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| The answers on this page should be used for guidance only and should not
be considered as a definitive solution or answer to a specific question.
If your question is not specifically answered below, please click here to email your question to us. |
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| Food Hygiene |
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Is food hygiene a Health & Safety issue in the
workplace, and how does it affect me? Food hygiene has always been an important Health & Safety
issue, non-more so than now, with a worrying increasing trend of food
poisoning in the workplace. If you prepare food in the workplace
either in the kitchen or canteen / catering dept., it is of paramount
importance that Food Hygiene Legislation is adhered too, including
Training, Audits and HACCP (Hazard Analysis Critical Control Points). |
| Lighting, Blinds, Temperature & Space |
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How does lighting affect Health & Safety? Good lighting, whether natural or artificial, has an important role to play. It helps us to see hazards and can reduce the likelihood of visual fatigue and discomfort, and is therefore an important consideration in respect of workstation activities. Average luminance for workstations should range from 200 to 500 Lux. |
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Should window blinds be provided? In accordance with The Health & Safety (Display Screen Equipment) Regulations 1992, windows should be fitted with a suitable system of adjustable covering (blinds), to attenuate the daylight that falls on the workstation. |
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What is the minimum legal temperature in the workplace? In accordance with Welfare Regulations the minimum
temperature should be in the region of 16 Degrees Celsius and upward, for
an office or similar environment. |
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Is there a maximum temperature for the workplace? There is no maximum legal limit on temperature under UK Health & Safety Legislation, although an Employer would be expected to co-operate with Employees in cases of temperatures exceeding 27 Degrees Celsius relative to flexi time working and arrangements in order to minimise the effects of excessive temperatures. |
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What
are the minimum space dimensions required for a workstation user? The Health & Safety (Display Screen Equipment) Regulations 1992 states that "The workstation shall be dimensioned and designed so as to provide sufficient space for the operator or user to change position and vary movements". The Workplace (Health, Safety & Welfare) Regulations 1992 states that "the total volume of the room, when empty, divided by the number of people normally working in it should be at least 11 cubic metres". This assumes a maximum ceiling height of 3 metres, and may be insufficient if the room is taken up by furniture etc. |
| Lone & Home Workers |
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What do I need to consider when employing lone workers? If you employ lone workers, eg. out of hours support staff, in your place of work, or from other remote locations, you should put into place a surveillance and / or monitoring system to ensure regular communication at agreed intervals, and to provide adequate first aid relative to the risks identified. In the case of home workers using display screen equipment, a separate risk assessment should be undertaken at the users home. |
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Is an Employer responsible for the Health & Safety of Home Workers? Yes. If an Employer has designated Home Workers and provides
equipment and recourses for that purpose, the Employer is duty bound to
carry out a suitable and sufficient Risk Assessment, in order to identify
the associated hazards and put into place control measures to either
eliminate or reduce the Hazards to an acceptable level (specifically
Display Screen Equipment). |
| Manual Handling |
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What is manual handling? Manual handling of loads by human effort using bodily force. Manual handling includes both transporting a load and supporting a load in a static posture. The load may be moved or supported by the hands or any other part of the body. Also including lifting, lowering, pulling, pushing, catching, throwing. The first rule of manual handling is to avoid the task if reasonably practicable by the introduction of automation, mechanisation and manual handling aids. |
| Outside Contractors |
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What responsibilities does the employer have regarding the safety of outside contractors? Where outside contractors and service providers are working in or on your premises, you are responsible for their safety in respect of orientation and emergency arrangements and procedures. In addition you should request a method of work statement which identifies the hazards, control measures and resultant risks arising from the contractors work activity. In the absence of a method of work statement, and in the event of an accident occurring, the employer could be held responsible by way of vicarious liability. |
| Risk Assessment & Policy Statement |
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Why do I have to carry out a risk assessment? In order to identify foreseeable hazards in the workplace, assess the risk and put into place control measures to either eliminate or reduce the hazard. In accordance with regulation 3 of Management of Health & Safety at Work Regulations, 1999, every employer shall make a suitable and sufficient assessment of the risks to the health & safety of his employees, to which they are exposed whilst they are at work, and the risk to the health & safety of persons not in his employment, arising out of or in connection with the conduct by him of his undertaking. |
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Who should undertake risk assessments? Risk assessments should only be undertaken by competent persons, either internally or externally (consultant), as long as the risk assessor has suitable knowledge, understanding and practical experience of the subject of the risk assessment. |
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What risk assessments do I need to undertake? General risk assessment:
In accordance with Management of Health & Safety at Work
Regulations, 1999. Including
