P.s.menon health & safety

Aim and purpose
The aim of this unit is to enable learners to develop
knowledge of the legislation and regulations relating to
health and safety in a business workplace in order to conduct
an audit and carry out a risk assessment.

Learning outcomes
On completion of this unit a learner should:
1 Understand how health and safety legislation and
regulations affect a business working environment
2 Know the requirements for healthy, safe and productive
working conditions
3 Understand the role and responsibilities of key personnel
4 Be able to assess and manage risk.

Unit content
Understand how health and safety legislation and
regulations affect a business
working environment.
Know the requirements for healthy, safe and productive
working conditions
Understand the role and responsibilities of key personnel
Be able to assess and manage risk

Managing health and safety in
your workplace
Health and safety legislation

What are the main causes of ill health and accidents at
work?
Every year over 200 people are killed at work and several
hundred thousand more are injured and suffer ill health.
The biggest causes of days off work sick are aches and
pains such as back problems and stress.
The most common causes of serious accidental injury at
work are slips and trips.
The most common causes of death from accidents are falls
from a height and being struck by vehicles in the
workplace.

There are two main kinds of health and safety law.
Some is very specific about what you must do, but some, such
as the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974 (HSW Act), is
general, requiring you to do what is ‘reasonably practicable’
to ensure health and safety.
There are legal health and safety requirements that you have
to meet.
Two of the most important health and safety legislation
affecting workplaces are -
1. The Health and Safety at Work, etc Act 1974
2. The Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations
1999.

The Health and Safety at Work, etc Act 1974
The Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999
The Workplace (Health, Safety and Welfare) Regulations 1992
The Manual Handling Operations Regulations 1992
The Control of Asbestos at Work Regulations 2006
The Health and Safety (Display Screen Equipment) Regulations
1992
The Electricity at Work Regulations 1989
The Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences
Regulations 1995
The Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations 2002
The Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998
The Health and Safety (First Aid) Regulations 1981

The law
Under the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974 (the HSW
Act), you have to ensure the health and safety of yourself and
others who may be affected by what you do or do not do. It
applies to all work activities and premises and everyone at
work has responsibilities under it, including the self-
employed.
The Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations
1999 also apply to every workplace and require all risks to be
assessed and controlled.

1. The Health and Safety at Work, etc Act 1974
This Act provides a framework for ensuring the health and
safety of all employees in any work activity and anyone
who may be affected by work activities in eg employees
and contractors, visitors etc.
General duties and key sections of the act.
Section 2 Duties of employers to employees
To ensure, so far as is reasonably practicable, the health,
safety and welfare of all employees. In particular:
➤ safe plant and systems of work
➤ safe use, handling, transport and storage of substances
and articles

➤ provision of information, instruction, training and
supervision
➤ safe place of work, access and egress
➤ safe working environment with adequate welfare facilities
➤ a written safety policy together with organizational and
other arrangements (if there are 5 or more employees)
➤ consultation with safety representatives and formation of
safety committees where there are recognized trade unions.
Section 2 Duties of employers to employees

Section 3 Duties of employers to others affected by their
undertaking
A duty to safeguard those not in their employment but
affected by the undertaking. This includes members of the
public, contractors, patients, customers and students.
Section 4 Duties of landlords or owners
To ensure that means of access and egress are safe for
those using the premises.

Section 6 Duties of suppliers
Places duties on designers, manufacturers and suppliers to
ensure that articles and substances are safe for use
Section 7 Duties of Employees
➤ to take reasonable care for the health and safety of
themselves and others affected by their acts or omissions
➤ to co-operate with the employer and others to enable
them to fulfi l their legal obligations.

Section 8
No person is to misuse or interfere with safety provisions.
(sometimes known as the‘horseplay section’)
Section 9
Employees cannot be charged for health and safety requirements
such as personal protective equipment.
Section 37 Personal liability of directors
Where an offence is committed by a corporate body with the
consent or connivance of, or is attributable to any neglect of a
director or other senior officer of the body, both the corporate
body and the person are liable to prosecution.
Enforcement action can be taken for the violation of
these rules.

The Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999
Employers duties
undertake suitable and sufficient written risk assessments when
there are 5 or more employees
put in place effective arrangements for the planning,
organization, control, monitoring and review of health and
safety measures in the workplace (including health surveillance).
Such arrangements should be recorded if there are more than
four employees
employ (to be preferred) or contract competent persons to help
them comply with health and safety duties
develop suitable emergency procedures. Ensure that employees
and others are aware of these procedures and can apply them

provide health and safety information to employees and others,
such as other employers, the self employed and their employees
who are sharing the same workplace and parents of child
employees or those on work experience
co-operate in health and safety matters with other employers
who share the same workplace
provide employees with adequate and relevant health and
safety training
provide temporary workers and their contract agency with
appropriate health and safety information
 protect new and expectant mothers and young persons from
particular risks
under certain circumstances, as outlined in Regulation 6,
provide health surveillance for employees.
Employers duties

The information that should be supplied by employers
under the regulations is:
risks identified by any risk assessments including those
notified to him by other employers sharing the same
workplace
the preventative and protective measures that are in
place
the emergency arrangements and procedures and the
names of those responsible for the implementation of
the procedures.

Employees duties
Employees must:
use any equipment or substance in accordance with any
training or instruction given by the employer
report to the employer any serious or imminent danger
report any shortcomings in the employer’s protective
health and safety arrangements.

The main external agencies that impact on the
workspace.

The Workplace, (Health, Safety and Welfare) Regulations 1992
These regulations deal with physical conditions in the workplace
and require employers to meet minimum standards in relation to
a wide range of matters, which include:
maintenance of buildings and equipment
lighting
provision of drinking water
temperature
rest facilities
ventilation
toilet facilities
first aid.

The Manual Handling Operations Regulations 1992
These regulations require employers to minimize the health
risks associated with manual handling, such as lifting, carrying,
moving, holding, pushing, lowering, pulling or restraining an
object, person or animal.
Employers should:
avoid the need to lift, carry, push, pull, lower or support loads
wherever possible
mechanize tasks where they cannot be avoided by the use of
trolleys, barrows, lifts or hoists
carry out risk assessments, which take into account the work
task, the activity involved, individual capacity, working
environment and other factors.

The Electricity at Work Regulations 1989
These place a duty on employers to assess all
foreseeable risks associated with work activities
involving electricity.
Employers are required to install safe systems of
working, with well-maintained equipment, covering
everything from power lines to kettles.
All installation and repairs should be undertaken by a
qualified electrician or those who have appropriate
technical knowledge, though some minor repairs,
inspections, fitting of plugs, etc may be undertaken by
suitably trained staff.

The Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences
Regulations 1995
Under these regulations (often referred to as RIDDOR), certain
work-related accidents are reportable by law to the Health and
Safety Executive or the local authority.
The following must be reported:
death of any person
a 'major injury' to any person at work
hospital treatment of any person who is not at work (eg
pupil/student)

an accident which results in a person at work being
incapacitated for more than three consecutive days
(excluding the day of the accident)
specified dangerous occurrences, eg building collapse
specified work-related diseases, eg mesothelioma and
hepatitis.
The following must be reported:

These regulations (often known as the COSHH regulations) require
employers to assess and prevent (or at least adequately control)
the risks to health from the use of any hazardous substances used
in the workplace.
A hazardous substance is one which has, by law, to be labelled as
'very toxic', 'toxic', 'harmful', 'irritant' or 'corrosive'. It therefore
includes many chemical substances such as paints and cleaning
materials, as well as wood dust.

The obligations to employers are to:
assess the risks
decide what precautions are needed
take steps to reduce or adequately control exposure to hazardous
substances
ensure that control measures are utilised and maintained
monitor exposure
carry out health surveillance of employees who have been or are
likely to be exposed
have in place emergency procedures to deal with
accidents/incidents
ensure that employees are properly informed, trained and
supervised.

