pressure whe low pressure will do. Good desig ad maiteace All plat ad systems must be desiged, costructed ad istalled to prevet dager ad must have safety devices, such as pressure-relief valves. Systems must be properly maitaied. Ay modificatios or repairs must be plaed ad ot cause dager. There must be a writte scheme for examiatio of pressure vessels, fittigs ad pipework, draw up by a competet perso. The examiatios must be carried out. Records must be kept. Safe operatio You must: operate plat withi the safe operatig limits. Sometimes these are laid dow by the maufacturer or supplier. If ot, a competet perso ca advise you, eg your Employers Liability isurer; provide adequate istructios. This should iclude the maufacturer s operatig maual which should have bee provided i Eglish by the supplier; provide istructios o what to do i a emergecy. Pressure cleaig Follow the supplier s advice o high-pressure jettig equipmet protective clothig ad keepig other people away are importat, as is electrical safety. Avoid usig compressed air for cleaig istead use vacuum or low-pressure ozzles. Horseplay with compressed air is very dagerous ad ca be fatal. The law Look at the Pressure Systems Safety Regulatios 2000 which deal with the safe operatio of a pressure system ad the Pressure Equipmet Regulatios 1999 which deal with the desig, maufacture ad supply of pressure systems. Essetials of health ad safety at work Page 40 of 105

41 Health ad Safety Fid out more Safety of pressure systems. Pressure Systems Safety Regulatios Approved Code of Practice L122 ISBN X Writte schemes of examiatio: Pressure Systems Safety Regulatios 2000 Leaflet INDG178(rev1) Pressure systems: Safety ad you Leaflet INDG261(rev1) Essetials of health ad safety at work Page 41 of 105

42 Health ad Safety 11 Workplace trasport The hazards Every year over 5000 accidets ivolvig trasport i the workplace are reported. About 70 of these result i death. People are kocked over, ru over, or crushed agaist fixed parts by powered vehicles (eg LGVs, lift trucks ad tractors) or by vehicles, plat ad trailers which roll away whe icorrectly parked. People also fall from vehicles either gettig o or off, workig at height, or whe loadig or uloadig. Movig materials mechaically is also hazardous ad people ca be crushed or struck by material whe it falls from a liftig or movig device, or is dislodged from a storage stack. Before you start Thik about whether there is a easier, safer way of doig the job. You must carry out risk assessmets for all trasport activities, icludig loadig ad uloadig. It ca help if you: look carefully at all the vehicles ad people movig roud your worksite; mark the traffic ad pedestria movemets o a pla of the site, so you ca see the dagers clearly; idetify areas where improvemets are eeded; remember to iclude less frequet tasks, eg waste skip chages; make sure you cosider delivery drivers as they are particularly vulerable. Safe site Pla your workplace so that pedestrias are safe from vehicles. Provide separate routes for pedestrias ad vehicles where possible. Where pedestrias ad traffic meet, provide appropriate crossig poits. Avoid reversig where possible. Provide a oe-way system if you ca. Use Highway code sigs to idicate vehicle routes, speed limits, pedestria crossigs etc. Make sure lightig is adequate where people ad vehicles are workig. Make sure road surfaces are firm ad eve. Make sure there are safe areas for loadig ad uloadig. Visitors may ot kow your site, so try to provide separate car parkig for them. Safe driver Lift truck drivers must be traied as detailed i HSE s Approved Code of Practice L117 (see Fid out more ). Lift truck drivers eed to be re-assessed at regular itervals, eg every three years, or whe ew risks arise such as chages to workig practices. Drivers of other vehicles should be traied to a similar stadard. Maagers should actively supervise all drivers (icludig those visitig the site). The law Look at the Workplace (Health, Safety ad Welfare) Regulatios 1992 ad the Provisio ad Use of Work Equipmet Regulatios Look at the Liftig Operatios ad Liftig Equipmet Regulatios 1998 (LOLER) for the safe use of liftig equipmet. Essetials of health ad safety at work Page 42 of 105

43 Health ad Safety Safe vehicle Vehicles must be suitable for the purpose for which they are used. Vehicles must be maitaied i good repair, particularly the brakig system, steerig, tyres, mirrors ad specific safety systems. Remove the eed for people to go up o vehicles where possible, eg by providig gauges ad cotrols that are accessible from groud level. Reduce the risk of fallig whe people have to climb oto a vehicle or trailer by providig well-costructed ladders, o-slip walkways ad guard rails where possible. Provide reversig aids such as CCTV (closed-circuit televisio) as appropriate. Fit roll-over protective structures ad use seat belts where ecessary. Safe liftig by machie Safe liftig eeds to be plaed. Ay equipmet you use must have bee properly desiged, maufactured ad tested. Cosider: What are you are liftig? How heavy is it? Where is its cetre of gravity? How will you attach it to the liftig machiery? Who is i cotrol of the lift? What are the safe limits of the equipmet? Could you rehearse the lift if ecessary? Also: Use oly certified liftig equipmet, marked with its safe workig load, which is ot overdue for examiatio. Keep the aual or six-mothly reports of thorough examiatio as well as ay declaratios of coformity or test certificates. Never use usuitable equipmet, eg makeshift, damaged, badly wor chais shorteed with kots, kiked or twisted wire ropes, frayed or rotted fibre ropes. Never exceed the safe workig load of machiery or accessories like chais, sligs ad grabs. Remember that the load i the legs of a slig icreases as the agle betwee the legs icreases. Do ot lift a load if you doubt its weight or the adequacy of the equipmet. Make sure the load is properly attached to the liftig equipmet. If ecessary, securely bid the load to prevet it slippig or fallig off. Before liftig a ubalaced load, fid out its cetre of gravity. Raise it a few iches off the groud ad pause there will be little harm if it drops. Use packagig to prevet sharp edges of the load from damagig sligs ad do ot allow tackle to be damaged by beig dropped, dragged from uder loads or subjected to sudde loads. Whe usig jib craes, make sure ay idicators for safe loads are workig properly ad set correctly for the job ad the way the machie is cofigured. Use outriggers where ecessary. Whe usig multi-sligs make sure the slig agle is take ito accout. Have a resposible sliger or baksma ad use a recogised sigallig system. Do t forget maiteace (see Chapter 8). Essetials of health ad safety at work Page 43 of 105

44 Health ad Safety Safe stackig Materials ad objects should be stored ad stacked so they are ot likely to fall ad cause ijury. Do: stack o a firm, level base. Use a properly costructed rack whe eeded ad secure it to the floor or wall if possible; use the correct cotaier, pallet or rack for the job. Ispect these regularly for damage ad reject defective oes; esure stacks are stable, eg key stacked packages of a uiform size like a brick wall so that o tier is idepedet of aother; chock pipes ad drums to prevet rollig ad keep heavy articles ear floor level. Do ot: exceed the safe load of racks, shelves or floors; allow items to stick out from stacks or bis ito gagways; climb racks to reach upper shelves use steps; lea heavy stacks agaist walls; de-stack by throwig dow from the top or pullig out from the bottom. Fid out more Workplace health, safety ad welfare. Workplace (Health, Safety ad Welfare) Regulatios Approved Code of Practice L24 ISBN Safe use of liftig equipmet. Liftig Operatios ad Liftig Equipmet Regulatios Approved Code of Practice ad guidace L113 ISBN Rider-operated lift trucks. Operator traiig. Approved Code of Practice ad guidace L117 ISBN Safety i workig with lift trucks HSG6 (Third editio) ISBN Workplace trasport safety: A employers guide HSG136 (Secod editio) ISBN Workplace trasport safety: A overview Leaflet INDG199(rev1) Workplace trasport site ispectio checklist: Deliverig safely website: Essetials of health ad safety at work Page 44 of 105

45 Health ad Safety 12 Liftig ad hadlig The hazards Over a millio people a year suffer from workrelated back pai, repetitive strai ijury (RSI) ad similar problems affectig muscles, joits, ad tedos. Severe cases ca badly affect both the employer ad the ijured perso. Employers may have to bear large costs, eg for retraiig, wages, overtime ad civil liability. The ijured perso may fid that their lifestyle, leisure activities, ability to sleep ad job prospects are made worse. There are may costeffective ways to prevet or miimise such problems. You caot prevet all ijuries, so make sure there are systems i place for early reportig of symptoms, proper treatmet ad a maaged retur to work. See Chapter 2 for iformatio o how to reduce the risks from display scree equipmet. Are aches ad pais a problem i my workplace? If your work icludes ay of the followig, the there is probably a risk of back pai ad/or pai affectig the had, arm or eck: repetitive or heavy liftig; bedig ad twistig; repeatig a actio too frequetly; a ucomfortable workig positio; exertig too much force; workig too log without breaks; a adverse workig eviromet (eg hot or cold); itesive work, tight deadlies ad lack of cotrol over the work ad workig methods. Maual hadlig Employers must: avoid hazardous maual hadlig operatios, so far as is reasoably practicable, eg carry out processes such as wrappig i the same place without hadlig the load; assess ay hazardous maual hadlig operatios that caot be avoided, eg by usig the MAC (Maual hadlig assessmet charts) see Fid out more ; reduce the risk of ijury so far as is reasoably practicable. How ca I reduce the risk? Firstly does the job have to be doe at all? If it does the cosider if you ca reduce the risk from maual hadlig. Improve the task Use a liftig aid, such as a pallet truck, electric or had-powered hoist, or a coveyor. Reduce the amout of twistig, stoopig ad reachig. Avoid liftig from floor level or above shoulder height, especially heavy loads. Reduce carryig distaces. The law The Maual Hadlig Operatios Regulatios 1992 (as ameded i 2002) apply to work which ivolves liftig, lowerig, pushig, pullig or carryig. Essetials of health ad safety at work Page 45 of 105

46 Health ad Safety Avoid repetitive hadlig. Vary the work, allowig oe set of muscles to rest while aother is used. Push rather tha pull. Modify the load Make the load: lighter or less bulky; easier to grasp; more stable; less damagig to hold, eg with o sharp edges. If the load comes i from elsewhere, ask the supplier to help, eg by providig hadles or smaller packages. Improve the workig eviromet Remove obstructios to free movemet. Provide better floorig, without bumps or slippery surfaces. Avoid steps ad steep ramps. Prevet extremes of hot ad cold. Improve lightig. Provide protective clothig or PPE that is less restrictive. Esure your employees clothig ad footwear is suitable for their work. Make sure you: pay particular attetio to those who have a physical weakess or health problem; take extra care of pregat workers; give your employees eough iformatio, eg about the rage of tasks they are likely to face; provide traiig relevat to the jobs beig doe; provide equipmet that is suitable for the task; carry out plaed maiteace, eg of trolleys ad other hadlig aids, to prevet problems. Repetitive hadlig Reduce the risks from repetitive hadlig Reduce the levels of force required, eg by maitaiig equipmet ad usig lighter tools with well-desiged hadles. Reduce repetitive movemets, eg by varyig tasks, rotatig jobs, usig power- drive tools, reducig machie pace ad itroducig rest ad recovery time. Get rid of awkward positios by chagig the workstatio or the work. Improve the workig eviromet, eg with better lightig, ad a more comfortable temperature. Essetials of health ad safety at work Page 46 of 105

47 Health ad Safety Practical tips for good liftig techique Thik before liftig/hadlig. Pla the lift. Ca hadlig aids be used? Where is the load goig to be placed? Will help be eeded with the load? Remove obstructios such as discarded wrappig materials. For a log lift, cosider restig the load mid-way o a table or bech to chage grip. Keep the load close to the waist. The load should be kept close to the body for as log as possible while liftig. Keep the heaviest side of the load ext to the body. If a close approach to the load is ot possible, try to slide it towards the body before attemptig to lift it. Adopt a stable positio. The feet should be apart with oe leg slightly forward to maitai balace (alogside the load, if it is o the groud). The worker should be prepared to move their feet durig the lift to maitai their stability. Avoid tight clothig or usuitable footwear, which may make this difficult. Get a good hold. Where possible the load should be hugged as close as possible to the body. This may be better tha grippig it tightly with hads oly. Start i a good posture. At the start of the lift, slight bedig of the back, hips ad kees is preferable to fully flexig the back (stoopig) or fully flexig the hips ad kees (squattig). Do t flex the back ay further while liftig. This ca happe if the legs begi to straighte before startig to raise the load. Avoid twistig the back or leaig sideways, especially while the back is bet. Shoulders should be kept level ad facig i the same directio as the hips. Turig by movig the feet is better tha twistig ad liftig at the same time. Keep the head up whe hadlig. Look ahead, ot dow at the load oce it has bee held securely. Move smoothly. The load should ot be jerked or satched as this ca make it harder to keep cotrol ad ca icrease the risk of ijury. Do t lift or hadle more tha ca be easily maaged. There is a differece betwee what people ca lift ad what they ca safely lift. If i doubt, seek advice or get help. Put dow, the adjust. If precise positioig of the load is ecessary, put it dow first, the slide it ito the desired positio. Essetials of health ad safety at work Page 47 of 105

48 Health ad Safety Risk assessmet guidelies for liftig ad lowerig There is o such thig as a completely safe maual hadlig operatio, but workig withi the guidelie figures i the followig illustratio will reduce the risk ad the eed for a more detailed assessmet. You ca use it for: relatively ifrequet tasks (less tha 30 times per hour); tasks which do ot ivolve twistig to the side; loads which ca be easily held i both hads; operatios which take place i reasoable workig coditios. I the illustratio each box cotais a guidelie weight for liftig ad lowerig i that zoe. The guidelie weights are reduced if hadlig is doe with the arms exteded or at high or low levels, as that is where ijuries are most likely. Observe the work activity you are assessig ad compare it to the illustratio. First, decide which box or boxes the lifter s hads pass through whe movig the load. The assess the maximum weight beig hadled. If it is less tha the figure give i the box, the operatio is withi the guidelies. If the lifter s hads eter more tha oe box durig the operatio, use the smallest weight. Use a i-betwee weight if the hads are close to a boudary betwee boxes. The guidelie weights are lower where the hadler has to twist to the side durig the operatio, or for more frequet operatios. Essetials of health ad safety at work Page 48 of 105