New & Expectant Mothers, and Young Persons at Work. C.O.S.H.H. (where applicable): Control Of Substances Hazardous to Health. Includes substances such as bleach and many other common cleaning substances. To be stored securely with accompanying C.O.S.H.H. data sheets. The purpose of an assessment is to enable a valid decision to be made about measures necessary to control substances hazardous to health arising from any work. It also enables the employer to demonstrate readily, both to himself and other people, that all the factors pertinent to the work have been considered, and that an informed and valid judgement has been reached about the risks, the steps which need to be taken to achieve and maintain adequate control, the need for monitoring exposure at the workplace and the need for health surveillance. Display Screen Equipment: Every employer shall perform a suitable and sufficient analysis of workstations, for example work station setup, user position and posture, including suitable & sufficient workstation parameters and dimensions. |
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What is a Health & Safety Policy Statement? An organisations Health & Safety Policy Statement should incorporate: The policy statement is intended as a publication of the employers policy on all matters of health & safety, and should be divided clearly into 3 sections as below, namely "statement of intent", "organisation of health & safety", and "arrangements of health & safety". 1) A clear statement of intent and overall policy and objectives 2) The organisation of health & safety, including specific responsibilities 3) Detailed health & safety arrangements to cover all areas and activities |
| Seating & Eye Sight Care |
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Is seating at work important? Unsuitable seating can cause people to adopt awkward postures which can lead to discomfort, back pain and upper limb disorders. This may prove costly to employers in the form of staff absences, potential civil claims and lost production. Individuals also bear some of the costs in the form of suffering and lost income. |
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What aspects of seating do I need to be aware of? The chair needs to be comfortable for the intended period of use, providing adequate support for the lower back, and providing sufficient padding and shaped to prevent uncomfortable pressure on the thighs. The chair also needs to have adequate types and ranges of adjustment, e.g.. adjustable height, so that work can be carried out at or below elbow height, and a sufficiently adjustable backrest in height and angle to allow the user to gain support. Also, armrests (which are not legally required) need to be suitable for the task and workstation, allow adequate arm movement and must not prevent the user from bringing the chair far enough forward. |
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What rules are there regarding eye sight testing? Under the Display Screen Equipment Regulations, 1992, an employer, upon request will provide an appropriate eye and eye sight test, to be carried out by a competent person and be responsible for the cost. Furthermore, the employer will also be responsible for the basic cost of corrective devices (spectacles) required for display screen work. |
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Should an employee take a break from the display screen? Yes, where the display screen use involves extensive use of the keyboard, mouse and screen, breaks should be taken before the onset of fatigue. Short frequent breaks are more satisfactory than occasional longer breaks, e.g. a 5-10 minute break after 50-60 minutes continuous screen and / or keyboard work, is more beneficial than a 15 minute break every 2 hours. |
| Stress, First Aid & R.I.D.D.O.R. |
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Is stress in the workplace a Health & Safety issue? Yes. An employer has a responsibility to identify Excessive
Stress in the workplace and if identified or brought to the attention of
the Employer, it should be acted upon, in order to reduce excessive
workplace stress to an acceptable level. |
| Is the employer required to provide first aid
facilities? In accordance with The Health & Safety (First Aid) Regulations 1981, the employer should make an assessment of first-aid needs, appropriate to the circumstances of each workplace, including the appointment of suitably qualified first aid personnel and first aid kit and equipment. |
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How many first aiders are required in an office environment? The number of first aiders required in an office environment will depend on the layout and number of floors the office occupies, as well as the nature of work being carried out, i.e. hazardous work processes may require a higher number of first aiders. There should always be a minimum of 2 appointed and trained first aiders, no matter how small the office is (within reason) in case 1 is off sick, on leave or out of the office at the time of an accident. For companies who are not able to provide sufficient trained first aiders, it is acceptable (where practical) to share first aiders with neighboring companies, particularly within multi-occupancy buildings. There must, however be a written formal agreement in place documenting this, and all staff should be made aware of who their first aiders are. |
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What is R.I.D.D.O.R.? R.I.D.D.O.R. is Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations 1995. It is an offence to fail to report an accident at work or at another site where R.I.D.D.O.R. applies, eg. in the event of a death, absent for over 3 days as a consequence of injury, specified dangerous occurrences and diseases, any fracture other than to fingers, thumbs or toes, any amputation, dislocation of the shoulder, hip, knee or spine, loss of sight, a chemical or hot metal burn to the eye, or any penetrating injury to the eye, an injury resulting from electric shock and burn, and any admittance to hospital for more than 24 hours. |
| Young Persons and New & Expectant Mothers |
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What do I need to consider, when employing young persons? Anybody under the age of 18 is considered a young person at work. Employers must ensure that young persons are protected from risks to their health & safety which are a consequence of their lack of experience, or absence of awareness of existing or potential risks, or the fact that young persons have not yet fully matured. |
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What do I need to consider when employing new and expectant mothers? The Employer should immediately be informed in writing of any pregnancy, forthcoming or prior. Once informed, the Employer should carry out a Risk Assessment, in order to identify hazards in the workplace, ie manual handling, workstation and computer use, and the provision and use of welfare facilities etc. Where the risk assessment identifies risks to new or expectant mothers and their children and these risks cannot be avoided by the preventative and protective measures taken by an employer, the employer will:
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