A Quick Guide to Health and Safety

The Quick Guide Series
Invitation to New Authors
Introduction
Your 10 Minute A–Z Guide to Health and Safety
Chapter 1: Health and Safety Legislation – How Much is There?

Publisher Summary
1.1 Some of the other legislation
1.2 Other sources of information


Chapter 2: Enforcement and the Legal Situation

Publisher Summary
2.1 Who enforces the laws and regulations?
2.2 What is the purpose of enforcement and how is it done?
2.3 Provision of information and advice
2.4 Proportionality (action proportional to the risk)
2.5 Improvement notices and prohibition notices – what are they?
2.6 Reasonably practicable – what does this mean?
2.7 Who will receive the most attention from enforcing authorities?


Chapter 3: Health and Safety … so What Business are You in?

Publisher Summary
3.1 Business survival
3.2 Good H&S should be good business
3.3 As well as hurting people, accidents and injuries cost the business
3.4 If you think training is expensive – try ignorance
3.5 What are the most common accidents and causes of injury?


Chapter 4: The Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 (HSW Act) and What it Means

Publisher Summary
4.1 Basic concepts and duties
4.2 Duties of employers to employees
4.3 Duties of employers (and self-employed) to others
4.4 Duties of employees
4.5 Consultation with employees
4.6 Duties to provide safety equipment or PPE
4.7 Duties of manufacturers
4.8 Powers given to the enforcing authorities
4.9 What does ‘at work’ mean?
4.10 Management of H&S regulations – what are they?


Chapter 5: Risks and Risk Assessments – What are They?

Publisher Summary
5.1 Everyday risks
5.2 Risk – what do we mean?
5.3 Risk assessments – what are they?


Chapter 6: Health, Safety and Welfare Requirements in the Workplace

Publisher Summary
6.1 What are the applicable regulations?
6.2 What is a workplace?
6.3 The regulations and what they require you to do
6.4 Brief summary of the Construction Workplace Regulations
6.5 Enforcement
6.6 Regular tours of the workplace


Chapter 7: Machinery and Other Work Equipment

Publisher Summary
7.1 What are the main regulations with which you have to comply?
7.2 What equipment is covered by these regulations?
7.3 How do you know that machines and equipment you buy are safe?
7.4 What do I have to maintain and inspect?
7.5 Instruction and training for use and safety
7.6 Stopping equipment and emergency stops
7.7 Guards and guarding
7.8 What to do about cleaning and maintenance


Chapter 8: Pressure Plant and Equipment

Publisher Summary
8.1 What is pressure plant and equipment?
8.2 What is a relevant fluid?
8.3 Do the PSSR (Pressure Systems Safety Regulations) apply to me?
8.4 What do I have to do to comply with the regulations?
8.5 What is meant by safe operating limits?
8.6 What is a written scheme of examination?
8.7 Who is a competent person?


Chapter 9: Lifting and Handling

Publisher Summary
9.1 Manual handling regulations
9.2 General guidelines for lifting, pushing and pulling
9.3 What to consider in a risk assessment and who does it?
9.4 Manual handling training and instruction
9.5 What about lifting equipment?


Chapter 10: Noise

Publisher Summary
10.1 Noise at work
10.2 The regulations (the law) and what you have to do
10.3 Assessment of risk from noise and reduction of noise levels
10.4 Hearing protection and warning signs
10.5 Information and training
10.6 Health surveillance


Chapter 11: Hazardous Substances

Publisher Summary
11.1 What is COSHH (Control of Substances Hazardous to Health)?
11.2 Which substances are hazardous to health?
11.3 If you have hazardous substances – what next?
11.4 Summary and conclusion


Chapter 12: Electricity

Publisher Summary
12.1 Working with electricity
12.2 Which regulations do I have to comply with?
12.3 A summary of the main requirements and duties for users/owners
12.4 Employers’ duties for work ‘within their control’
12.5 What to do about portable equipment
12.6 What to do about isolations
12.7 Some good practices


Chapter 13: Working at Height

Publisher Summary
13.1 The general situation and current regulations
13.2 What is work at height?
13.3 The main requirements of the regulations
13.4 What to do about working from ladders
13.5 What to do about fragile roofs
13.6 What to do about scaffolds and mobile access towers
13.7 What to do about falling objects


Chapter 14: VDUs

Publisher Summary
14.1 Overview
14.2 The regulations
14.3 Do the VDU regulations apply to me?
14.4 What you have to do to comply with the regulations
14.5 Eye tests and provision of spectacles (required by Regulation 5)
14.6 Provision of information and training (required by Regulation 6)
14.7 Enforcement


Chapter 15: What to do About Protecting Employees

Publisher Summary
15.1 First aid
15.2 Personal protective equipment
15.3 Working alone (lone working)
15.4 Emergency plans (like the fire drills)


Chapter 16: Other Health and Safety Matters

Publisher Summary
16.1 Slips, trips and falls
16.2 Permits to work and lock off
16.3 Shift handover – do you have one?
16.4 Working in confined spaces – this is serious
16.5 RIDDOR and accident and injury reporting
16.6 Employee training records
16.7 Employee consultation on H&S matters
16.8 Other regulations


Chapter 17: Will You be Prosecuted?

Publisher Summary
17.1 Investigation and the decision to prosecute
17.2 What events will trigger a prosecution?
17.3 Some examples of prosecutions
17.4 Prosecution under The Health and Safety at Work Act or other regulations
17.5 Who will prosecute?
17.6 What are the penalties?


References
Index