49 Health ad Safety Fid out more Maual hadlig. Maual Hadlig Operatios Regulatios 1992 (as ameded). Guidace o Regulatios L23 (Third editio) ISBN X Upper limb disorders i the workplace HSG60 (Secod editio) ISBN Gettig to grips with maual hadlig: A short guide Leaflet INDG143(rev2) Achig arms (or RSI) i small busiesses: Is ill health due to upper limb disorders a problem i your workplace? Leaflet INDG171(rev1) Maual hadlig assessmet charts Leaflet INDG383 Are you makig the best use of liftig ad hadlig aids? Leaflet INDG398 Visit for more iformatio o how to prevet back pai ad how to carry out a maual hadlig assessmet. Essetials of health ad safety at work Page 49 of 105

50 Health ad Safety 13 Noise The hazards Loud oise at work ca damage your hearig ad iterferes with commuicatio. This hearig damage is usually gradual ad it may oly be whe the damage caused by oise combies with hearig loss due to ageig that people realise how deaf they have become. Hearig ca also be damaged immediately by sudde, extremely loud oise. You may also develop tiitus, a distressig rigig, whistlig, buzzig or hummig i the ears. Do you have a oise problem at work? This will deped o how loud the oise is ad how log people are exposed to it. If you ca aswer yes to ay of the followig questios you will probably eed to do somethig about the oise: Is the oise itrusive like a busy street, a vacuum cleaer or a crowded restaurat for most of the workig day? Do your employees have to raise their voices to carry out a ormal coversatio whe about 2 m apart for at least part of the day? Do your employees use oisy powered tools or machiery for more tha half a hour each day? Do you work i a oisy idustry, eg costructio, demolitio or road repair; woodworkig; plastics processig; egieerig; textile maufacture; geeral fabricatio; forgig, pressig or stampig; paper or board makig; caig or bottlig; foudries? Are there oises due to impacts (such as hammerig, drop forgig, peumatic impact tools etc), explosive sources such as cartridge-operated tools or detoators, or gus? Noise actio ad limit values Noise is measured i decibels (db). The actio levels are defied i terms of daily oise exposure (the average over the workig day), ad peak oise exposure (sudde oises). The lower exposure actio values are 80 db for daily exposure ad 135 db for peak oise. The upper exposure actio values are 85 db for daily exposure ad 137 db for peak oise. The limits, which must ot be exceeded, are 87 db for daily exposure, ad 140 db for peak oise but ote that i checkig whether the limits have bee exceeded, you ca accout for the effect of ay hearig protectio beig wor. The law The Cotrol of Noise at Work Regulatios 2005 (i force from 6 April 2006) require employers to take actio to prevet or reduce risks to health ad safety from exposure to oise at work. They also defie actio levels, where specific additioal actios are required, ad limit values, which must ot be exceeded. Essetials of health ad safety at work Page 50 of 105

51 Health ad Safety What do I eed to do? Start with a risk assessmet which should: idetify who is at risk from oise, ad why; cotai a reliable estimate of those people s oise exposure; idetify what you eed to do to comply with the law, eg whether oise-cotrol measures or hearig protectio are eeded, ad which employees eed to have health surveillace. Make sure you use reliable data which is represetative of how your employees work ad how it may vary from day to day, eg from measuremets i your ow workplace, iformatio from workplaces similar to yours, or from suppliers of machiery. Record the fidigs of your risk assessmet ad record i a actio pla aythig you idetify as beig ecessary to comply with the law, settig out what you have doe ad what you are goig to do. How do I cotrol the risks from oise? Wherever there are risks from oise you should be lookig for ways of cotrollig them, ad you should always be keepig up with good practice ad stadards for oise cotrol withi your idustry. Where there are thigs that you ca do to reduce risks, that are reasoably practicable, they should be doe. Where exposures are likely to be at or above the upper actio values, your oisecotrol measures must be part of a plaed programme. There are may ways of reducig oise ad oise exposure ofte a combiatio of methods work best. First thik about how to remove the loud oise altogether. If that is ot possible, do all you ca to cotrol the oise at source. Take measures to protect idividual workers if you eed to. Cosider the followig: Use a differet, quieter process or quieter equipmet, ad maybe itroduce a low-oise purchasig policy for machiery ad equipmet. Itroduce egieerig cotrols, eg fit silecers to air exhausts ad blowig ozzles. Modify the paths by which the oise travels through the air to the people exposed, eg erect eclosures aroud machies. Desig ad lay out the workplace for low oise emissio, eg use absorptive materials such as ope cell foam or mieral wool withi the buildig to reduce reflected soud. Limit the time spet i oisy areas every halvig of the time spet i a oisy area will reduce oise exposure by 3 db. Hearig protectio Hearig protectio (earmuffs or earplugs) should be issued to employees: where extra protectio is eeded above what ca be achieved usig oise cotrol; as a short-term measure while other methods of cotrollig oise are beig developed. Essetials of health ad safety at work Page 51 of 105

52 Health ad Safety Do ot use hearig protectio as a alterative to cotrollig oise by the techical ad orgaisatioal methods described earlier. What do I have to do about hearig protectio? You must: provide your employees with hearig protectors if they ask for them ad their oise exposure is betwee the lower ad upper exposure actio values; provide your employees with hearig protectors ad make sure they use them properly whe their oise exposure exceeds the upper exposure actio values; idetify hearig protectio zoes, ie areas where the use of hearig protectio is compulsory, ad mark them with sigs if possible; provide your employees with traiig ad iformatio o how to use ad care for the hearig protectors; esure the hearig protectors are properly used ad maitaied. How ca I make sure hearig protectio is used effectively? Make sure the protectors give eough protectio aim at least to get below 85 db at the ear. Target the use of protectors to the oisy tasks ad jobs i a workig day. Select protectors which are suitable for the workig eviromet cosider how comfortable ad hygieic they are. Thik about how they will be wor with other protective equipmet, eg hard hats, dust masks ad eye protectio. Provide a rage of protectors so that employees ca choose oes which suit them. Do ot provide protectors which cut out too much oise this ca cause isolatio, or lead to a uwilligess to wear them. Do ot make the use of hearig protectio compulsory where the law does t require it. Do ot have a blaket approach to hearig protectio it is better to target its use ad oly ecourage people to wear it whe they eed to. Health surveillace (hearig checks) You must provide regular hearig checks i cotrolled coditios for all your employees who are likely to be regularly exposed above the upper exposure actio values, or are at risk for ay other reaso. The purpose of this is to: war you whe employees might be sufferig from early sigs of hearig damage; give you the opportuity to do somethig to prevet the damage gettig worse; check cotrol measures are workig. Large compaies may have access to i-house occupatioal health services to arrage health surveillace. Where there are o facilities i-house you will eed to use a exteral cotractor. Essetials of health ad safety at work Page 52 of 105

53 Health ad Safety Fid out more Cotrollig oise at work. The Cotrol of Noise at Work Regulatios Guidace o Regulatios L108 (Secod editio) ISBN Noise at work: Guidace for employers o the Cotrol of Noise at Work Regulatios 2005 Leaflet INDG362(rev1) Protect your hearig or lose it! Pocket card INDG363(rev1) Visit for more iformatio ad advice o oise cotrol ad oise risk assessmet. Essetials of health ad safety at work Page 53 of 105

54 Health ad Safety 14 Vibratio The hazards Frequet ad regular exposure to had-arm vibratio from hadheld power tools such as chippig hammers, griders ad chaisaws, ad other machiery, ca cause had-arm vibratio sydrome (HAVS). This is a paiful ad disablig coditio which affects the erves, blood vessels, muscles ad joits of the hads ad arms. It causes tiglig ad umbess i the figers, reduces the sese of touch, ad affects the blood circulatio (vibratio white figer). Whole-body vibratio maily affects drivers of vehicles used offroad, such as dumpers, excavators, tractors ad some lift trucks. It is associated mostly with low back pai. However, back pai ca also be caused by other factors, such as maual hadlig ad postural strais, ad while exposure to vibratio ad shocks may be paiful for people with back problems, it will ot ecessarily be the cause of the problem. What do I eed to do? Employers are required by the Regulatios to itroduce a formal programme of cotrol measures whe employees are exposed above a daily exposure actio value, ad to prevet employees from beig exposed above a daily exposure limit value. You must also provide iformatio, traiig ad appropriate health surveillace for ay employees judged to be at risk. Reduce had-arm vibratio Idetify hazardous machies, tools ad processes, especially those which cause tiglig or umbess i the hads after a few miutes use. Do the job aother way without usig high-vibratio tools if possible. Ask about likely vibratio levels for the way you use equipmet before decidig which ew tool or machie to buy or hire. Provide suitable tools desiged to cut dow vibratio. Make sure people use the right tool for the job ad are traied to use it correctly. Make sure tools are maitaied to prevet vibratio icreasig check the sharpess of tools, the coditio of abrasive wheels, ad ati-vibratio mouts where fitted. Maitai machies as recommeded by the maufacturer. Check whether the job ca be altered to reduce the grip or pressure eeded. Reduce whole-body vibratio Choose vehicles or machies desiged to cope with the task ad coditios. Keep site roadways level, fill i potholes ad remove debris. Trai drivers to operate machies ad attachmets smoothly, to drive at appropriate speeds for the groud coditios ad to adjust suspesio seats correctly. Maitai ad repair machie ad vehicle suspesio systems, tyre pressures ad suspesio seats. The law The Cotrol of Vibratio at Work Regulatios 2005 came ito force o 6 July The Regulatios require employers to assess ad cotrol the risks to their employees from exposure to had-arm ad whole-body vibratio. Essetials of health ad safety at work Page 54 of 105

55 Health ad Safety Fid out more Had-arm vibratio. The Cotrol of Vibratio at Work Regulatios Guidace o Regulatios L140 ISBN Whole-body vibratio. The Cotrol of Vibratio at Work Regulatios Guidace o Regulatios L141 ISBN Cotrol the risks from had-arm vibratio: Advice for employers o the Cotrol of Vibratio at Work Regulatios 2005 Leaflet INDG175(rev2) Cotrol back-pai risks from whole-body vibratio: Advice for employers o the Cotrol of Vibratio at Work Regulatios 2005 Leaflet INDG242(rev1) Had-arm vibratio: Advice for employees Pocket card INDG296(rev1) Drive away bad backs: Advice for mobile machie operators ad drivers Pocket card INDG404 Visit for more iformatio ad olie tools for calculatig vibratio exposure. Essetials of health ad safety at work Page 55 of 105

56 Health ad Safety 15 Electricity The hazards The three mai hazards are cotact with live parts, fire ad explosio. Each year about 1000 accidets at work ivolvig shock ad bur are reported ad about 25 of these are fatal. Fires started by poor electrical istallatios ad faulty electrical equipmet cause may other deaths ad ijuries. Explosios are caused by electrical apparatus or static electricity igitig flammable vapours or dusts. Remember that ormal mais voltage (230 volts AC) ca kill. The risks are greatest whe electricity is used i harsh coditios, eg portable electrical equipmet used outdoors, or i cramped spaces with a lot of earthed metalwork, eg iside a boiler, air cupboard or bi. Before you start Assess the risks from electricity i your workplace ad use the precautios here to cotrol them. Reduce the voltage Lightig ca ru at 12 or 25 volts. Portable tools ca ru at 110 volts from a isolatig trasformer. Provide ad keep a safe istallatio Provide eough socket outlets, if ecessary, by usig a multi-plug socket block overloadig sockets by usig adapters ca cause a fire. Fuses, circuit-breakers ad other devices must be correctly rated for the circuit they protect. There must be a switch or isolator ear each fixed machie to cut off power i a emergecy. The mais switches must be readily accessible ad clearly idetified. Ay ew electrical istallatio must be properly desiged, istalled ad tested safely with regard to appropriate stadards. Esure that the istallatio ad equipmet is maitaied. Provide isulatio, protectio ad earthig Power cables to machies must be isulated ad protected from damage, eg sheathed ad armoured or istalled i coduit. Earth coectios must be i good coditio. If you use a flexible cable you must always use a proper plug with the flex firmly clamped to stop the wires (particularly the earth) pullig out of the termials. Some tools are double isulated for extra protectio ad these have oly two wires (eutral ad live). Make sure you coect them properly. You must esure cables, plugs, sockets ad fittigs are robust eough ad adequately protected for the workig eviromet. Replace frayed ad damaged cables completely. Joi legths i good coditio oly by usig proper coectors or cable couplers. A residual curret device ca act as a safety trip whe there is a fault. This is ot a substitute for a proper istallatio. Protect light bulbs, or other items which may be easily damaged i use. The law Look at the Electricity at Work Regulatios 1989 for the full requiremets. Essetials of health ad safety at work Page 56 of 105

