- This law imposes a responsibility to the employer to ensure safety at work for all their employees.
- Employers have to take reasonable steps to ensure the health, safety and welfare of their employees at work.
- Failure to do so could result in a criminal prosecution in the magistrate’s court or a crown court.
- Failure to ensure safe working practices could also lead to an employee suing for personal injury or in some cases the employer being prosecuted for corporate manslaughter.
St Charles Sixth Form College Health and Safety
It is very important that St Charles College carry out activities such as ensuring health and safety in the college. It is vital that the college, its staff, and students comply with the Health and Safety regulations of the college. St Charles provides Health and Safety procedures to employees and students. For Example, Health and Safety notices are always placed on doors of every classroom so that students and teachers can read them at all times and know what to do in case of an emergency. Also there is a little health and safety session when new student are enrolling which teaches student what to do in certain situations. In addition to this, St Charles also has fire alarm tests that would prepare students just in case there is a real fire.
St Charles is responsible for identifying the training needs for their staff. They offer training to staff that need to improve their skills or learn new ones. They ensure that all their employees get the required skills they need to carry out their duties effectively. This also helps the college because when their employees are well trained and possess the appropriate skills they need, they can provide improved quality services to their students (customers). This satisfies the main aim of the college, which is providing the best possible services to their students. The new skills they get from training skills can also be linked to new developments or changes that the college might want to make either to the teaching policies, provision of new equipment or upgraded IT systems in the college.
They ensure that their staff is provided with a safe and good working condition and environment because they need to be protected when they work from various dangers and hazards. For example a teacher of design and technology is in danger as there are many different machines that students might not know how to use properly and they could be putting themselves in a risk.
Health and Safety at a Paper factory
In a Paper factory there are many different hazards and if not trained properly then the paper factory could be a very dangerous place for someone to work at. Firstly it is vital that staff that are recruited to work there are full trained and have gone through the whole health and safety guide as there are many ways in which staff can harm themselves.
Effects on the employees
Average employee
This is a great help to an adult in employment because it will keep them safe, also if they are harmed then the employee should have the right to sue if it was because of the workplace, and not the employees fault of course. It also means that the employee will be wise to the dangers in the work place and therefore not cause harm to themselves or those around them. The downers on this for the average employee aren’t really something that they should be doing anyway and that’s not to leave food and drink on the computers in case of spillages that could cause injury.
Control of Substances Hazardous to Health
How has the employer assessed the risk to employees arising from the exposure to substances and agents? What controls are in place to reduce exposure?
This was introduced in 1988. It was necessary to introduce the Health and Safety at Work Act because people had no protection of hazards at work. People had no protection of hazards at work. People had to work and accept that hazardous risks were part of the job. People got illnesses such as pneumoconiosis, which is exposure to coal dust (miners). Farm workers were infected by micro organisms from hay and straw known as farmers lung. Workers in the days before COSHH was introduced didn’t even know that the workplace could harm them, unaware that there were risks. The Health and Safety at Work Act was introduced in 1974. COSHH regulations were necessary in the workplace because harm that could be done to people by physical hazards was not covered in the Work Act 1974 and so this was extended by the COSHH introducing it to schools, labs, factories, workshops, garages and any place where any potentially hazardous chemicals are used. The management is ultimately responsible for ensuring that COSHH regulations are in place and complied with.
Noise at Work Regulations
Noise is defined as unwanted sound, or sound which is undesirable by the recipient. Sound or noise at high levels can cause permanent hearing damage. The risk depends on the noise levels and how long people are exposed to them. Hearing difficulties in construction workers are roughly twice the national average.
The following lists indicate equipment and activity presenting a risk of hearing damage to workers. The lists are not exhaustive and are given for guidance only:
1. Extreme Risk very high levels of noise exposure are likely and extreme precautions would be necessary to avoid excessive exposure to the operator and bystanders alike. E.g. - chain saws, diamond drills and saws, explosives, pneumatic diggers, concrete road or block breaking, road laying.
2. Very significant risk high and still excessive levels would be expected unless great care were taken in selection of the equipment and/or in the control of their use. The main risk would be to the operator, E.g. all forms of mobile equipment, compactors, compressed air tools, crushing mills, demolition, mechanical trenching.
3. Significant Risk relatively easy to avoid a problem but one might arise if care were not taken. E.g. hoists, portable generators, cranes, foundation construction.
Electricity at Work Regulations
All electricity systems should be maintained safe and visual checked before use to prevent such as electric shock or burn. Electrical equipment must be maintained in good and safe condition and checked regularly by a qualified person. unsafe equipment should be removed from use and reported.
Reporting of injuries, Diseases
Management of Health Safety and Welfare Regulations
Is there evidence to show that the employer has carried out risk assessments that consider the processes involved, the number of personnel exposed , current legal requirements and current safety procedures.
Workplace Health Safety and Welfare Regulations
Has the employer considered the work environment with regard to ventilation, temperature, lighting, cleanliness, size and space? Furthermore has consideration been given to the provision of adequate sanitary provisions to include water closets, washing, drinking and changing facilities?
Display Screen Equipment Regulations
What efforts have been taken to assess the risk of musculoskeletal injury, visual fatigue and stress arising from the use of Display Screen Equipment?
Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations
Has the employer carried out a suitable assessment of the equipment supplied to determine how suitable it is for use and how easy it is to maintain?