Display Screen Equipment Regulation
The Health and Safety (Display Screen Equipment) Regulations
1992 require employers to minimise the risks in VDU work by
ensuring that workplaces and jobs are well designed.
The Regulations apply where staff habitually use VDUs as a
significant part of their normal work.

Employers have to:
Analyze workstations, and assess and reduce risks.
Employers need to look at:
■ the whole workstation including equipment, furniture, and
the work environment;
■ the job being done; and
■ any special needs of individual staff

summary of key principles
This section provides the Key Principles of information-
handling practice mean.
• Data may only be used for the specific purposes for which
it was collected.
• Data must not be disclosed to other parties without the
consent of the individual whom it is about, unless there is
legislation or other overriding legitimate reason to share
the information (for example, the prevention or detection
of crime).
• It is an offence for Other Parties to obtain this personal
data without authorization.
Data Protection Act 1998

• Individuals have a right of access to the information held
about them, subject to certain exceptions (for example,
information held for the prevention or detection of
crime).
• Personal information may be kept for no longer than is
necessary and must be kept up to date.
• The departments of a company that are holding personal
information are required to have adequate security
measures in place. Those include technical measures
(such as firewalls) and organisational measures (such as
staff training).
Data Protection Act 1998

Computer Misuse Act 1990
Sections 1-3 of the Act introduced three criminal offences:
• Unauthorized access to computer material, punishable by 6
months' imprisonment or a fine "not exceeding level 5 on the
standard scale" (currently £5000);
• Unauthorized access with intent to commit or facilitate
commission of further offences, punishable by 6
months/maximum fine on summary conviction or 5
years/fine on indictment;
• Unauthorised modification of computer material, subject to
the same sentences as section 2 offences.

Works subject to copyright
• The Act simplifies the different categories of work which are
protected by copyright, eliminating the specific treatment of
engravings and photographs.
• literary, dramatic and musical works (s. 3): these must be
recorded in writing or otherwise to be granted copyright, and
copyright subsists from the date at which recording takes
place
• artistic works (s. 4): includes buildings, photographs,
engravings and works of artistic craftsmanship.

• sound recordings and films (s. 5)
• broadcasts (s. 6): a broadcast is a transmission by wireless
telegraphy which is intended for, and capable of reception
by, members of the public.
• cable programmes (s. 7). A cable programme is a part of a
service which transmits images, sound or other information
to two or more different places or to members of the public
by any means other than wireless telegraphy. There are
several exceptions, including general Internet use, which
may be modified by Order in Council.
• published editions (s. 8) means the published edition of the
whole or part of one or more literary, dramatic or musical
works.

The following works are exempted from copyright by the
transitional provisions of Schedule 1:
artistic works made before 1 June 1957 which constituted a design
which could be registered under the Registered Designs Act 1949
c. 88 (or repealed measures) and which was used as a model for
reproduction by an industrial process (para. 6);
films made before 1 June 1957: these are treated as dramatic works
(if they so qualify under the 1911 Act) and/or as photographs
(para. 7);
broadcasts made before 1 June 1957 and cable programmes
transmitted before 1 January 1985 (para; 9).
The Act as it received Royal Assent does not substantially change
the qualification requirements of the author or the country of origin
of the work, which are restated as ss. 153–156: these have since
been largely modified, in particular by the Duration of Copyright

The Freedom of Information Act 2000 (c.36) is an Act of Parliament of the
Parliament of the United Kingdom that creates a public "right of access" to
information held by public authorities.

Chapter-2
Managing health and safety in your workplace
Risk Assessment

A safe place of work
In order to make a safe workplace You must:
 make sure your buildings are in good repair.
 maintain the workplace and any equipment so that it is safe
and works efficiently.
 put right any dangerous defects immediately, or take steps
to protect anyone at risk.
 take precautions to prevent people or materials falling from
open edges, eg fencing or guard-rails.
 fence or cover floor openings, eg vehicle examination pits,
when not in use.
 have enough space for safe movement and access, eg to
machinery.