57 Health ad Safety You must use special protectio where electrical equipmet is used i flammable or dusty eviromets. Low-voltage equipmet (eg 12 volts) gives o protectio agaist igitig flammable vapours. To choose the correct equipmet you may eed specialist advice (see Chapter 18 for further details). Whe carryig or pourig orgaic powders (eg flour, tea dust) or flammable liquids, use closed metal cotaiers ad make sure all metalwork is boded ad earthed. For jobs like electrostatic pait sprayig, make sure both the work ad ayoe i the area are adequately earthed, eg by gettig the operator ad others to wear ati-static footwear, otherwise electrostatic charges ca build up which ca cause a spark. Safe operatio You must esure all your electrical equipmet is safe for people to use, icludig equipmet that is used away from your premises. Employees should kow how to use electrical equipmet safely. You must ot allow ayoe to work o or ear live equipmet, uless it is uavoidable ad special precautios are take. Ask your ispector for advice. Check that: suspect or faulty equipmet is take out of use, labelled Do ot use ad kept secure util checked by a competet perso; tools ad power sockets are switched off before pluggig i or upluggig; appliaces are uplugged before cleaig or makig adjustmets. Overhead electric lies Cotact with overhead electric lies accouts for half of the fatal electrical accidets each year. Electricity ca flash over from overhead power lies eve though plat ad equipmet may ot touch them. Do t work uder them where ay equipmet (eg ladders, a crae jib, a tipper lorry body, a scaffold pole) could come withi a miimum of 6 m of a power lie without seekig advice. Cosult the lie ower, eg your local electricity compay or railway compay. Maiteace All electrical equipmet, icludig portable appliaces, wirig istallatios, geerators or battery sets ad everythig coected to them, must be maitaied to prevet dager. This meas carryig out checks ad ispectios ad repairig ad testig as ecessary how ofte will deped o the equipmet you use ad where you use it. You may fid it helpful to keep records of ispectio ad combied ispectio ad testig. Do t forget hired or borrowed tools or equipmet that employees may brig i (eg mais-powered radios) or equipmet like floor polishers which may be used after the premises have closed. You must prevet access to electrical dager by keepig isolator ad fuse-box covers closed ad (if possible) locked, with the key held by a resposible perso. Essetials of health ad safety at work Page 57 of 105

58 Health ad Safety Ayoe carryig out electrical work must be competet to do it safely, which may mea brigig i outside cotractors. If you do this, make sure they belog to a body which checks their work, such as the Natioal Ispectio Coucil for Electrical Istallatio Cotractig (NICEIC). Ayoe carryig out repairs to electrical equipmet or istallatios should esure that the equipmet or istallatio is dead ad has bee suitably isolated (eg by lockig off the supply). Check that residual curret circuit-breakers work by operatig the test butto regularly. Make sure that special maiteace requiremets of waterproof or explosio- protected equipmet have bee writte dow ad that someoe is made resposible for carryig out the work without damagig the protectio. Electric shock Would you kow what to do if someoe received a electric shock? Kowig what to do should be part of your emergecy procedures ad first-aid arragemets (see Chapter 25). Thik about displayig a copy of the Electric shock poster, which shows you what to do. Udergroud cables Cosult your local electricity compay if you are likely to be diggig ear buried cables they should kow where these are. Always assume cables will be preset whe diggig holes i the street, pavemet or ear buildigs. If you have to work ear services, use service plas, locators ad safe diggig practice to avoid dager. Fid out more Memoradum of guidace o the Electricity at Work Regulatios Guidace o Regulatios HSR25 ISBN Avoidig dager from udergroud services HSG47 (Secod editio) ISBN Electricity at work: Safe workig practices HSG85 (Secod editio) ISBN Electrical safety o costructio sites HSG141 ISBN Avoidace of dager from overhead electric powerlies Geeral Guidace Note GS6 (Third editio) ISBN Electric shock: First-aid procedures Poster ISBN Electrical safety ad you Leaflet INDG231 Visit for more iformatio Essetials of health ad safety at work Page 58 of 105

59 Health ad Safety 16 Radiatios The hazards Visible light is just oe part of the spectrum of electro-magetic radiatio, which rages from electromagetic fields (EMFs) ad radio waves at oe ed to ultraviolet (UV) light ad gamma rays at the other. Before you start Try to reduce ay exposures to ioisig ad UV radiatio as far as possible. Where the hazard arises from the process or the equipmet you use, you may be able to use somethig safer, eg ultrasoic o-destructive testig istead of X-rays. Check o ay radiatio hazards at the time of purchase. Ioisig radiatios Ioisig radiatios: X-rays, gamma rays ad particulate radiatio from radiatio geerators, some highvoltage equipmet, radiography equipmet, radiography cotaiers, substace gauges ad radioactive substaces, icludig rado gas. No-ioisig radiatios: Ca cause burs, dermatitis, cacer, cell damage or blood chages ad cataracts. Permissio to store ad dispose of radioactive substaces is give by the Eviromet Agecy (the Scottish Eviromet Protectio Agecy i Scotlad ad the Eviromet Agecy i Wales). Also see the Radioactive Substaces Act IRR 99 also applies where the aturally occurrig gas rado is preset above a defied level. Cotractors carryig out site radiography (eg checkig welds o pipework or vessels) must otify HSE o each occasio before work starts (see gov.uk/radiatio/ioisig/idradiography.htm). Smoke detectors ad static elimiators ofte cotai radioactive sources. Fid out the rules for safe storage ad use from the supplier ad ever tamper with them. Treat lumious articles ad self-illumiatig devices with similar respect. radio frequecy ad microwaves from, eg plastics weldig, some commuicatios, caterig, dryig ad heatig equipmet; ifra-red from ay glowig source, eg glass ad metal productio, ad some lasers; visible radiatio from all high-itesity visible light sources, ad high-itesity beams, such as from some lasers; ultraviolet (UV) from, eg weldig, some lasers, mercury vapour lamps, carbo arcs, the su. The law The Ioisig Radiatios Regulatios 1999 (IRR 99) apply to most work with ioisig radiatios, icludig exposure to aturally occurrig rado gas. They also apply to the protectio of outside workers, eg cotractors. This chapter also gives advice o complyig with the geeral legal duties whe dealig with o-ioisig radiatios. Legislatio is beig developed to traspose EU Directives o EMFs ad optical radiatio safety ito atioal law. HSE curretly advises employers to use the recommedatios of the Iteratioal Commissio o No-Ioizig Radiatio Protectio (see as the basis for assessig the risks arisig from exposures to EMFs, UV, ifra-red ad optical radiatio. If your work with ioisig radiatios could produce a radiatio emergecy (ie a evet that could lead to a member of the public receivig a dose of ioisig radiatio above certai levels) the Radiatio (Emergecy Preparedess ad Public Iformatio) Regulatios 2001 (REPPIR) may also apply. Essetials of health ad safety at work Page 59 of 105

60 Health ad Safety You may eed to: appoit a radiatio protectio adviser ad oe or more of your employees to supervise radiatio work; arrage for medical examiatio/reviews ad routie dose assessmets of employees who you desigate as classified persos. Make arragemets (cotigecy plas) to cater for spills of radioactive substaces, X-ray exposures failig to termiate etc; arrage for tests where raised levels of rado gas are likely because of workplace locatio, costructio ad vetilatio. Have ay ecessary improvemets carried out. Microwaves ad radio frequecies Ca cause heatig of ay exposed parts of the body. Leakage of eergy from microwave oves is ormally very small. Cotrol it by keepig door seals clea ad esurig that the higes, door latch ad safety iterlocks all work. Reduce exposure to stray radio frequecy (RF) eergy from heaters, driers ad presses by shieldig the applicator electrodes. Limit exposure time or avoid gettig too close to the source. Do ot touch RF electrodes. Prevet uauthorised access to the high-voltage electrical equipmet, eg by iterlockig all cubicle doors. Ifra-red Ca cause burs ad cataracts. Protective clothig may be eeded to reduce warmig, burig ad irritatio of the ski from some hot bodies such as pools of molte metal. Eye protectio with suitable filters should be wor to avoid discomfort. This is essetial with some ifra-red sources, such as certai lasers (see Chapter 24). Ultraviolet (UV) Ca cause subur, cojuctivitis, arc eye, ski cacer, productio of toxic levels of ozoe. UV sources i equipmet should ormally be i a eclosure, or screeed. Take care to avoid exposures to UV light, eg by wearig suitable clothig ad eye protectio. Durig weldig use special goggles or a face scree ad protect passers-by, eg with screes. Whe fittig replacemet UV lamps, choose the correct type specified by the maufacturer. Filters should be kept i place at all times ad replaced after chagig bulbs or if they are damaged. Isect-killig devices with bright blue light sources are ofte foud i food premises ad are ot harmful to the eyes i ormal use. However people must ot be exposed to germicidal UV lamps used to sterilise surfaces. Lasers Ca cause heatig ad photochemical ijury of eye or ski tissue. A laser, a cocetrated beam of radiatio, which may ot always be visible, ca be dagerous whether it is viewed directly or after reflectio from a smooth surface. Essetials of health ad safety at work Page 60 of 105

61 Health ad Safety Maiteace workers who have to examie iside machies may be most at risk. They eed to be traied ad follow a work system, which may iclude the use of eye protectio. High-powered lasers should ormally be iside a safety-iterlocked eclosure oly use them after takig expert advice. Do ot over-ride ay iterlocks. Where lasers are used for display, eg at bars, ightclubs or stage shows ad performaces, there could be risks to the public seek expert advice (see HSE s guidace book HSG95). Fid out more Work with ioisig radiatio. Ioisig Radiatios Regulatios Approved Code of Practice ad guidace L121 ISBN A guide to the Radiatio (Emergecy Preparedess ad Public Iformatio) Regulatios Guidace o Regulatios L126 ISBN The radiatio safety of lasers used for display purposes HSG95 ISBN Visit for iformatio o both ioisig ad oioisig radiatio. Essetials of health ad safety at work Page 61 of 105

62 Health ad Safety 17 Harmful substaces The hazards May materials you work with cotai substaces that ca harm your health. They may be dusts, gases or fumes that you breathe i. They may be liquids or powders that come ito cotact with your eyes or ski. Harmful substaces ca be preset i aythig from paits ad cleaers through to flour dust ad diesel fume. The harmful effects ca either be immediate such as dizziess or stigig eyes, or ca take may years to slowly develop such as damage to your lugs. Most of the logterm effects caot be cured oce they develop. Some substaces may cause asthma ad may ca damage the ski. Special care is eeded whe hadlig cacercausig substaces (carcioges). Chapter 18 covers flammable ad explosive substaces, while radiatio hazards are dealt with i Chapter 16. Chapter 19 gives advice about watchig out for possible symptoms of ill health. What you eed to do Where you use somethig which might cause harm, you must assess the risks to health ad put i place measures to cotrol those risks. This chapter will help you carry out the assessmet. It will help you decide whether your cotrols are adequate ad what chages, if ay, you eed to make. First of all fid out iformatio about the materials you use. The cotets ad hazards of the product must be idicated o the package or label. The supplier must also provide accurate ad complete safety data sheets. Are your cotrols adequate? There are various ways of decidig. Probably the simplest way is to use this chart from the COSHH Regulatios. The law What substaces (products) do you use? What are the health hazards (see R-phrases o safety data sheets ad/or product label)? Are you followig the priciples of good cotrol practice? or Are your cotrols equivalet to those suggested by COSHH essetials? or Ca you demostrate your cotrols are adequate? Yes Do t kow No Maitai curret Seek advice, Ivestigate cotrols eg COSHH essetials improvemets (apply or equivalet COSHH essetials guidace or equivalet) If you use substaces which might cause harm, look at the Cotrol of Substaces Hazardous to Health Regulatios (COSHH) 2002 (as ameded), the Cotrol of Lead at Work Regulatios 2002 ad the Cotrol of Asbestos at Work Regulatios 2002 for the full requiremets. If you are a supplier look at the Chemicals (Hazard Iformatio ad Packagig for Supply) Regulatios 2002 (as ameded) ad the Carriage of Dagerous Goods ad Use of Trasportable Pressure Equipmet Regulatios 2004 (as ameded 2005) (the Carriage Regulatios 2004). If you maufacture or import ew chemicals, look at the Notificatio of New Substaces (Amedmet) Regulatios Essetials of health ad safety at work Page 62 of 105

63 Health ad Safety For may harmful substaces ad processes there is guidace available o good cotrol practice from trade ad idustry associatios ad suppliers, as well as HSE. You may also be able to use the simple step-by-step advice from HSE s COSHH essetials, which is freely available o HSE s website ( You could carry out a assessmet to establish how likely it is that ill health ca be caused by the substaces i your workplace. Carry out a assessmet To do this you eed to cosider: the hazards of substaces or their igrediets read the labels ad safety data sheets. If i doubt cotact your supplier. Remember that some hazardous substaces ca be produced by the process you use, eg wood dust from sadig; the route ito the body (breathed i, swallowed or take i through the ski) ad the result of exposure by each of these routes; the cocetratio or coditios likely to cause ill health; the first symptoms of over-exposure ad whether exposure could result i ill- health effects, eg asthma or dermatitis; who could be exposed. Do t forget maiteace workers, cotractors ad members of the public; if people could be exposed accidetally, eg while cleaig, through spillage or if your cotrols fail; how ofte people work with, or are exposed to, the substace; how much people work with ad for how log. Cotrol measures Do you really eed to use a particular substace? Ca you use a safer material or chage the process to avoid its use? If ot, you must provide adequate cotrol measures. Cotrol measure meas ay measure take to reduce exposure. This icludes: chagig the process to reduce risks; cotaimet; systems of work; cleaig; vetilatio; persoal protective equipmet. You may eed more tha oe cotrol measure. Use the combiatio which will be most effective ad reliable. You will also eed to supervise ad check that your cotrols are still workig. Chage the process to reduce risks Reduce the temperature of the process to reduce the amout of vapour gettig ito the air. Use pellets istead of powders as they are less dusty. Miimise leakage, eg of powder from equipmet to reduce the spread of cotamiatio. Essetials of health ad safety at work Page 63 of 105

