Judith Evans B.Eng (HONS) AIIRSM TechIOSHAdamson’s Laboratory Services Ltd

4000 years ago in Mesopotamia Hammurabi's Code of Law stated “if a man builds a house badly, and it falls and kills the owner, the builder is to be slain. If the owner's son was killed, then the builder's son is slain.”In England Health and Safety at Work legislation can be traced back to an Act of 1802 concerning the 'Health and Morals of Apprentices' employed in the cotton industry.By 1867 it covered safety, health and welfare in textiles and other specified industries.The first comprehensive Factories and Workshops Act was passed in 1878. These were updated in 1901, 1937 and 1961.Lord Robens led an enquiry committee to investigate what was going wrong. With statistics like 272518 reportable accidents and 549 fatalities in factories and premises in 1972, something had to be done.

Section 2 – (1) It shall be the duty of every employer to ensure, so far as is reasonably practicable, the health, safety and welfare at work of all his employees.(2) The duties extend to :safe plant and systems of work safe use, handling, storage and transport of articles and substances the provision of any necessary information, instruction, training and supervision safe place of work with safe means of access and egress a safe working environment(3) prepare a written statement of his general health and safety policy set down the organisation and arrangements for carrying out the policy

Require employers to: • Carry out risk assessments, • Make arrangements to implement necessary

measures, • Appoint competent people • Arrange for appropriate information and

training.

Duties are now on the employer to carry out risk assessment rather than the fire service to check compliance and issue certificates.Fire risk assessment is a check on the building and contents and how easy it would be for employees and visitors to evacuate in the event of a fire.

Cover a wide range of basic health, safety and welfare issues such as:

• Heating and ventilation• Lighting• Workstations and seating• Welfare facilities• Toilet facilities

• Analyse workstations to assess risks to users and operators.

• Keep assessments valid and up to date.• Reduce risks to lowest extent reasonably

practicable.• Comply with requirements of workstations.• Plan activities of users.• Provide eye tests for users.• Provide health and safety training for users.• Provide information for operators and users.

Avoid the need for manual handling where there is a risk of injury.If avoidance is not reasonably practicable:

• Assess the operations• Take action to reduce the risk of injury• Provide information and training for

handlers

Duty to manage asbestos in non-domestic premisesOwners and occupiers of premises with maintenance and repair responsibilities have a duty to assess the presence and condition of asbestos.The duty holder is required to look for the asbestos, not just deal with it when it is found.To provide information, instruction, and training to their employees and possibly others who may be on the premises.

Report Death or Major Injury to HSE• Employee or other person working on your

premises is killed or suffers a major injury (including physical violence).

• A member of the public is killed or taken to hospital.

• An employee or other person working on your premises, suffers an over-three day injury.

An offence will be committed where failings by an organisation’s senior management are a substantial element in any gross breach of duty of care owed to the organisation’s employees or members of the public, which results in death. The maximum penalty is an unlimited fine and the court can additionally make a publicity order requiring the organisation to publish details of its conviction and fine.