A safe place of work
provide safe glazing, if necessary (eg protected, toughened or
thick) which is n marked to make it easy to see.
 make sure floors, corridors and stairs etc are free of
obstructions, eg trailing cables.
 provide good drainage in wet processes.
 have windows that can be opened and cleaned safely. They
should be designed to stop people falling
 out or bumping into them when open. You may need to fit
anchor points if window cleaners have to use harnesses.
 provide weather protection for outdoor workplaces, if
practical.
 keep outdoor routes safe during icy conditions, eg salt/sand
and sweep them.

Also think about:
 siting machinery and furniture so that sharp corners
do not stick out; not overloading floors
 providing space for storing tools and materials
 marking the edges of openings like vehicle pits
 finding out the views of employees on the design of
the workplace

Lighting
You must provide:
 good light – use natural light where possible but try to avoid
glare a good level of local lighting at workstations where
necessary suitable forms of lighting.
 Some fluorescent tubes flicker and can be dangerous n with
some rotating machinery because the rotating part can appear
to have stopped
 special fittings for flammable or explosive atmospheres, eg from
paint spraying
 well-lit stairs and corridors.

Moving around the premises
You must have:
 safe passage for pedestrians and vehicles – you may need
separate routes.
 level, even surfaces without holes or broken boards.
 hand-rails on stairs and ramps where necessary.
 safe doors, eg vision panels in swing doors, sensitive
edges on power doors.
 surfaces which are not slippery.
 well-lit outside areas – this will help security

Designing workstations
Make sure:
 workstations and seating fit the worker and the work.
 backrests support the small of the back and you must
provide footrests if n necessary.
 work surfaces are at a suitable height.
 there is easy access to controls on equipment

Display screen equipment (DSE)
What must employers do by law?
 Identify what display screen equipment and users in your
workplace are covered.
 Assess workstations and meet the minimum requirements for
them.
 Plan the work so there are breaks or changes of activity.
 On request provide eye and eyesight tests, and spectacles if
special ones are necessary.
 Provide training and information.

Cleanliness
You must:
 provide clean floors and stairs, which are drained and not
slippery
 provide clean premises, furniture and fittings (eg lights)
 provide containers for waste materials
 remove dirt, refuse and trade waste regularly
 clear up spillages promptly
 eliminate traps for dirt or germs, eg by sealing joints
between surfaces
 keep internal walls or ceilings clean. They may need painting
to help easy cleaning.

Hygiene and welfare
You must provide:
 clean, well-ventilated toilets (separate for men and women
unless each n convenience has its own lockable door);
 wash basins with hot and cold (or warm) running water;
 showers for dirty work or emergencies;
 soap and towels (or a hand dryer);
 skin cleansers, with nail brushes where necessary;
 barrier cream and skin-conditioning cream where necessary;

 special hygiene precautions where necessary, eg where
food is handled or n prepared;
 drying facilities for wet clothes;
 certain facilities for workers working away from base, eg
chemical toilets in n some circumstances;
 lockers or hanging space for clothing;
 changing facilities where special clothing is worn
You must provide:

 a clean drinking water supply (marked if necessary to
distinguish it from the non-drinkable supply);
 rest facilities, including facilities for eating food which would
otherwise become n contaminated;
 arrangements to protect non-smokers from discomfort
caused by tobacco n smoke in any separate rest areas, eg
provide separate areas or rooms for smokers and non-
smoking or prohibit smoking in rest areas and rest rooms
 rest facilities for pregnant women and nursing mothers
You must provide:

Comfortable conditions
You must provide:
 a reasonable working temperature in workrooms – usually at
least 16ºC, or 13ºC for strenuous work;
 local heating or cooling where a comfortable temperature
cannot be maintained throughout each workroom (eg hot and
cold processes);
 thermal clothing and rest facilities where necessary, eg for ‘hot
work’ or cold stores;
 good ventilation – avoid draughts;
 heating systems which do not give off dangerous or offensive
levels of fume into the workplace;
 enough space in workrooms.
 Remember that noise can be a nuisance as well as damaging
to health

How to manage health and safety in your workplace
 Know about the risks in your work.
 Control the risks that need it.
 Make sure the risks stay controlled
The hazards & Risks
A hazard is anything that might cause harm (eg chemicals,
electricity, vehicles, working from ladders).
Risk is the chance (big or small) of harm being done, as well
as how serious that harm could be.