64 Health ad Safety Reduce the amout used, the umber of people exposed, ad how log they are exposed for. Cotaimet Eclose the process or activity as much as possible to miimise the escape or release of the harmful substace. Use closed trasfer ad hadlig systems ad miimise hadlig of materials. Systems of work to reduce exposure Pla the storage of materials ad use appropriate cotaiers. Oly store the miimum required for your productio eeds. Correctly label stores ad cotaiers. Separate icompatible materials, eg acids ad caustics. Pla the storage ad disposal of waste. Cleaig Have the right equipmet to had to clear up spillages quickly ad safely. Pla ad orgaise the workplace so that it is easily ad effectively cleaed. Have smooth work surfaces to allow easy cleaig. Clea regularly usig a dust free method vacuum, do t sweep. Local exhaust vetilatio Use a properly desiged local exhaust vetilatio (LEV) (extractio) system which sucks dust, fume, gases or vapour through a hood or booth ad reduces the exposure of the worker. A effective extractio system will: be usable by the worker; eclose the process as much as possible; be powerful eough to capture or cotai the harmful substace; be positioed to receive the harmful substace from the process; filter ad discharge the air to a safe place; be robust eough to withstad the process ad work eviromet; have bee tested to check that it works. Commo errors i applyig extractio are: the effectiveess of small hoods is usually overestimated be realistic; the hood is usually too far away from the process; the hood does t surroud the process eough; iadequate airflow; failure to check that the extractio cotiues to work; workers are ot cosulted, extractio gets i the way ad is therefore uusable. Essetials of health ad safety at work Page 64 of 105

65 Health ad Safety Geeral vetilatio All workplaces eed a adequate supply of fresh air. Geeral vetilatio usually meas usig a fa to blow air ito the workroom. Sometimes plaed, powered geeral vetilatio is a itegral part of a set of cotrol measures, eg the weldig of large fabricatios i a workshop. Welfare facilities Provide good washig ad chagig facilities. See Chapter 2 for more geeral requiremets. Persoal protective clothig ad equipmet Where adequate cotrol of exposure caot be achieved by other meas, provide persoal protective clothig ad equipmet, i combiatio with other cotrol measures. Do t jump straight to persoal protective equipmet (PPE). It is ot as reliable or effective as other measures. Chapter 24 gives further advice. Maitai cotrols All elemets of your cotrol measures must be checked ad reviewed regularly to make sure they cotiue to be effective. These checks should be adequate to determie whether improvemets are required ad will iclude: maitaiig plat ad equipmet all vetilatio equipmet must be examied ad tested regularly by a competet perso. This may ivolve measurig the air speed or the pressures i the system, or air samplig i the workroom. I geeral, all LEV must be examied ad tested every 14 moths; makig sure systems of work are beig followed ad revisig them if they re ot workig; makig sure persoal protective equipmet is suitable, properly fitted ad maitaied. I special cases you may eed to arrage health surveillace (see Chapter 19). You may eed advice, particularly for potetially serious risks ad/or difficult-tocotrol processes, from someoe who is competet i that area of work, eg a occupatioal hygieist. Visit the website of the British Occupatioal Hygiee Society: for more iformatio. Simple checks to cotrol dust ad mist Fie dust ad mist is ivisible i ormal lightig. You ca make it visible with a dust lamp. Ay bright torch will do. Observe the dust/mist by lookig dow the beam towards the torch. Note the settlemet ad spread of cotamiatio o surfaces. Check the gauge or tell-tale idicator o the extractio system. Check for damage ad leakage from the process. Speak to the operator ad ecourage reportig of ay defects. Essetials of health ad safety at work Page 65 of 105

66 Health ad Safety Workplace exposure limits As well as followig the priciples of good practice for the cotrol of exposure to substaces hazardous to health, you eed to be aware that, for may substaces, limits have bee set o the amouts of substaces that workers are permitted to breathe. These limits are kow as workplace exposure limits (WELs). They are listed i HSE s booklet EH40 Workplace exposure limits. If the substace is kow to cause cacer or asthma (check the label/safety data sheet), you must cotrol exposure to as low a level as reasoably practicable. Iformatio ad traiig You should tell workers: the hazards; how they could be affected; what to do to keep themselves ad others safe, ie how the risks are to be cotrolled; how to use cotrol measures, icludig persoal protective equipmet ad the correct systems of work; how to check ad spot whe thigs are goig wrog ad who to report them to; the results of ay exposure moitorig or health surveillace; about emergecy procedures (see Chapter 25). Record ad review Except i very simple cases, you should keep a record of what you have foud out about the risks to health ad the appropriate cotrol measures ad whe they will be implemeted ad by whom. Write dow: where exposures occur; what the cotrol measures are; how you will maitai cotrol. Keep a eye o thigs. Chages i equipmet, materials or methods may require you to review your earlier decisios. I ay case each year review the risks ad cotrol measures. Essetials of health ad safety at work Page 66 of 105

67 Health ad Safety Asbestos Asbestos has bee widely used, eg as laggig o plat ad pipework, i isulatio products such as fireproofig paels, i asbestos cemet roofig materials, ad as sprayed coatig o structural steelwork to isulate agaist fire ad oise. All types of asbestos ca be dagerous if disturbed. The dager oly arises whe asbestos fibres become airbore ad are breathed i. Exposure ca cause diseases such as lug cacer. If you are resposible for the maiteace ad repair of your work premises, you must fid out if there is ay asbestos ad where it is. If you caot do this, presume that it exists. You will eed to maage ay risks from the asbestos ad let ayoe who may disturb it kow where it is ad what coditio it is i. Well-sealed, udamaged asbestos is best left aloe. You will the eed to ispect the coditio of asbestos-cotaiig material o a regular basis. If it begis to show sigs of deterioratio ad is liable to give off dust, you may eed to have it removed. If you have to work o asbestos you must: carry out a assessmet of the risks to the health of employees from exposure to asbestos; use the workig methods ad precautios described i the asbestos Approved Codes of Practice, or other equally safe methods such as those detailed i HSE s Asbestos essetials task maual. Asbestos has its ow regulatios: All work with asbestos ad the precautios eeded are covered by the Cotrol of Asbestos at Work Regulatios The Asbestos (Licesig) Regulatios 1983, as ameded i 1998, prohibit cotractors workig o asbestos isulatio, asbestos board or asbestos coatig uless they have a licece issued by HSE. This does ot iclude asbestos cemet sheets. The Asbestos (Prohibitios) Regulatios 1992, as ameded i 1999, prohibit the import, supply (icludig secod-had articles) ad use of all types of asbestos. Products cotaiig asbestos must carry a warig label. Fid out more Work with asbestos which does ot ormally require a licece. Cotrol of Asbestos at Work Regulatios Approved Code of Practice ad guidace L27 (Fourth editio) ISBN Work with asbestos isulatio, asbestos coatig ad asbestos isulatig board. Cotrol of Asbestos at Work Regulatios Approved Code of Practice ad guidace L28 (Fourth editio) ISBN X The maagemet of asbestos i o-domestic premises. Regulatio 4 of the Cotrol of Asbestos at Work Regulatios Approved Code of Practice ad guidace L127 ISBN Essetials of health ad safety at work Page 67 of 105

68 Health ad Safety Asbestos essetials task maual: Task guidace sheets for the buildig maiteace ad allied trades HSG210 ISBN A short guide to maagig asbestos i premises Leaflet INDG223(rev3) Lead Work which exposes people to lead or its compouds is covered by the Cotrol of Lead at Work Regulatios 2002 ad a Approved Code of Practice (see Fid out more ). Risks may arise whe lead dust or fume is breathed i; powder, dust, pait or paste swallowed; or compouds take i through the ski. As well as obvious work such as high temperature meltig, makig batteries or repairig radiators, there may be risks from repair or demolitio of structures which have bee paited with lead-based paits. You must assess the risk ad where ecessary provide cotrol of the process, protective clothig, air samplig ad health surveillace. If you work with lead it is advisable to discuss the work with your ispectors ad HSE s Employmet Medical Advisory Service (EMAS). Cotact HSE s Ifolie for details. Fid out more Cotrol of lead at work. Cotrol of Lead at Work Regulatios Approved Code of Practice ad guidace L132 (Third editio) ISBN Lead ad you: A guide to workig safely with lead Leaflet INDG305 Ski disease Ski disease, icludig dermatitis, may be caused by cotact with chemicals i the materials you work with, such as cuttig oils, thiers ad resis. Abrasives, dust ad wet work ca also cause dermatitis which ca be seriously disfigurig ad disablig ad may affect your ability to work. Good practice Read the labels o cotaiers to fid out if the material ca cause ski disease. Desig the work process ad orgaise the work to miimise ski cotact with the material, eg reduce leakage, spray ad spread ad have facilities to clear up spills etc. Select the right gloves. Trai workers to properly wear gloves, icludig puttig them o ad takig them off without cotamiatig themselves. Where appropriate select suitable pre-work ski cream. Provide adequate washig facilities icludig warm water, soap ad dry towels. Provide after-work moisturisig cream. Provide first-aid facilities for mior cuts. Keep ay cuts covered. Arrage for a resposible perso to check ski regularly. Draw up clear istructios. Supervise workers to esure your systems of work are followed. Essetials of health ad safety at work Page 68 of 105

69 Health ad Safety Bacteria ad viruses Bacteria ad viruses ca: ifect the body whe they are breathed i, swallowed, or whe they peetrate the ski; cause allergic reactios. The hazards Legioaires disease the bacteria causig this ca be foud i may recirculatig water systems such as coolig towers, sprays ad showers. Water-bore ifectios such as leptospirosis (Weil s disease). This is associated with rats, but ca be spread by cattle, ad may affect, eg farmers, water idustry workers ad people ivolved i water sports. Ifectios through blood cotact a risk i, eg hairdressig, tattooig, health care. Diseases trasmitted by livig or dead aimals, eg to farmers, pet show workers. Diseases from people a risk, eg for health care workers. Most biological risks ca be reduced by simple cotrol methods. Sometimes immuisatio may be eeded. If you are i a at risk group seek advice from HSE s Employmet Medical Advisory Service (EMAS). Cotact HSE s Ifolie for details. Fid out more Cotrol of substaces hazardous to health (Fifth editio). The Cotrol of Substaces Hazardous to Health Regulatios 2002 (as ameded). Approved Code of Practice ad guidace L5 (Fifth editio) ISBN Legioaires disease. The cotrol of legioella bacteria i water systems. Approved Code of Practice ad guidace L8 (Third editio) ISBN Maiteace, examiatio ad testig of local exhaust vetilatio HSG54 (Secod editio) ISBN EH40/2005 Workplace exposure limits: Cotaiig the list of workplace exposure limits for use with the Cotrol of Substaces Hazardous to Health Regulatios 2002 (as ameded) Evirometal Hygiee Guidace Note EH40 (2005) ISBN (updated aually) Respiratory sesitisers ad COSHH: Breathe freely A employers leaflet o prevetig occupatioal asthma Leaflet INDG95(rev2) COSHH a brief guide to the Regulatios: What you eed to kow about the Cotrol of Substaces Hazardous to Health Regulatios 2002 (COSHH) Leaflet INDG136(rev3) Prevetig dermatitis at work: Advice for employers ad employees Leaflet INDG233 Essetials of health ad safety at work Page 69 of 105

70 Health ad Safety 18 Flammable ad explosive substaces The hazards Some gases, liquids ad solids ca cause explosios or fire. Commo materials may bur violetly at high temperature i oxygerich coditios, eg whe a gas cylider is leakig. Some dusts form a cloud which will explode whe igited. A small explosio ca disturb dust ad create a secod explosio severe eough to destroy a buildig. Before you start The supplier s safety data sheet will help you decide how to hadle flammable ad explosive substaces. Thik about the followig: Do the job aother way. Use liquids with higher flash poits. Look at the data sheets remember a high flash poit is safer tha a low oe. Reduce the amouts you keep o site. Check with the supplier about ay special precautios which may be eeded whe certai materials are delivered i bulk. Check cotaier labels ad cosigmet otes to make sure that goods are supplied as ordered. Explosives Serious explosios ca occur i plat such as oves, stoves ad boilers (see Chapter 9). Some materials are explosives ad eed special precautios ad licesig arragemets. Some flammable liquids ad substaces are also corrosive or toxic ad may pose risks to health (see Chapter 17). Specific cotrol is applied to most explosives, icludig fireworks ad safety cartridges. You may eed a licece or other permit cotact your ispector for advice. Some substaces like orgaic peroxide ad other oxidisers ca explode if they are ot stored ad hadled properly. Check labels ad safety data sheets. The law The Dagerous Substaces ad Explosive Atmospheres Regulatios 2002 (DSEAR) require you to carry out a risk assessmet of ay work activities ivolvig dagerous substaces so that you ca elimiate or reduce ay risks idetified. If you operate a petrol fillig statio you eed a licece uder the Petroleum Acts. If you are a supplier look at the Chemicals (Hazard Iformatio ad Packagig for Supply) Regulatios 2002 (as ameded) ad the Carriage of Dagerous Goods ad Use of Trasportable Pressure Equipmet Regulatios 2004 (as ameded 2005) (the Carriage Regulatios 2004). If you maufacture or import ew chemicals, look at the Notificatio of New Substaces (Amedmet) Regulatios Essetials of health ad safety at work Page 70 of 105

