Transcript Health and Safety Law IT Organisation

Ben Strange, Chris Lee and Tom Middleton
The Health and Safety at
Work Act 1974
 “All workers have a right to work in places where risks to
their health and safety are properly controlled. Health
and safety is about stopping you getting hurt at work or ill
through work. Your employer is responsible for health and
safety, but you must help”
http://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/law.pdf
The Employers Responsibility
The Employees Responsibility
http://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/law.pdf
Relevant Regulations and Acts
Applicable to IT Organisations
 Control of Substances Hazardous to Health
 Electricity at Work Regulation 1989
 RIDDOR
 Display Screen Equipment
COSHH
Control of substances that are hazardous to health (COSHH) is the law that requires
employers to control substances that are hazardous to health.
COSHH covers:
chemicals, products containing chemicals, fumes, dusts, vapours, mists and gases, and
biological agents (germs). If the packaging has any of the hazard symbols then it is
classed as a hazardous substance. COSHH also covers germs that cause diseases such
as leptospirosis or legionnaires' disease: and germs used in laboratories.
COSHH does not cover:
lead, asbestos or radioactive substances because these have their own specific
regulations.
Under the Control of Substances Hazardous to health
(COSHH) Regulations, your employer has a duty to protect
their employees from exposure. This means employers
must assess the risks associated with the use of chemicals,
solvents and other agents, and take all necessary steps to
prevent exposure to risks. This means following a
hierarchy of control measures:
This means following a hierarchy of control measures:
1/ Eliminate the chemical, for example by changing the work process.
2/ Substitute the chemical for a safer one.
3/ Protect you from exposure to it by enclosing the process.
4/ Provide adequate ventilation.
5/ Only then, as a last resort, should your employer rely on personal protective
equipment to prevent exposure (such as gloves and facemasks) and ensure their proper
use.
Where necessary your employer must introduce a system of health surveillance
Personal protective equipment (PPE)
Employers are responsible for providing, replacing and paying for personal protective
equipment.
PPE should be used when all other measures are inadequate to control exposure. It
protects only the wearer, while being worn.
If it fails, PPE offers no protection at all.
Types of PPE
Respirators
Protective gloves
Protective clothing
Protective footwear
Eye protection
Electricity at Work Regulations
 Covers mainly the hardware installations whereby
Electrical supply must be of required construction with
the ability to isolate supply
 “As may be necessary to prevent danger, all systems shall
be maintained so as to prevent, so far as is reasonably
practicable, such danger”
http://www.hse.gov.uk/foi/internalops/fod/oc/400-499/480_2.pdf
Employer Responsibility
 Use of suitably qualified electricians for annual testing
and installations – all electrical items must be annually
tested from kettle leads to air conditioning units
 Provide safe and suitably tested equipment
 Have electrical installation certificates available
Employee’s Responsibility
 Do not use damaged/faulty equipment
 Do not use untested/expired equipment
 Follow manufacturer guidelines as to equipment use
 Report faulty equipment to management and colleagues
RIDDOR
 Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous
Occurrences
 The easiest way to do this is by calling the Incident
Contact Centre (ICC) on 0845 300 99 23 (local rate)
 The information gathered is used to review working
practises to prevent further occurances.
http://www.hse.gov.uk/riddor/riddor.htm
Employer/Employee Responsibility
 MUST REPORT:
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Deaths
Major Injuries
3-day or longer absences
Injuries to public that are subsequently administered to
hospital
Some work related diseases
Near misses that may have caused injury/death
DSE – Display Screen Equipment
DSE use is part of health and safety because it covers
aspects such as:
 Workstation Analysis
 Workstation Requirements
 User routines
 Stresses and Strains – e.g ULD + RSI
 Training and Provision of Information
Workstation Analysis
 Employers must perform analysis’ of users workstations
 A new analysis must be made if it believed the workstation
is unsuitable
 Risks found must be addresses and removed to prevent
stresses and strains to the user
Workstation Requirements
 Workstations must all be suitable to follow DSE laws and
must be suitable for the users needs
User Routines
 The employer must ensure the user who undertakes their
work on DSE takes regular breaks to reduce the effects of
prolonged use of DSE.
 The breaks may also be a change in activity to reduce
chances of RSI (Explained on next slide)
Stresses and Strains – e.g ULD + RSI
Stresses and strains which may occur due to prolonged use
of DSE are : RSI – Repetitive Strain Injury – This mainly occurs in areas
such as eyes, hands, back and
 ULD – Upper Limb Disorder which include pains in the
neck, shoulders, arms and also fatigue.
 If the end user suspects his/her eyesight is poor the
employer must provide a free eye test if he/she uses
Display Screen Equipment.
Training and Provision of Info
The employer must provide training for the end user to
ensure the correct working methods and practices are
used to reduce the risk of gaining RSI or an ULD.
Information on the use of DSE must also be provided on
request of the user.