Table1
Examples of Hazards and Their Effects
Workplace Hazard Example of Hazard Example of Harm
Caused
Thing Knife Cut
Substance Benzene Leukemia
Material Asbestos Mesothelioma
Source of Energy Electricity Shock, electrocution
Condition Wet floor Slips and Falls
Process Welding Metal fume fever
Practice Hard rock mining Silicosis

workplace hazards also include practices or conditions that
release uncontrolled energy like:
 an object that could fall from a height (potential or
gravitational energy),
 a run-away chemical reaction (chemical energy),
 the release of compressed gas or steam (pressure; high
temperature),
 entanglement of hair or clothing in rotating equipment
(kinetic energy), or
 contact with electrodes of a battery or capacitor (electrical
energy)

A common way to classify hazards is by category:
biological - bacteria, viruses, insects, plants, birds, animals, and
humans, etc.,
chemical - depends on the physical, chemical and toxic properties
of the chemical.
ergonomic - repetitive movements, improper set up of
workstation, etc.,
physical - radiation, magnetic fields, pressure extremes (high
pressure or vacuum), noise, etc,
psychosocial - stress, violence, etc.,
safety - slipping/tripping hazards, inappropriate machine
guarding, equipment malfunctions or breakdowns

What is risk?
Risk is the chance or probability that a person will be harmed or
experience an adverse health effect if exposed to a hazard. It
may also apply to situations with property or equipment loss.
Factors that influence the degree of risk include:
how much a person is exposed to a hazardous thing or
condition,
how the person is exposed (e.g., breathing in a vapour, skin
contact), and
how severe are the effects under the conditions of exposure

Risk assessment is the process where you:
 identify hazards,
 analyze or evaluate the risk associated with that
hazard, and
 determine appropriate ways to eliminate or control the
hazard.

Why is risk assessment important?
Risk assessments are very important as they form an integral part
of a good occupational health and safety management plan. They
help to:
Create awareness of hazards and risks.
Identify who may be at risk (employees, cleaners, visitors,
contractors, the public, etc).
Determine if existing control measures are adequate or if more
should be done.
Prevent injuries or illnesses when done at the design or planning
stage.
Prioritize hazards and control measures.

What is the goal of risk assessment?
The aim of the risk assessment process is to remove a hazard or
reduce the level of its risk by adding precautions or control
measures, as necessary.
Know about the risks in your work
The range of hazards vary from workplace to workplace, so it is
important for all workers to note that they should:
Be aware of the relevant hazards and corresponding controls.
Work in accordance with training given and company
procedures
Raise any concerns regarding health and safety issues
Raise any concern regarding shortfalls in personal ompetence

How to assess risks
Look for all the ‘hazards’ in your work, considering what could
realistically harm people. For each of these hazards think:
How serious could the harm be? Is it a cut finger or months
off work with a back injury?
Who could be harmed, and how likely is that?
Do you need to do more to control the risks?

How to assess the risks in your workplace
Identify hazards.
Evaluate the likelihood of an injury or illness occurring, and
its severity.
Consider normal operational situations as well as non-
standard events such as shutdowns, power outages,
emergencies, etc.
Review all available heath and safety information about
the hazard such as MSDSs, manufacturers literature,
information from reputable organizations, results of
testing, etc
Identify actions necessary to eliminate or control the risk.
Monitor and evaluate to confirm the risk is controlled.