71 Health ad Safety Storage Some chemicals react dagerously together. Such classes of material should be stored correctly, eg oxidisig substaces should be kept apart from flammable oes. Use the iformatio from the supplier ad the package label to decide storage arragemets. Materials ca be separated by distace, by a physical barrier or (sometimes) by other o-reactive materials. Good storage will: be separate from process areas (where fire or leakage is more likely); be i a safe, well-vetilated place, isolated from buildigs; prevet icompatible chemicals beig mixed, eg by spillage, damage to packagig or by wettig durig firefightig; reduce the risk of damage, eg by lift truck, ad by esurig that cyliders are secured ad stored upright; prevet rapid spread of fire or smoke, or liquid or molte substaces, eg by the store beig made of fire-resistig material; exclude sources of igitio, eg static electricity, uprotected electrical equipmet, cigarettes ad aked flames; iclude empty drums or cyliders as well as full oes the risk ca be just as great Housekeepig Remove grease frequetly from ducts, such as kitche vetilators ad cooker extractor hoods. Keep the workplace tidy ad free from old cotaiers etc. Plastic foam crumb ad off-cuts are a particular hazard. Cotamiated clothig or cotaiers eed careful disposal. Keep flammable waste secure from vadals. Flammable liquids The safest place to store ay flammable liquids ad substaces is i a separate buildig or i a safe place i the ope air. If highly flammable liquids have to be stored iside workrooms you should store as little as possible ad they should be kept o their ow i a special metal cupboard or bi. Larger stocks should be held i a fire-resistig store with spillage retetio ad good vetilatio. If you ru a factory you should: miimise the amout kept at the workplace; dispese ad use i a safe place with adequate atural or mechaical vetilatio; keep cotaiers closed, eg use safety cotaiers with self-closig lids ad caps; cotai spillages, eg by dispesig over a tray ad havig absorbet material hady; cotrol igitio sources, eg aked flames ad sparks, ad make sure that o smokig rules are obeyed, especially whe sprayig highly flammable liquids; Essetials of health ad safety at work Page 71 of 105

72 Health ad Safety keep cotamiated material i a lidded metal bi which is emptied regularly; get rid of waste safely, eg bur rubbish i a suitable cotaier well away from buildigs; have fire extiguishers o had. Do t bur aerosol cas ad do t brighte fires with flammable liquids. Gas cyliders Storage ad use Store both full ad empty cyliders i a secure outside compoud where possible. Store with valves uppermost, particularly where they cotai liquid like acetylee. Do t store cyliders below groud level or ear to drais or basemets most gases are heavier tha air. Protect cyliders from damage, eg by chaiig ustable cyliders i racks or o special trolleys. Use the right hoses, clamps, couplers ad regulators for the particular gas ad appliace. Tur off cylider valves at the ed of each day s work. Chage cyliders away from sources of igitio, i a well-vetilated place. Avoid weldig flame flash-back ito the hoses or cyliders by traiig operators i correct lightig-up ad workig procedures ad by fittig oretur valves ad flame arresters. Use soap or deterget/water solutio, ever a flame, to test for leaks. Before weldig ad similar work, remove or protect flammable material. Where possible, positio gas cyliders o the outside of buildigs ad pipe through to appliaces or processes. Make sure that rooms where appliaces, eg LPG heaters, are used have eough vetilatio high up ad low dow, which is ever blocked up to protect draughts. Oxyge Commo materials may bur violetly at high temperature i the presece of oxyge. Never use oxyge to sweete the atmosphere. Make sure there are o leaks, especially i cofied areas, ad do t use oxyge to operate compressed-air equipmet. Keep oxyge cyliders free from grease ad other combustible materials ad do t store them with flammable gases or materials. Dust explosios Do you have a dusty process? Is the dust flammable? Examples iclude alumiium powder, flour, boe-meal, cotto fly, paper dust, polystyree ad fie sawdust. If so you must: keep plat dust-tight ad frequetly checked ad cleaed; avoid build-up of dust, eg reduce the umber of ledges ad horizotal surfaces o which dust may settle ad use exhaust vetilatio with suitable dust collectors as ecessary; Essetials of health ad safety at work Page 72 of 105

73 Health ad Safety cotrol sources of heat such as weldig, space heaters ad smokig; reduce sparkig by usig dust-tight electrical equipmet, by earthig sources of static electricity, ad by usig magets to catch ay stray pieces of metal before they get ito the process; take explosio-protectio measures, by providig explosio vets or a plat structure strog eough to withstad a explosio; make sure explosio vets discharge safely. You ca reduce the effects of a explosio by usig lightweight costructio for buildigs which house dagerous plat. Flammable solids Plastic foams are high fire risk ad eed careful cotrol, both for storage ad i the workroom treat them like other flammable materials. Use o-sparkig tools whe scrapig deposits from spray booths etc. If you are a supplier You must: provide safety data sheets ad other iformatio for users; if supplyig a ew substace see the Special cases sectio; arrage for ay ecessary testig ad research so that substaces ca be used safely at work; choose packagig which provides protectio for users ad durig coveyace ad trasport; provide labels which give adequate iformatio about the risks ad ecessary precautios; remember you eed to look at the Chemicals (Hazard Iformatio ad Packagig for Supply) Regulatios 2002 (as ameded) ad the Carriage Regulatios Special cases You must otify HSE: if you use or store certai listed major hazard dagerous substaces. You will have to demostrate to your ispector that your are operatig safely; if you market more tha oe toe per year of a ew substace. The discharge of effluet, disposal ad trasport of waste, ad the emissio of smoke ad chemicals to the atmosphere may eed special precautios or authorisatio. Cotact your ispector or local authority for advice. Essetials of health ad safety at work Page 73 of 105

74 Health ad Safety Trasportig materials If you trasport ad deliver materials off site, the you must: esure the packages are suitable ad correctly labelled as required for carriage by road, rail or sea trasport; esure the vehicle is suitable for the purpose; provide appropriate firefightig equipmet; fit hazard paels/plates o delivery vehicles as required; check compatibility of loads; provide writte iformatio for the driver; trai vehicle drivers o their duties, the hazards ad risks ivolved ad the ecessary emergecy procedures as required by the Carriage Regulatios Emergecies Cosider what could go wrog Could staff accidetally mix icompatible chemicals, eg bleach with other cleaers? Are you prepared for a large leak or spillage? What about hazardous by-products? Could mixig of waste chemicals i the drais cause a hazardous reactio or pollutio? Are ay special first-aid facilities or equipmet required? Could emergecy water supplies freeze up i witer? More iformatio is give o accidets ad emergecies i Chapter 25. Geeral fire precautios are covered i Chapter 4. Fid out more Dagerous Substaces ad Explosive Atmospheres. Dagerous Substaces ad Explosive Atmospheres Regulatios Approved Code of Practice ad guidace L138 ISBN (Also see L134, L135, L136 ad L137 for more detailed iformatio cotact HSE Books for details) Approved supply list (eighth editio). Iformatio approved for the classificatio ad labellig of substaces ad preparatios dagerous for supply. Chemicals (Hazard Iformatio ad Packagig for Supply) Regulatios 2002 (as ameded) L142 ISBN Dispesig petrol: Assessig ad cotrollig the risk of fire ad explosio at sites where petrol is stored ad dispesed as a fuel HSG146 ISBN Safe workig with flammable substaces Leaflet INDG227 Safe use of petrol i garages Leaflet INDG331 Fire ad explosio: How safe is your workplace? A short guide to the Dagerous Substaces ad Explosive Atmospheres Regulatios Leaflet INDG370 For more iformatio o the Carriage Regulatios 2004, visit maual/idex.htm Essetials of health ad safety at work Page 74 of 105

75 Health ad Safety 19 Maagig health The hazards More people die from work-related diseases tha from workplace accidets. This chapter deals with health risks i geeral, stress, drugs ad alcohol, ad smokig. Maagig sickess absece ad retur to work Sickess absece ca have a big impact o the performace of your busiess ad the health ad well-beig of your employees. Most is short-term but it ca tur ito log-term absece if actio is ot take early eough to support their retur to work. By puttig i place a policy to maage sickess absece ad retur to work you ca miimise the effects o both your busiess ad your workers. The two biggest causes atioally of work-related ill health are pai due to back problems, upper limb damage or dodgy kees (see Chapter 12) ad stress. Also see Chapter 16 for radiatio risks ad Chapter 17 for iformatio o health risks from harmful substaces. Emergecy arragemets ad first aid are covered i Chapter 25. Regular recordig of sickess absece will eable you to keep up to date with who is off sick ad why. This will also tell you about treds i your workplace ad where there are particular hotspots that may eed your itervetio. Keep i cotact with those who are off sick to let them kow what is happeig at work ad pla cover for their absece. This eeds to be hadled sesitively as some people may see this as a way to press them to retur to work. Pla ad carry out workplace adjustmets to retur your employee to their existig job or to a alterative if possible, to retai valuable skills ad to remove barriers that would make retur to work difficult. Take professioal advice if discussios with your employee do ot provide solutios. Your employee s GP may be able to help but do ot cotact them without your employee s coset. If your employee is or becomes disabled, the law requires you to make reasoable adjustmets to eable them to cotiue workig. You may eed to seek professioal advice where appropriate. A retur-to-work iterview is eough for most employees to discuss ay cocers they may have. However, for those i dager of becomig log-term sick, a retur-to-work pla is importat. These plas should be kept uder close review. Appoit someoe to co-ordiate the retur-to-work process to make sure the pla proceeds smoothly ad everyoe ivolved kows what is expected. Whoever is chose should be familiar with the employee s work, be able to egotiate at all levels ad be sesitive to the eeds of the employee. The law Uder the Health ad Safety at Work etc Act 1974 (the HSW Act), you have a legal duty to esure, so far as is reasoably practicable, the health, safety ad welfare at work of your employees. The Maagemet of Health ad Safety at Work Regulatios 1999 (the Maagemet Regulatios) require you to assess ad cotrol risks to protect your employees. Essetials of health ad safety at work Page 75 of 105

76 Health ad Safety How to make it happe You ad your seior maagers eed to be committed to implemetig ad supportig a policy for maagig sickess absece ad retur to work. Your lie maagers eed the skills ad cofidece to maage sickess absece ad retur to work. You, your lie maagers, your employees ad their represetatives eed to work together to esure sickess absece is tackled fairly ad cosistetly. If you eed help Cotact HSE s Ifolie (Tel: ) or visit sickessabsece. Cotact local occupatioal health support services or Workplace Health Coect (Tel: ). For expert advice there are a umber of occupatioal health providers icludig NHS Plus. Other sources of advice iclude rehabilitatio providers, specialists i rehabilitatio medicie, case maagers, disability ad rehabilitatio charities, isurers ad Jobcetre Plus. Fid out more Maagig sickess absece ad retur to work i small busiesses Leaflet INDG399 Maagig sickess absece ad retur to work: A employers ad maagers guide HSG249 ISBN Workplace Health Coect website: Health surveillace Health surveillace meas havig a system to look for early sigs of ill health caused by substaces ad other hazards at work. It icludes keepig health records for idividuals ad may iclude medical examiatios ad testig of blood or urie samples, so that corrective actio ca be take. Health surveillace is ot required for most workers. You must decide whether it is eeded for what you do. If i doubt, eg if there are kow health risks from the work, get advice. Medical examiatios or health surveillace are required by law for some jobs. Ask yourself whether ay of your employees is at risk from: oise or vibratio (see Chapters 13 ad 14); solvets, fumes, dusts, biological agets ad other substaces hazardous to health (see Chapter 17); asbestos, lead or work i compressed air (see Chapter 17); ioisig radiatios (see Chapter 16) or commercial divig. Special coditios apply to some people who are particularly at risk, such as pregat wome whose jobs may expose them to lead or ioisig radiatios (see Chapter 23). Ivolve your employees ad their represetatives at a early stage, so they uderstad their roles ad resposibilities i ay health surveillace programme. Essetials of health ad safety at work Page 76 of 105

77 Health ad Safety Ask for advice from a competet perso if you eed to, such as a occupatioal health professioal. Fid out more Health surveillace at work HSG61 (Secod editio) ISBN X Uderstadig health surveillace at work: A itroductio for employers Leaflet INDG304 Work-related stress The risks Pressure is part of all work ad helps to keep us motivated ad productive. But excessive pressure ca lead to stress, which udermies performace, is costly to employers, ad ca make people ill. What you must do As a employer, uder the HSW Act you have a duty of care to protect the health, safety ad welfare of all employees while at work. You also have to assess the risks arisig from hazards at work, icludig work-related stress, i accordace with the Maagemet Regulatios. A effective risk assessmet approach to tacklig stress should iclude the followig: Measure the curret situatio (usig surveys ad/or other techiques). Have discussios with employees ad their represetatives. Work i partership with employees ad their represetatives to make practical improvemets. Agree ad share a actio pla with employees ad their represetatives. Regularly review the situatio to esure it cotiues to improve. Maagemet Stadards for Work-related Stress HSE s Maagemet Stadards for Work-related Stress cover six key areas of work that, if ot properly maaged, are associated with poor health ad well-beig, lower productivity, ad icreased sickess absece. These are: Demads workload, work patters ad the work eviromet. Cotrol how much say the perso has i the way they do their work. Support the ecouragemet ad support provided by the orgaisatio, maagers ad colleagues. Relatioships workig to avoid coflict ad dealig with uacceptable behaviour. Role whether people uderstad their role withi the orgaisatio ad whether the orgaisatio esures they do ot have coflictig roles. Chage how chage is maaged ad commuicated i the orgaisatio. The Maagemet Stadards approach provides a framework ad process agaist which to develop a effective risk assessmet, ad is supported by a toolkit desiged to help orgaisatios measure ad improve their performace i tacklig stress. Essetials of health ad safety at work Page 77 of 105

