Workplace Safety Legislation- Principal Guidelines Related To Health And Safety At Work Act 1974

Every year more than two hundred workers lose their lives and thousands are injured due to workplace injuries

. The major causes of these accidents are related to falling from a height or being hit by vehicles in the work area. Most employers try to mitigate the risk of such accidents, nonetheless, the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 provides the necessary guidelines for workplace safety.

According to the legal requirements, all companies that hire more than five employees must record risk assessments, which include the main dangers, which employees are at risk, and what further actions are necessary. The HSWA 1974 states that firms must ensure the safety of others and is applicable in all companies. Additionally, the act provides the duties of the employers for the safety of the employees and the responsibilities of the employees, contractors, and other people to adhere to all the standards.

According to the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999, all companies must assess the potential risks and make the necessary modifications. Moreover, the act states all the necessary steps that need to be taken to enhance the security processes. Additionally, adequate training must be imparted to the employees to minimize the risks of accidents.

The most important features of these acts ensure employees are provided complete security at the workplace. The companies need to appoint a full time doctor with regular appointments for the employees. Additionally, the companies must hire a knowledgeable person to assess the potential risks and dangers within the workplace.

Moreover, the appointed physician must provide regular counseling sessions to employees to handle any risks that may arise. Additionally, the employers must provide health risk surveillance to all the employees. According to the acts, the companies must arrange for periodical checkups of the employees and the risk mitigation procedures to ensure their effectiveness in reducing untoward accidents.

The regulations additionally state that every company must formulate risk prevention policies. Moreover, one person must be made in charge of developing this policy and must also formulate additional procedures to provide guidelines on how to handle any emergencies. The policy must include the name of the persons who are responsible for ensuring the security of the employees.

The policy must be easily accessible by all the employees within the organization. This document must comprise the special procedures and maneuvers to handle the equipments and other machines. Moreover, the policy must provide the necessary details on all the major and minor first aid arrangements and the installed emergency setups.

The lockout tagout policy included in the safety acts provides protection to workers from unanticipated energy release from these machines. The installed lockout device must provide adequate security without using extra force or unusual methodologies. A tagout device uses a warning gadget using an attachment along with an energy isolator. Lockout device is mandatory in workplaces unless the company is able to provide sufficiency of the tagout device in preventing an accident.

In case an employer fails to comply with the legal requirements for the security of his/her employees, he/she can be held directly responsible in case an accident occurs at the workplace. The employer will have to compensate the injured employee and pay damages for injuries. The safety law provides significant powers to the courts to punish the offending employers, which includes imprisonment. Moreover, the higher courts may impose huge fines on the non-complying employers.

Copyright (c) 2012 Ted Boynton NEBOSH

by:Ted Boynton NEBOSH

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