How to assess the risks in your workplace
Keep any documentation or records that may be necessary.
Documentation may include detailing the process used to
assess the risk, outlining any evaluations, or detailing how
conclusions were made.
When doing an assessment, you must take into account:
the methods and procedures used in the processing, use,
handling or storage of the substance, etc.
the actual and the potential exposure of workers
the measures and procedures necessary to control such
exposure by means of engineering controls, work practices,
and hygiene practices and facilities

Follow the five steps risk assessment process:
Step 1 Identify the hazards
Step 2 Decide who might be harmed and how
Step 3 Evaluate the risks and decide on precautions
Step 4 Record your findings and implement them
Step 5 Review your assessment and update if necessary

Step 1 Identify the hazards
Walk around your workplace and look at what could
reasonably be expected to cause harm.
Ask your employees or their representatives what they think.
They may have noticed things that are not immediately
obvious to you.
Visit the HSE website (www.hse.gov.uk). HSE publishes
practical guidance on where hazards occur and how to
control them. There is much information here on the hazards
that might affect your business.
If you are a member of a trade association, contact them.
Many produce very helpful guidance.

Check manufacturers’ instructions or data sheets for chemicals
and equipment as they can be very helpful in spelling out the
hazards and putting them in their true perspective.
Have a look back at your accident and ill-health records – these
often help to identify the less obvious hazards.
Remember to think about long-term hazards to health (eg high
levels of noise or exposure to harmful substances) as well as
safety hazards.

Step 2 Decide who might be harmed and how
For each hazard you need to be clear about who might be
harmed. In each case, identify how they might be harmed, ie
what type of injury or ill health might occur. For example,
‘shelf stackers may suffer back injury from repeated lifting of
boxes’.

Remember:
some workers have particular requirements, eg new and
young workers, new or expectant mothers and people with
disabilities may be at particular risk.
Extra thought will be needed for some hazards; cleaners,
visitors, contractors, maintenance workers etc, who may not
be in the workplace all the time.
members of the public, if they could be hurt by your
activities;
if you share your workplace, you will need to think about
how your work affects others present, as well as how their
work affects your staff – talk to them; and
ask your staff if they can think of anyone you may have
missed

Step 3 Evaluate the risks and decide on precautions
Having spotted the hazards, you then have to decide what to do
about them.
The law requires you to do everything ‘reasonably practicable’
to protect people from harm.
Look at what you’re already doing, think about what controls
you have in place, how the work is organized.
Then compare this with the good practice and see if there’s
more you should be doing to bring yourself up to standard.
In asking yourself this, consider:
Can I get rid of the hazard altogether?
If not, how can I control the risks so that harm is unlikely?

When controlling risks, apply the principles below, if possible in the
following order:
try a less risky option (eg switch to using a less hazardous
chemical);
prevent access to the hazard (eg by guarding);
organize work to reduce exposure to the hazard (eg put barriers
between pedestrians and traffic);
issue personal protective equipment (eg clothing, footwear,
goggles etc); and
provide welfare facilities (eg first aid and washing facilities for
removal of contamination).

Step 4 Record your findings and implement them
Writing down the results of your risk assessment, and
sharing them with your staff, encourages you to do this.
When writing down your results, keep it simple, for example
‘Tripping over rubbish: bins provided, staff instructed, weekly
housekeeping checks’, or ‘Fume from welding: local exhaust
ventilation used and regularly checked’.

You need to be able to show that:
a proper check was made;
you asked who might be affected;
you dealt with all the significant hazards, taking
into account the number of people who could be
involved;
the precautions are reasonable, and the
remaining risk is low;
you involved your staff or their representatives in
the process.

A good plan of action often includes a mixture of different things
such as:
a few cheap or easy improvements that can be done quickly,
perhaps as a temporary solution until more reliable controls are
in place;
long-term solutions to those risks most likely to cause accidents
or ill health;
long-term solutions to those risks with the worst potential
consequences;
arrangements for training employees on the main risks that
remain and how they are to be controlled; regular checks to
make sure that the control measures stay in place;
clear responsibilities – who will lead on what action, and by
when.

Remember, prioritize and tackle the most important
things first.
As you complete each action, tick it off your plan.