78 Health ad Safety Is stress a problem i your workplace? There are a umber of ways to idetify the causes of stress i your workplace: Use existig iformatio to see how your orgaisatio shapes up. Sickess absece or staff turover data could help, as well as employee surveys. Coduct a stress survey of employees to fid out potetial problem areas as part of a overall strategy to idetify ad address the sources of stress. (See for free Stress Idicator ad Aalysis Tools.) Have discussios with employees to assess what causes stress i your workplace ad idetify relevat problems ad solutios. Develop solutios Cotiue to talk to employees to idetify issues that affect them at work ad discuss practical solutios. Record what you decide to do i a actio pla, share it with staff ad stick to it. Iclude a review of your risk assessmet i your actio pla, to check how effective your actios are. Fid out more Real solutios, real people: A maagers guide to tacklig work-related stress ISBN Tacklig stress: The Maagemet Stadards approach Leaflet INDG406 Workig together to reduce stress at work: A guide for employees Leaflet MISC686 Makig the Stress Maagemet Stadards work: How to apply the Stadards i your workplace Leaflet MISC714 Stress Maagemet Stadards web pages: Secod-had smokig Scotlad From 26 March 2006 smokig i Scotlad has bee baed uder public health legislatio i almost all workplaces. This icludes vehicles used for busiess purposes ad public trasport. Exemptios iclude residetial accommodatio, desigated rooms i adult care homes, adult hospices, psychiatric hospitals ad uits, ad offshore istallatios. Desigated detetio or iterview rooms ad private vehicles are also exempted. Employers i exempted premises are still required to reduce the risk to their employees from secod-had smokig to as low a level as is reasoably practicable. Eglad ad Wales From summer 2007, a smokig ba will be itroduced i Eglad with a limited umber of exemptios alog the lies of Scotlad. The Welsh Assembly Govermet has also idicated that it will be itroducig a comprehesive ba. Util the, employers should cotiue to protect employees from the effects of secod-had smoke ad: Essetials of health ad safety at work Page 78 of 105

79 Health ad Safety have a specific policy o smokig i the workplace; take actio to reduce the risk to the health ad safety of their employees from secod-had smoke to as low a level as is reasoably practicable; make sure their smokig policy gives priority to the eeds of o-smokers who do ot wish to breathe tobacco smoke; cosult employees ad their represetatives o the appropriate smokig policy to suit their workplace. Fid out more Scotlad For more iformatio visit: The Smoke-free Scotlad guidace cotais advice for the NHS, local authorities ad care service providers: pdf Eglad ad Wales For more iformatio cotact the Departmet of Health Customer Service Cetre o or visit: HealthAdSocialCareTopics/Tobacco/fs/e Drugs ad alcohol Abuse of alcohol, drugs ad other substaces ca affect health, work performace ad safety. Lear to recogise the sigs ad ecourage workers to seek help. Be supportive. If you decide strict stadards are eeded because of safety-critical jobs, the agree procedures with your workers i advace. Discipliary actio may be eeded where safety is critical. Violece at work People who deal directly with the public may face aggressive or violet behaviour. They may be swor at, threateed or eve attacked. Physical attacks are obviously dagerous but serious or persistet verbal abuse or threats ca also damage employees health through axiety or stress. What to do Ask your employees whether they ever feel threateed ad ecourage them to report icidets. Keep detailed records, icludig of verbal abuse ad threats. Try to predict what might happe there may be a kow patter of violece liked to certai work situatios. Trai your employees so that they ca spot the early sigs of aggressio ad avoid it or cope with it. Cosider physical security measures, eg video cameras or alarm systems ad coded security locks o doors. Support victims, eg with debriefig or specialist cousellig ad time off work to recover. Essetials of health ad safety at work Page 79 of 105

80 Health ad Safety Fid out more Work-related violece: Case studies Maagig the risk i smaller busiesses HSG229 ISBN Violece at work: A guide for employers Leaflet INDG69 Drug misuse at work: A guide for employers Leaflet INDG91(rev2) Do t mix it: A guide for employers o alcohol at work Leaflet INDG240 Essetials of health ad safety at work Page 80 of 105

81 Health ad Safety 20 Safe ways of workig The hazards Everyoe makes mistakes or takes short-cuts from time to time, so it is importat to try ad make the workplace safe eve if this happes, eg by guardig machiery so people caot reach the dagerous parts. Makig the workplace safe icludes providig istructios, procedures, traiig ad supervisio to ecourage people to work safely ad resposibly. Safe systems ad procedures Make sure employees are well-traied or skilled ad uderstad the hazards ad risks of the work they have to do. Make sure there are safe systems ad procedures for routie work (icludig settig up ad preparatio, fiishig off ad cleaig activities). Make sure there are writte procedures for work that is doe less ofte or is high risk, eg maiteace, repairs or uusual jobs. Make sure you cosider issues such as workload or job desig if you wat the procedures to be followed properly. Do t forget to cosider emergecies, eg fire, spillages or plat breakdow (see Chapter 25). Supervise to make sure people are actually followig the safe systems ad procedures, especially for work which is high risk or where vulerable people are ivolved. Take actio whe istructios, rules or procedures are ot beig followed. Poits to cosider That is also why there are permit-to-work systems for o-routie or higherhazard work. Ivolvig your workers i maagig health ad safety is importat. Ofte they have good ideas about how to work more safely ad their ivolvemet helps them to more readily accept ay precautios. Are safe ways of doig the job already uderstood ad beig carried out? Is the job complex, risky or so ifrequetly doe that a writte step-by-step procedure, checklist, or diagram might help? If so, are the procedures desiged ad writte simply ad clearly, with iformatio o ay key hazards? Is it clear who is i charge of the job? Is it clear who does what, with o importat gaps or overlaps? Has ayoe checked that the equipmet, tools or machies are appropriate (ad available) for the job? Could this job harm others, eg people workig earby, or the public ad how will they be protected? If the job caot be fiished today will it be left i a safe state ad are clear istructios available for the ext shift? The law Sectio 2 of the Health ad Safety at Work etc Act 1974 (the HSW Act) requires safe systems of work, but does ot go ito detail. This chapter gives advice o what this meas i practice. Look at the Maagemet of Health ad Safety at Work Regulatios 1999 for the requiremet to make appropriate arragemets for maagig health ad safety. For iformatio o ivolvig employees i decisios about health ad safety i the workplace, look at the Health ad Safety (Cosultatio with Employees) Regulatios 1996 ad the Safety Represetatives ad Safety Committees Regulatios Essetials of health ad safety at work Page 81 of 105

82 Health ad Safety Are other people aware of what maiteace staff are doig ad vice versa? Do people kow what might go wrog, eg accidet, explosio, food poisoig, electrocutio, fire, release of radioactivity, chemical spill ad what to do if these happe? Pla to review your procedures from time to time, to make sure they are still relevat ad do ot eed improvig. Ivolve employees Employers have to cosult their employees or their represetatives o health ad safety issues. This is importat because: employees kow exactly what goes o i the workplace, so they have kowledge that maagers might ot have about workig practices ad risks, ad ca help develop practical solutios to problems; if employees feel they are actively ivolved i makig decisios about health ad safety, they are much more likely to co-operate with their employers ad come forward with ew ideas. Practical ways to ivolve employees Ivolve employees i risk assessmets or ivestigatios. Carry out surveys of particular workplaces, activities or hazards, followed up by discussios with employees to create a actio pla. Fid solutios to specific health ad safety problems through a team of employees or a workshop. Make it clear what they are expected to do, ad by whe. Hold briefig sessios o chages at work. Team discussios or toolbox talks are useful to let people kow what is happeig ad also to receive feedback. Use suggestio boxes to help people who are shy about talkig i public have their say. But make sure you respod to the suggestios. Appoited represetatives I orgaisatios that recogise a trade uio, the uio is etitled to appoit safety represetatives. They have a umber of legal rights, icludig the right to some paid time off to make ivestigatios or ispectios of the workplace, ad to be traied to carry out their duties. You ca cosult the workforce through them at safety committees or other joit committees, ad you ca get them to help you with wider ivolvemet of employees. If your orgaisatio does ot recogise trade uios, you still must cosult employees o health ad safety matters. You ca do this either by cotactig all employees directly, or by electig represetatives of employee safety. They have may of the same rights ad fuctios as trade uio safety represetatives. Essetials of health ad safety at work Page 82 of 105

83 Health ad Safety Permits to work Simple istructios or procedures are adequate for most jobs, but some require extra care. A permit to work states exactly what work is to be doe ad whe, ad which parts are safe. A resposible perso should assess the work ad check safety at each stage. The people doig the job sig the permit to show that they uderstad the risks ad precautios ecessary. Examples of high-risk jobs where a writte permit-to-work procedure may eed to be used iclude: etry ito vessels, cofied spaces or machies; hot work (weldig, gridig or flame cuttig) which could cause a fire or explosio; costructio work or the use of cotractors; cuttig ito pipework carryig hazardous substaces; mechaical or electrical work requirig isolatio of the power source, eg before work iside large machies, if lockig off is ot good eough; work o plat, mixers, boilers etc which must be effectively cut off from the possible etry of fumes, gas liquids or steam; testig for dagerous fumes or lack of oxyge before eterig a uvetilated pit or silo; vacuumig the iside of a empty grai silo to remove dust which might explode, before hot cuttig a hole i the side. Whe the risk is high, precautios should be 100% correct. If i doubt get competet advice, eg from the compay who gives you Employers Liability Isurace, or from a trade body. Lock-off procedures Before workig o plat or equipmet, isolate machies from all power sources securely, eg isolate them from the mai power supply by lockig off the mai electrical supply switch. Use a safety lock with oe key. Where several people are workig, use a multiple hasp so that everyoe ca fit their ow lock. Oly whe all the locks have bee removed ca the equipmet be switched o. Put a clear warig otice or label o the switch, ad make sure it is removed whe the work has fiished. Supervise Employers, maagers ad supervisors must check that employees are workig safely, ad take effective actio whe they are ot. Do t igore usafe or uhealthy workig ad always deal with it immediately. People usually believe that they have a good reaso for workig as they do, so fid out why ad tackle the uderlyig reasos. Be prepared to use discipliary actio as a last resort for repeated or very serious cases. Essetials of health ad safety at work Page 83 of 105

84 Health ad Safety Fid out more Maagemet of health ad safety at work. Maagemet of Health ad Safety at Work Regulatios Approved Code of Practice ad guidace L21 (Secod editio) ISBN Safety represetatives ad safety committees L87 (Third editio) ISBN A guide to the Health ad Safety (Cosultatio with Employees) Regulatios Guidace o Regulatios L95 ISBN Reducig error ad ifluecig behaviour HSG48 (Secod editio) ISBN Guidace o permit-to-work systems: A guide for the petroleum, chemical ad allied idustries HSG250 ISBN The safe isolatio of plat ad equipmet HSG253 ISBN Cosultig employees o health ad safety: A guide to the law Leaflet INDG232 Visit for more iformatio o worker ivolvemet. Essetials of health ad safety at work Page 84 of 105

85 Health ad Safety 21 Selectio ad traiig The hazards People are a dager to themselves or others if they caot do their jobs correctly, or if their ways of workig, where this matters for health ad safety, are ot clearly agreed, set out ad checked. This ca be because they are i jobs for which they are usuited ad/or are ot competet, or for which the procedures are iadequate, urealistic or uchecked (see Chapter 20). It could also be because their traiig is ot liked adequately to relevat risk assessmets ad key procedures. Selectio Idetify jobs which place particular physical or metal demads o people ca these be chaged to cut out or reduce the demads? Where you caot do this you eed to select people to meet the demads. Idetify the essetial health ad safety requiremets of a job ad use them durig recruitmet, eg colour-blidess checks for people beig recruited to work o wirig or cotrol paels. For some jobs, eg drivig heavy goods vehicles, the law requires medical examiatios, but pre-employmet medical checks are ot legally required for most jobs. People returig after illess may eed help readjustig to their jobs seek specialist medical advice if ecessary (see Chapter 19). Traiig You must esure all employees (as well as their maagers ad supervisors) are traied i the sigificat health ad safety hazards ad risks of their work ad workplace ad how to avoid them. Makig people competet eeds more tha just formal traiig they also eed a well-structured itroductio to the actual work ( o-the-job traiig) icludig familiarisatio with the mai procedures, time to practise what they have leart, ad suitable assessmet where this is importat. Also thik about: ay legal requiremets for specific job traiig, eg lift trucks, first aid; the special eeds of youg people, ew recruits, traiees ad part-time employees; appropriate refresher traiig for existig workers, especially whe chages are made i the workplace, ad targeted traiig for those movig jobs; traiig eeds idetified durig ivestigatios, risk assessmets or from checks/ audits; whether to give the traiig yourself or to get some outside help; settig suitable ad clear site- ad job-specific performace stadards for key roles, jobs ad work. There may be existig stadards of competece for what you do, eg NVQs or SVQs. The law The Maagemet of Health ad Safety at Work Regulatios 1999 set dow some geeral requiremets. Some groups, such as youg people, ew ad expectat mothers ad those with a disability, eed special cosideratio (see Chapter 23). Essetials of health ad safety at work Page 85 of 105

86 Health ad Safety Fid out more Effective health ad safety traiig: A traier s resource pack HSG222 ISBN X Health ad safety traiig: What you eed to kow Leaflet INDG345 Essetials of health ad safety at work Page 86 of 105

