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Communicate health and safety procedures to your employees

Organisations are legally required to provide workers with any health and safety information they need to carry out their job safely. Present them with the your health and safety policy and get them to sign it once they have read it.

You must inform them, preferably on the first day, of fire safety procedures and what to do if the fire alarm sounds.
You have a duty of care to ensure that new employees are made aware of particular hazards and what precautions need to be taken to minimise risk. Updating this information as working practice changes is vital.

Your staff's awareness of your health & safety procedures will be an issue if you're subject to a health and safety inspection.
Your staff may also need informing about public safety.

  • Put procedures in place
  • Document policy and procedures
  • Inform staff
  • Obtain employee agreement to comply
  • Monitor compliance
  • Update policy and procedures as things change

 

Specific Legislation

The Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999

The Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations 2002

The Health and Safety (Display Screen Equipment) Regulations 1992

Useful Documents

HSC - Enforcement Policy Statement (pdf)

HSE - Major Incident Response and Investigation Policy and Procedures

159mph speeding charge Pc cleared

"The magistrate also expressed concern at West Mercia Constabulary's "total lack of policy" on when and where police drivers should practise driving at very high speeds."

See BBC News for more information

 

Do you have a Policy on Smoking at Work?

On 26 March 2006 the law on smoking in Scotland changed. Public places and workplaces became smoke-free.

From summer 2007, all public places and workplaces will become smoke-free in England, with the exception of a limited number of exemptions.

Within the HSE’s advice on protecting employees from the effects of second hand smoke it recommends that employers should have a specific policy on smoking in the workplace.