Step 5 Review your risk assessment and update if necessary
Every year or so formally review where you are, to make sure
you are still improving, or at least not sliding back.
Look at your risk assessment again.
Have there been any changes?
Are there improvements you still need to make?
Have your workers spotted a problem?
Have you learnt anything from accidents or near misses?
Make sure your risk assessment stays up to date.
If there is a significant change in the work condition/
environment, update the risk assessment, or write an yearly
review date update the risk assessment .

Chapter-3
Managing health and safety
in your workplace
Controlling Hazards

Controlling Hazards
The goal of controlling hazards is to prevent workers from
being exposed to occupational hazards.
A combination of methods usually provides a safer workplace .
The most effective method of controlling hazards is to control
at the source by eliminating the hazard or by substituting a
hazardous agent or work process with a less dangerous one.

How can you identify health and safety problems?
 observe your workplace;
 investigate complaints from workers;
 examine accident and near-miss records;
 examine sickness figures;
 use simple surveys to ask your co-workers about their
health and safety concerns;
 use check-lists to help you inspect your workplace;
 learn the results of inspections that are done by the
employer, the union or anyone else;
 read reports or other information about your workplace.

Generally, there are five major categories of control measures:
Elimination
• removing it completely
Substitution
• replacing one hazardous agent or work process with a less
dangerous one.
Engineering controls
• changing a piece of machinery
Administrative controls
Personal protective equipment.
• ear and eye protection, respirators, and protective clothing.
•

Remember that:-
➤ elimination
➤ substitution
➤ changing work methods/patterns
➤ reduced or limited time exposure
➤ engineering controls (e.g. isolation, insulation and
ventilation)
➤ good housekeeping
➤ safe systems of work
➤ training and information
➤ personal protective equipment
➤ welfare
➤ monitoring and supervision
➤ review.

Proper control of gases and vapours in a laboratory.

Welfare – washing facilities

PPE used for loading a textile dye vessel.

Health risk – checking on the contents

Slips, trips and falls on the same level
The highest reported injuries are reported in the food and
related industries. Older workers, especially women, are the
most severely injured group from falls resulting in fractures of
the hips and/or femur.
Slip hazards are caused by:
➤ wet or dusty floors
➤ the spillage of wet or dry substances – oil, water, fl our
dust and plastic pellets used in plastic manufacture
➤ loose mats on slippery floors
➤ wet and/or icy weather conditions
➤ unsuitable

Trip hazards are caused by:
➤ loose floorboards or carpets
➤ obstructions, low walls, low fi xtures on the fl oor
➤ cables or trailing leads across walkways or uneven
surfaces. Leads to portable electrical hand tools and
other electrical appliances (vacuum cleaners and
overhead projectors). Raised telephone and electrical
sockets are also a serious trip hazard (this can
be a signifi cant problem when the display screen
workstations are re-orientated in an office)

➤ rugs and mats – particularly when worn or placed on
a polished surface
poor housekeeping – obstacles left on walkways,
rubbish not removed regularly
➤ poor lighting levels – particularly near steps or other
changes in level
➤ sloping or uneven fl oors – particularly where there is
poor lighting or no handrails
➤ unsuitable footwear – shoes with a slippery sole or
lack of ankle support.

Falls from work at height
• These accidents are often concerned with falls of greater
than about 2 m and often result in fractured bones, serious
head injuries, loss of consciousness and death.
• Twenty-five per cent of all deaths at work and 19% of all
major accidents are due to falls from a height.
• Falls down staircases and stairways, through fragile surfaces,
off landings and stepladders and from vehicles, all come
into this category.
• Injury, sometimes serious, can also result from falls below 2
m, for example, using swivel chairs for access to high
shelves.

Falling from a height – tower scaffold

Collisions with moving vehicles
• These can occur within the workplace premises or on the
access roads around the building.
• It is a particular problem where there is no separation
between pedestrians and vehicles or where vehicles are
speeding.
• Poor lighting, blind corners, the lack of warning signs and
barriers at road crossing points also increase the risk of this
type of accident.
• Eighteen per cent of fatalities at work are caused by
collisions between pedestrians and moving vehicles with
the greatest number occurring in the service sector
(primarily in retail and warehouse activities).