87 Health ad Safety 22 Cotractors ad agecy workers The hazards Cotractors are ofte used for particularly hazardous jobs, so it is essetial that you work with them to make sure the job is carried out properly while protectig workers ad ayoe else (eg visitors or members of the public). Agecy workers may be at icreased risk of workrelated illess ad ijury compared to permaet employees, because they are ufamiliar with the busiess ad its hazards. Employig cotractors If you employ cotractors, both you ad the cotractor will have duties uder health ad safety law resposibilities caot be passed o from oe party to aother by a cotract. Make sure you do ot cotract out aythig which meas you lose cotrol of critical areas of your work. Thik through the health ad safety implicatios of the job, ad what arragemets you eed to make. Select a suitable cotractor Make sure you take o a cotractor who is competet to do the job safely ad fid out: whether they have relevat experiece, qualificatios ad skills i the type of work you wat doe ask for refereces; how they select subcotractors; whether they provide a safety method statemet (for buildig work); if they are members of a relevat trade or professioal body; whether they or their employees hold a passport i health ad safety traiig this is a growig tred i some idustries. Assess the risks of the work Agree beforehad exactly what is to be doe, by whom ad how. Agree with the cotractor the risk assessmet for the job ad the procedures for safe workig that will apply whe the work is i progress. If subcotractors are ivolved, they should also be part of the discussio ad agreemet. The law The Health ad Safety at Work etc Act 1974 (the HSW Act) places duties o employers ad cotractors to protect the health ad safety of employees ad other people who may be affected by their work activities. It also deals with iformatio, istructio ad traiig. The Maagemet of Health ad Safety at Work Regulatios 1999 require all employers who share a workplace to co-operate ad co-ordiate their work to esure everyoe is complyig with their legal duties, ad to keep workers from other udertakigs workig o their site iformed about risks ad measures to protect their health ad safety. The Costructio (Desig ad Maagemet) Regulatios 1994 place specific legal resposibilities o cliets, cotractors ad others (see Chapter 6). Essetials of health ad safety at work Page 87 of 105

88 Health ad Safety Provide iformatio, istructio ad traiig Make sure the cotractor s employees uderstad your rules for safe workig, as well as ay hazards ad precautios, ad that you uderstad theirs. Each ew employee comig o site should receive appropriate istructio ad traiig ad be made aware of the hazards i your workplace ad ay emergecy procedures. Maage ad supervise Liaise with cotractors, check their health ad safety performace o site ad make sure you keep each other iformed about hazards ad chages to plas or systems of work which may affect health ad safety. Where health ad safety requiremets are ot beig met, you ad the cotractor eed to fid out why ad sort out the problem. Fid out more Maagig cotractors: A guide for employers. A ope learig booklet HSG159 ISBN Workig together: Guidace o health ad safety for cotractors ad suppliers (web oly) Use of cotractors: A joit resposibility Leaflet INDG368 Agecy workers Employmet agecies ad employmet busiesses have specific legal resposibilities uder the Coduct of Employmet Agecies ad Employmet Busiesses Regulatios 2003 to provide iformatio to busiesses who use their workers. Both employmet busiesses ad hirers eed to do the followig to protect agecy workers: Make sure, before they start work, that they are icluded i risk assessmets, ad that they kow what measures have bee take as a result to protect them. Make sure they uderstad the iformatio ad istructios they eed to work safely, ad that they have had ay ecessary traiig. Remember to cosider ay laguage eeds there may be for agecy workers who do ot speak Eglish well or at all (see Chapter 23). Check, before they start at the workplace, that they have ay special occupatioal qualificatios or skills eeded for the job. Agree o arragemets for providig ay ecessary health surveillace or computer scree eyesight tests, ad for providig/maitaiig ay persoal protective equipmet eeded. Agree o arragemets for reportig relevat accidets to the eforcig authority. Essetials of health ad safety at work Page 88 of 105

89 Health ad Safety Fid out more Guidace o the Employmet Agecies ad Employmet Busiesses Regulatios 2003 View olie: For more guidace o maagig the health ad safety of agecy workers visit: Essetials of health ad safety at work Page 89 of 105

90 Health ad Safety 23 Special groups of workers The hazards There are several groups of workers who eed special cosideratio, so you eed to thik carefully how best to look after their eeds ad the eeds of your busiess, for example youg people, people with disabilities, workers for whom Eglish is ot their first laguage, ew ad expectat mothers ad loe ad mobile workers. Youg people Youg people, especially those ew to the workplace, will face ufamiliar risks from the job they will be doig ad from the workig eviromet. I health ad safety law: a youg perso is ayoe uder the age of eightee; a child is ayoe who has ot reached the official age at which they may leave school. Your resposibilities You have particular resposibilities to assess the risks to all youg people uder 18 before they start work. Esure your risk assessmet takes ito accout: their immaturity, iexperiece ad lack of awareess of existig or potetial risks; the fittig out ad layout of the workplace ad where they will work; the ature of ay physical, biological ad chemical agets they will be exposed to, for how log ad how much; what equipmet will be used ad how it will be hadled; how the work ad processes are orgaised; the eed to assess ad provide health ad safety traiig; ad risks from particular agets ad processes. You eed to itroduce cotrol measures to elimiate or miimise the risks, so far as reasoably practicable. The law The Maagemet of Health ad Safety at Work Regulatios 1999 require employers to provide uderstadable iformatio ad istructios about risks ad measures to protect health ad safety. Sectio 2 of the Health ad Safety at Work etc Act 1974 (the HSW Act) also deals with iformatio, istructio ad traiig. The Employmet of Wome, Youg Persos ad Childre Act 1920 prohibits the employmet of school age childre i idustrial udertakigs such as factories or costructio sites, except whe o approved work experiece programmes. The Childre ad Youg Persos Act 1933 allows local authorities to make byelaws to authorise the employmet of childre for certai types of light work. If you employ disabled people you also have duties uder the Disability Discrimiatio Act Essetials of health ad safety at work Page 90 of 105

91 Health ad Safety You must also let the parets/guardias of ay childre still of compulsory school age kow the key fidigs of the risk assessmet ad the cotrol measures you have itroduced before the child starts work or work experiece. Restrictios o the work of youg people You should ot employ youg people to do work which: is beyod their physical or psychological capacity; exposes them to radiatio, or harmful substaces, eg toxic or carciogeic; ivolves a risk of accidets that they are ulikely to recogise because of lack of experiece or traiig; ivolves a risk to their health from extreme heat, oise or vibratio. Traiig ad supervisio Esure they receive appropriate traiig ad check they uderstad the key messages. Provide traiig ad istructio o the hazards ad risks i the workplace ad o the measures to protect their health ad safety. Iclude a basic itroductio to first-aid, fire ad evacuatio procedures. Esure youg people are supervised. This will help moitor the effectiveess of the traiig they receive, ad help to assess whether they have the ecessary capacity ad competece to do the job. Work experiece Whe you offer someoe a work experiece placemet it is importat to recogise that you have the same resposibilities for their health, safety ad welfare as for the rest of the workforce ad they will be regarded as beig your employee. Fid out more Youg people at work: A guide for employers HSG165 (Secod editio) ISBN Maagig health ad safety o work experiece: A guide for orgaisers HSG199 ISBN The right start: Work experiece for youg people Health ad safety basics for employers Leaflet INDG364 Essetials of health ad safety at work Page 91 of 105

92 Health ad Safety People with disabilities You have a duty uder health ad safety law to esure the health, safety ad welfare of all employees, whether or ot they are disabled. You also have duties uder the Disability Discrimiatio Act 1995 to make reasoable adjustmets to accommodate employees who are or have become disabled, as defied by the Act. Whe you thik that a perso s disability may affect health ad safety, it is sesible to have a ew risk assessmet carried out by a suitably qualified perso. The fact that a perso has a disability does ot mea they represet a additioal risk to health ad safety. I most cases, health ad safety resposibilities should ot be a barrier to cotiuig to employ or recruit disabled people. Fid out more Maagig sickess absece ad retur to work: A employers ad maagers guide HSG249 ISBN (icludes iformatio o how to pla ad carry out workplace adjustmets) Disability Discrimiatio Act 1995 Code of Practice Employmet ad Occupatio View olie o the Disability Rights Commissio website: asp Laguage provisio If your workforce icludes people who do ot speak or uderstad Eglish well or at all, they may be at greater risk because of this, so you must make sure they get health ad safety iformatio, istructio ad traiig they ca uderstad. Uderstadable iformatio, istructio ad traiig How much you eed to do will deped partly o the level of risk they face. You could: use a work colleague who already has a good uderstadig of the iformatio to iterpret it ito the worker s laguage; get iformatio traslated by a speaker of the workers laguage who also speaks good Eglish ad ca best judge how to explai it clearly; use audio tapes or videos if workers caot read, or speak a laguage which has o writte form; use iteratioally-uderstood pictorial sigs where possible; if traiig courses are ru i Eglish, use simpler traiig materials, icludig visuals where possible ad time for questios; cosider Eglish-laguage courses for loger-term workers; esure ewly-traied workers are supervised. To begi with, pair a ewly- traied o-eglish speaker with a more experieced worker who speaks the same laguage; moitor workers to see how much they have uderstood ad take actio to re-trai or provide istructio ad iformatio i a differet way, if there is still a eed. Essetials of health ad safety at work Page 92 of 105

93 Health ad Safety Fid out more Your health, your safety is available olie i may laguages: laguages/idex.htm New ad expectat mothers You are required to coduct a risk assessmet for all employees which should iclude ay specific risks to females of child-bearig age. You are also required to take ito accout risks to ew ad expectat mothers. Some of the more commo risks might be: liftig or carryig heavy loads; stadig or sittig for log periods; exposure to ifectious diseases; exposure to lead; work-related stress; workstatios ad posture; exposure to radioactive material; other people s smoke i the workplace; log workig hours. Whe a employee otifies you i writig that she is pregat, you should carry out a specific risk assessmet based o the outcome of your iitial risk assessmet. This also applies if she has give birth i the previous six moths or is breastfeedig. If there is a sigificat risk to the health ad safety of a ew or expectat mother, you must take the followig actios to remove her from the risk: temporarily adjust the perso s workig coditios ad hours of work; offer suitable alterative work; susped her from work o paid leave to protect her health ad safety or that of her child. Fid out more New ad expectat mothers at work: A guide for employers HSG122 (Secod editio) ISBN A guide for ew ad expectat mothers who work Leaflet INDG373 New ad expectat mothers at work: A guide for health professioals gov.uk/pubs/idg373hp.pdf (web oly) Essetials of health ad safety at work Page 93 of 105

94 Health ad Safety Loe ad mobile workers Loe workers who work without close or direct supervisio ad mobile workers who work away from their fixed base eed special cosideratio. Whe your risk assessmet shows that it is ot possible for the work to be doe safely by a loe worker, provide help or back-up. Cosider: What are the foreseeable emergecies, eg fire, equipmet failure, illess ad accidets? Does the workplace preset a special risk to the loe worker? Ca all the plat, equipmet, substaces ad goods ivolved i the work be safely hadled by oe perso? Does the work ivolve liftig objects or operatig cotrols that really require more tha oe perso? Is there a risk of violece? Are wome or youg workers especially at risk if they work aloe? What traiig is required? Is the perso medically fit ad suitable to work aloe? Moitor loe workers, for example: Make sure there is regular cotact with the loe worker usig visits, telephoe or radio. Provide automatic warig devices to raise the alarm if there is a emergecy. Check that a loe worker has retured to base after completig a job. Fid out more Workig aloe i safety: Cotrollig the risks of solitary work Leaflet INDG73(rev) Essetials of health ad safety at work Page 94 of 105

95 Health ad Safety 24 Persoal protective equipmet The hazards Eve where egieerig cotrols ad safe systems of work have bee applied, some hazards might remai. These iclude ijuries to: the lugs, eg from breathig i cotamiated air; the head ad feet, eg from fallig materials; the eyes, eg from flyig particles or splashes of corrosive liquids; the ski, eg from cotact with corrosive materials; the body, eg from extremes of heat or cold. Persoal protective equipmet (PPE) is eeded i these cases to reduce the risk. The last resort Use persoal protective equipmet (PPE) oly as a last resort wherever possible use egieerig cotrols ad safe systems of work istead. If PPE is still eeded it must be provided free by the employer. Selectio ad use You must cosider: who is exposed ad to what? how log are they exposed for? how much are they exposed to? You must: choose good quality products which are CE marked i accordace with the Persoal Protective Equipmet Regulatios 2002 suppliers ca advise you; choose equipmet which suits the wearer cosider the size, fit ad weight. If you let the users help choose it, they will be more likely to use it; make sure it fits properly, eg it is difficult to create a good seal if a respirator user has a beard. For tight-fittig facepieces (filterig facepieces, half ad full masks) a good seal ca oly be achieved if the wearer is clea shave i the regio of the seal; make sure that if more tha oe item of PPE is beig wor they ca be used together, eg a respirator may ot give proper protectio if air leaks i aroud the seal because the user is wearig safety glasses; istruct ad trai people how to use it. Tell them why it is eeded, whe to use it ad what its limitatios are. Remember that PPE is a last resort but must be wor whe eeded. The law The Persoal Protective Equipmet Regulatios 2002 ad the Persoal Protective Equipmet at Work Regulatios 1992 (as ameded) give the mai requiremets, but other special regulatios cover lead, asbestos, hazardous substaces (see Chapter 17), oise (see Chapter 13) ad radiatio (see Chapter 16). See also the Costructio (Head Protectio) Regulatios Essetials of health ad safety at work Page 95 of 105

96 Health ad Safety Other advice May solvets quickly go through rubber-based materials. Few materials protect you if soaked i hazardous chemicals. Never allow exemptios for those jobs which take just a few miutes. Check with your supplier explai the job to them. If i doubt seek further advice from your ispector or other specialist adviser. Maiteace Equipmet must be properly looked after ad stored whe ot i use, eg i a dry, clea cupboard. If it is reusable it must be cleaed ad kept i good coditio. Thik about: usig the right replacemet parts which match the origial, eg respirator filters; keepig replacemet PPE available; who is resposible for maiteace ad how it is to be doe; havig a supply of appropriate disposable suits which are useful for dirty jobs where laudry costs are high, eg for visitors who eed protective clothig. Employees must make proper use of PPE ad report its loss or destructio or ay fault i it. Moitor ad review Check regularly that PPE is used or fid out why ot. Safety sigs ca be a useful remider. Take ote of ay chages i equipmet, materials ad methods you may eed to update what you provide. Eyes Hazards Chemical or metal splash, dust, projectiles, gas ad vapour, radiatio. Optios Safety spectacles, goggles, face screes, faceshields, visors. Note Make sure the eye protectio chose has the right combiatio of impact/dust/ splash/molte metal eye protectio for the task ad fits the user properly. Essetials of health ad safety at work Page 96 of 105

