Health and safety laws and regulations
Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 (HASAWA)
- The Health and Safety at Work Act 1974, also known as the HSW Act, is the main piece of legislation covering occupational health and safety in the UK.
- Under HASAWA, both employers and employees have responsibilities to ensure safety at the workplace.
- Employers have a general duty to ensure, so far as is reasonably practicable, the health, safety and welfare at work of all their employees.
- This includes providing safe machinery and systems, ensuring materials are properly used, stored and transported, providing adequate training, and ensuring the workplace is safe and without risk to health.
- Employees also have responsibilities under HASAWA including taking reasonable care of their own health and safety, and that of others who may be affected by their actions at work.
The Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2015 (CDM 2015)
- CDM 2015 are regulations about managing health, safety and welfare when carrying out construction projects. It applies to all construction work including new builds, alterations, repairs and demolitions.
- According to CDM 2015, roles are assigned to an organisation at various stages of a project. Notable roles are Client, Duty holder, Designer, Principal Designer, Contractor and Principal Contractor.
- They require clients to ensure projects are suitably managed, ensuring the health and safety of all who might be affected by the work, including members of the public.
- Risk assessments must also be carried out to identify hazards and assess the likelihood and severity of harm from these hazards.
- Measures must then be put in place to control these risks, and workers must be informed about these hazards, risks and control measures.
Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations 2002 (COSHH)
- The COSHH provides the main legislative framework for the control of hazardous substances at work.
- It requires employers to prevent or control exposure to hazardous substances to prevent ill health.
- Employers have to conduct risk assessments which consider the hazard (the harm that can be caused), the risk (the likelihood of that harm being realized), and the control measures to be implemented.
- Substances can take many forms including chemicals, fumes, dust, vapors, mists, nanotechnology, gases and biological agents, etc.
- Employers must provide necessary information, instruction, training, and supervision to their employees on a regular basis about these hazards, the risks they pose and how to handle them safely.
Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations 2013 (RIDDOR)
- RIDDOR spells out the duty of employers, self-employed, people in control of premises, and the gas supply companies to report specific serious workplace accidents, occupational diseases and specific dangerous occurrences.
- Demands the reporting of work-related deaths, major injuries, 7-day injuries (those causing more than seven day incapacity from work), work-related diseases, and dangerous events or near misses.
- Reports are made to the relevant enforcing authority β Health and Safety Executive (HSE) or the relevant local authority.