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ISS can help to organise or improve your Health and Safety Management policy and procedures, undertake report based safety audits, help with risk assessment or provide modular or open certificated safety training courses.
ISS Health and Safety Support brochure
Compliance with work place Health and Safety Regulations has never been more demanding. New or revised Occupational Health and Safety Regulations continue to be introduced that place increasing obligations on employers to minimise risk not only to their employees but also contractors, visitors and the environment.
Compliance with Health and Safety Legislation requires employers to take a holistic view. The Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 (HASWA) sets the framework by placing general duties on employers to provide a safety place of work and to protect employees and others from their undertakings. It also requires employers to create a written health and safety policy together with arrangements to implement the policy.
Health and Safety Regulations provide more detailed information on organisational arrangements, structures and responsibilities. Information taken from these Regulations and their associated Approved Codes of Practice (ACOPs) will play a crucial part in formulating and implementing safe systems of work within any organisation and to ensure compliance with the law. A thorough understanding of all aspects of safety legislation is therefore essential.
In conjunction with the HASWA the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations is the starting point in developing a coherent risk management system for the organisation.
The Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations is general in nature and provides the action plan for protecting the health and safety of every employee at work through a process of hazard identification, risk assessment and risk reduction across every potential hazardous activity. It also requires the employer to allocate responsibility to one or more competent person (defined as a person with experience, knowledge and training) from either within the organisation, or to a suitably qualified person outside the organisation, to assist in the implementation of the plan.
Other Safety Regulations provide more detailed information about dealing with specific hazards and risks associated with a particular activity.
A few examples include:
(1) The Display Screen equipment Regulations
(2) Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations
(3) Noise At work Regulations
(4) Dangerous Substances and Explosive Atmosphere Regulations
(5) Manual Handling Regulations
(6) Fire Precautions (Workplace) Regulations
All Safety Regulations require the employer to assess the risk, introduce suitable and sufficient preventative and protective measures, review the risk assessments and to keep employees informed about risks to their Health.
It is not surprising that HSE inspectors frequently report failure to comply in whole or in part with Occupational Health and Safety Regulations, given the volume of material that needs to be consulted and understood.
Not every organisation has the resources to employ a full time qualified safety advisor familiar with the many Work Place Health and Safety Regulations. However, employers must ensure compliance with all Health and Safety Regulations if they are to avoid unnecessary accidents and subsequent criminal or civil prosecution. In some cases, where an organisation employs a full time safety officer, they themselves may require advice on specialist safety matters.
Where there is uncertainty regarding Occupational Health and Safety Regulations, organisations without the necessary in house resource may wish to consider retaining the services of a reputable Safety Company who has the knowledge and expertise to provide appropriate advice on the preparation and implementation of safe systems of work in all working environments.
ISS can help to organise or improve your Health and Safety Management policy and procedures, undertake report based safety audits, help with risk assessment or provide personnel training programs.
For more information on the range of health and Safety support services available from ISS please download our consultancy brochure.