97 Health ad Safety Head ad eck Hazards Impact from fallig or flyig objects, risk of head bumpig, hair etaglemet, chemical drips or splash, climate or temperature. Optios Idustrial safety helmets, bump caps, hairets ad firefighters helmets. Note Some safety helmets icorporate or ca be fitted with specially-desiged eye or hearig protectio. Do t forget eck protectio, eg scarves for use durig weldig. Replace head protectio if it is damaged. Ears Hazards Impact oise, high itesities (eve if short exposure), pitch (high ad low frequecy). Optios Earplugs or earmuffs. Note Earplugs may fit ito or cover the ear caal to form a seal. Earmuffs are ormally hard plastic cups which fit over ad surroud the ears. They are sealed to the head by cushio seals. Take advice to make sure they reduce oise to a acceptable level. Fit oly specially-desiged earmuffs over safety helmets. See Chapter 13 for more iformatio o oise. Hads ad arms Hazards Abrasio, temperature extremes, cuts ad puctures, impact, chemicals, electric shock, ski irritatio, disease or cotamiatio. Optios Gloves, gloves with a cuff, gautlets ad sleevig which covers part of or the whole of the arm. Note Do t wear gloves whe operatig machies such as bech drills where the gloves might get caught. Some materials are quickly peetrated by chemicals take care i selectio. Use ski-coditioig cream after work with water or fat solvets. Barrier creams are ureliable ad are o substitute for proper PPE. Disposable or cotto ier gloves ca reduce the effects of sweatig. Essetials of health ad safety at work Page 97 of 105

98 Health ad Safety Feet ad legs Hazards Wet, hot ad cold coditios, electrostatic build-up, slippig, cuts ad puctures, fallig objects, heavy loads, metal ad chemical splash, vehicles. Optios Safety boots ad shoes with protective toe caps ad peetratio-resistat midsole, welligto boots ad specific footwear, eg foudry boots ad chaisaw boots. Note Footwear ca have a variety of sole patters ad materials to help prevet slips i differet coditios, ca have oil or chemical-resistat soles, ad ca be ati-static, electrically coductive or thermally isulatig. There is a variety of styles icludig traiers ad akle supports. Avoid high-heeled shoes ad ope sadals. Cosider the comfort factor for the wearer. Lugs Hazards Oxyge-deficiet atmospheres, dusts, gases ad vapours. Optios There are respirators that rely o filterig cotamiats from workplace air. These iclude simple filterig facepieces ad respirators ad power-assisted respirators. I additio there are types of breathig apparatus, which give a idepedet supply of breathable air, for example fresh-air hose, compressed airlie ad selfcotaied breathig apparatus. You will eed to use breathig apparatus i a cofied space or if there is a chace of a oxyge deficiecy i the work area. Note The right type of respirator filter must be used as each is effective for oly a limited rage of substaces. Filters have oly a limited life. Where there is a shortage of oxyge or ay dager of losig cosciousess due to exposure to high levels of harmful fumes, use oly breathig apparatus ever use a filterig cartridge. If you are usig respiratory protective equipmet look at HSE s publicatio HSG53. Whole body Hazards Heat, cold, bad weather, chemical or metal splash, spray from pressure leaks or spray gus, cotamiated dust, impact or peetratio, excessive wear or etaglemet of ow clothig. Optios Covetioal or disposable overalls, boiler suits, apros, chemical suits, thermal clothig. Note The choice of materials icludes flame retardat, ati-static, chai mail, chemically impermeable, ad high visibility. Do t forget other protectio, like safety haresses or life jackets. Essetials of health ad safety at work Page 98 of 105

99 Health ad Safety Emergecy equipmet Careful selectio, maiteace ad regular ad realistic operator traiig is eeded for equipmet like compressed-air escape breathig apparatus, respirators ad safety ropes or haresses. Fid out more Persoal protective equipmet at work (Secod editio). Persoal Protective Equipmet at Work Regulatios Guidace o Regulatios 1992 (as ameded) L25 ISBN Respiratory protective equipmet at work: A practical guide HSG53 (Third editio) ISBN X A short guide to the Persoal Protective Equipmet at Work Regulatios 1992 Leaflet INDG174(rev1) Chaisaws at work Leaflet INDG317 Here is a example of a chaisaw user who has: A safety helmet replace as recommeded by the maufacturer, eg at least every 2 to 3 years. Ear defeders. Eye protectio. Clothig should be close fittig. Gloves with protective pad o the back of the left had. Protectio for legs icorporatig loosely-wove log ylo fibres or similar material. All-roud leg protectio is recommeded for occasioal users. Chaisaw operator boots where there is little risk of trippig or saggig the casual user may obtai adequate protectio by a combiatio of protective spats ad idustrial steel toe-capped safety boots. Essetials of health ad safety at work Page 99 of 105

100 Health ad Safety 25 Accidets ad emergecies The hazards I ay busiess, thigs sometimes go wrog. You eed to be ready to deal with these uplaed evets ad miimise the potetial cosequeces. Look at past icidets which have caused ijuries ad ill health or other damage to see what you ca lear. Thik about emergecies ad pla for the worst that ca happe. You must have the right firstaid arragemets. Some evets eed to be reported this chapter tells you how to do this. Fire precautios are covered i Chapter 4. Emergecy procedures Special procedures are ecessary for emergecies such as serious ijuries, explosio, flood, poisoig, electrocutio, fire, release of radioactivity ad chemical spills. Quick ad effective actio by people may help to ease the situatio ad reduce the cosequeces. However, i emergecies people are more likely to respod reliably if they are well traied ad competet, take part i regular ad realistic practice, ad have clearly agreed, recorded ad rehearsed plas, actios ad resposibilities. Write a emergecy pla if a major icidet at your workplace could ivolve risks to the public, rescuig employees or co-ordiatio of the emergecy services. Poits to iclude i emergecy procedures Cosider what might happe ad how the alarm will be raised. Do t forget ight ad shift workig, weekeds ad times whe the premises are closed, eg holidays. Pla what to do, icludig how to call the emergecy services. Help them by clearly markig your premises from the road. Cosider drawig up a simple pla showig the locatio of hazardous items. If you have at least 25 toes of dagerous substaces you must otify the fire ad rescue authority ad put up warig sigs. Decide where to go to reach a place of safety or to get rescue equipmet. Provide emergecy lightig if ecessary. You must make sure there are eough emergecy exits for everyoe to escape quickly, ad keep emergecy doors ad escape routes uobstructed ad clearly marked. Nomiate competet persos to take cotrol. Decide who are the other key people, such as a omiated icidet cotroller, someoe who is able to provide techical ad other site-specific iformatio if ecessary, or first-aiders? Pla essetial actios such as emergecy plat shut-dow, isolatio or makig processes safe. Clearly idetify importat items like shut-off valves ad electrical isolators etc. The law The Maagemet of Health ad Safety at Work Regulatios 1999 cover emergecies. The requiremets for first aid are i the Health ad Safety (First Aid) Regulatios 1981, ad for reportig icidets i the Reportig of Ijuries, Diseases ad Dagerous Occurreces Regulatios 1995 (RIDDOR). The Dagerous Substaces (Notificatio ad Markig of Sites) Regulatios 1990 cover sites where at least 25 toes of dagerous substaces are held. Essetials of health ad safety at work Page 100 of 105

101 Health ad Safety You must trai everyoe i emergecy procedures. Do t forget the eeds of people with disabilities. Reportig ijuries ad other evets RIDDOR applies to all employers ad the self-employed ad covers everyoe at work (icludig those o work experiece ad similar schemes) ad o-workers, such as visitors, affected by the work. All accidets, diseases ad dagerous occurreces ca ow be reported to a sigle poit: Icidet Cotact Cetre (ICC), Caerphilly Busiess Park, Caerphilly CF83 3GG. You ca report icidets: by telephoe betwee 8.30 am ad 5.00 pm Moday to Friday o (charged at local call rate); by fax o (charged at local call rate); via the Iteret at or by to [email protected]; or by post to the ICC at Caerphilly. Keep details of the icidet, eg i your accidet book. You must otify the ICC: immediately of a death or major ijury, such as a broke arm or leg, a amputatio ijury or where a employee or the self-employed perso is seriously affected by, eg electric shock or poisoig, or where a member of the public is killed or take to hospital; immediately of a dagerous occurrece, eg where somethig happes like a fire or explosio which stops work for more tha 24 hours; withi 10 days of a over-three-day ijury, ie whe a employee or self- employed perso has a accidet at work ad is uable to do their ormal job for more tha three days; as soo as possible of a work-related disease (as specified i RIDDOR); immediately, if you supply, fill or import liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) i refillable cotaiers, of ay death or major ijury coected i ay way with this LPG ad cofirm the otificatio withi 14 days. What to do whe there is a accidet Take ay actio required to deal with the immediate risks, eg first aid, put out the fire, isolate ay dager, fece off the area. Assess the amout ad kid of ivestigatio eeded if you have to disturb the site, take photographs ad measuremets first. Ivestigate fid out what happeed ad why. Take steps to stop somethig similar happeig agai. Also look at ear misses ad property damage. Ofte it is oly by chace that someoe was t ijured. Essetials of health ad safety at work Page 101 of 105

102 Health ad Safety Checklist Do t just focus o idividuals ad the immediate causes, look also at how the job, the work eviromet ad the orgaisatio may have cotributed. To help with your ivestigatio, fid out the followig: Details of ijured persoel. Details of ijury, damage or loss. What was the worst that could have happeed? Could it happe agai? What happeed? Where? Whe? What was the direct cause? Were there stadards i place for the premises, plat, substaces, procedures ivolved? Were they adequate? Were they followed? Were the people up to the job? Were they competet, traied ad istructed? What was the uderlyig cause? Was there more tha oe? What was meat to happe ad what were the plas? How were the people orgaised? Would ispectio would have picked up the problem earlier? Had it happeed before? If so, why were t the lessos leart? First aid You eed to assess your first-aid requiremets to help you decide what equipmet, facilities ad persoel you should provide. The miimum first-aid provisio at ay workplace is: a suitably stocked first-aid box; a appoited perso to take charge of first-aid arragemets. Put up otices tellig your employees: who ad where the first-aiders or appoited persos are; where the first-aid box is. You may eed more tha the miimum provisio, icludig traied first-aiders. The umber of first-aiders required will deped o the outcome of your first-aid eeds assessmet. Your assessmet may also idicate you should provide a first-aid room, particularly where your work ivolves certai hazards such as those that may be foud i chemical idustries ad large costructio sites. As your compay grows, look agai at your eed for qualified first-aiders. They must have the right traiig ad are give a certificate valid for three years after that a refresher course ad re-examiatio is ecessary. Traiig orgaisatios are approved by HSE cotact HSE s Ifolie for details. Essetials of health ad safety at work Page 102 of 105

103 Health ad Safety Fid out more A guide to the Reportig of Ijuries, Diseases ad Dagerous Occurreces Regulatios 1995 L73 (Secod editio) ISBN First aid at work. The Health ad Safety (First Aid) Regulatios Approved Code of Practice ad guidace L74 ISBN Ivestigatig accidets ad icidets: A workbook for employers, uios, safety represetatives ad safety professioals HSG245 ISBN Basic advice o first aid at work Poster ISBN RIDDOR explaied: Reportig of Ijuries, Diseases ad Dagerous Occurreces Regulatios Leaflet HSE31(rev1) First aid at work: Your questios aswered Leaflet INDG214 Basic advice o first aid at work Leaflet INDG347(rev1) Essetials of health ad safety at work Page 103 of 105

104 Health ad Safety Useful cotacts HSE Ifolie Caerphilly Busiess Park, Caerphilly CF83 3GG Tel: Textphoe: Website: HSE Books HSE Books, PO Box 1999, Sudbury, Suffolk CO10 2WA Tel: Fax: Website: Icidet Cotact Cetre (ICC) Caerphilly Busiess Park, Caerphilly CF83 3GG. Tel: Fax: Website: or British Safety Coucil 70 Chacellors Road, Lodo W6 9RS Tel: Website: Cofederatio of British Idustry Cetre Poit,103 New Oxford Street, Lodo WC1A 1DU Tel: Website: The Royal Society for the Prevetio of Accidets (RoSPA) Edgbasto Park, 353 Bristol Road, Edgbasto, Birmigham B5 7ST Tel: Website: Trades Uio Cogress Cogress House, Great Russell Street, Lodo WC1B 3LS Tel: Website: Websites HSE Small busiess web pages HSE Busiess Beefits case studies Busiesslik Practical advice for busiesses Tel: Eviromet Agecy websites provides plai laguage guidace for small busiesses o evirometal legislatio ad how to comply with it Essetials of health ad safety at work Page 104 of 105

105 Health ad Safety Further iformatio For iformatio about health ad safety rig HSE s Ifolie Tel: Fax: Textphoe: [email protected] or write to HSE Iformatio Services, Caerphilly Busiess Park, Caerphilly CF83 3GG. HSE priced ad free publicatios ca be viewed olie or ordered from or cotact HSE Books, PO Box 1999, Sudbury, Suffolk CO10 2WA Tel: Fax: HSE priced publicatios are also available from bookshops. British Stadards ca be obtaied i PDF or hard copy formats from the BSI olie shop: or by cotactig BSI Customer Services for hard copies oly Tel: [email protected]. The Statioery Office publicatios are available from The Statioery Office, PO Box 29, Norwich NR3 1GN Tel: Fax: [email protected] Website: (They are also available from bookshops.) Statutory Istrumets ca be viewed free of charge at Published by HSE 09/09 Page 105 of 105