Being struck by moving, falling or flying objects
• This causes 18% of fatalities at work and is the second highest
cause of fatality in the construction industry.
• It also causes 15% of all major and 14% of over three-day
accidents.
• Moving objects include, articles being moved, moving parts of
machinery or conveyor belt systems, and fl ying objects are
often generated by the disintegration of a moving part or a
failure of a system under pressure.
• Falling objects are a major problem in construction (due to
careless working at height) and in warehouse work (due to
careless stacking of pallets on racking).
• The head is particularly vulnerable to these hazards. Items
falling off high shelves and moving loads are also signifi cant
• hazards in many sectors of industry.

Striking against fixed or stationary objects
• This accounts for between 1200 and 1400 major accidents
each year.
• Injuries are caused to a person either by colliding with a fixed
part of the building structure, work in progress, a machine
member or a stationary vehicle or by falling against such
objects.
• The head appears to be the most vulnerable part of the body
to this particular hazard and this is invariably caused by the
misjudgment of the height of an obstacle.

• It is a very common injury during maintenance operations
when there is, perhaps, less familiarity with particular
space restrictions around a machine.
• Effective solutions to all these hazards need not be
expensive, time consuming or complicated.
• Employee awareness and common sense combined with a
good housekeeping regime will solve many of the
problems.

(a) Typical warehouse vehicle loading/unloading area with
separate pedestrian access

(b) barriers to prevent collision with tank surrounds/bunds.

Internal roadway with appropriate markings;

Separate doors for vehicles and pedestrians.

Handling goods onto a truck in a typical
docking bay.

Manual handling – there are many
potential hazards.
Main injury sites caused by manual
handling accidents

Mechanical aids to lift patients in hospital. A pallet truck

Manual handling hazards and injuries

The main elements of a good lifting technique
1. Check suitable clothing and assess load. Heaviest side to
body.
2. Place feet apart – bend knees.
3. Firm grip – close to body
4. slight bending of back, hips and knees at start
5. Life smoothly to knee level and the waist level. No further
bending of back.
6. With clear visibility move forward without twisting. Keep
load close to the waist.
7. Turn by moving feet. Keep head up do not look at load.
8. Set load down at waist level
9. or to knee level and then floor..

OFFICE SAFETY
Introduction
Despite common beliefs that the office provides a safe environment
in which to work, many hazards exist which cause thousands of
injuries and health problems each year among office workers.
Since one-third of the work force is in offices, even low rates of work-
related injuries and illnesses can have an immense impact on
employee safety and health.
Today’s modern offices are substantially different from the office
environment of 20 years ago.
Sweeping changes have occurred in the American workplace as a
result of new office technology and automation of office equipment.
Consequently, office workers are faced with many more hazards

•In addition to obvious hazards such as a slippery
floor or an open file drawer, a modern office may
also contain hazards such as poor lighting, noise,
poorly designed furniture and equipment, and
machines which emit noxious gases and fumes.
•Even the nature of office work itself has produced
a whole host of stress-related symptoms and
musculoskeletal strains.
•For example, long hours at the video display
terminal (VDT) can cause pains in the neck and
back, eyestrain, and a general feeling of tension
and irritability.

Leading Types of Disabling Accidents
It is estimated that office workers sustain 76,000 fractures,
dislocations, sprains, strains, and contusions each year.
The leading types of disabling accidents that occur within the
office are:
• Falls
• Strains and over-exertion
• Struck by or striking objects
• Caught in or between objects.
• In addition, office workers are also injured as a result of
foreign substances in the eye, spilled hot liquids, burns from
fire, and electric shock.

In recent years, illness has increased among the office
worker population.
This may be attributed, in part, to the increased presence of
environmental toxins within the office and to stress-
producing factors associated with the automated office.
Resulting illnesses may include respiratory problems, skin
diseases, and stress-related conditions.

•Sources of air pollution in the office that can
cause health problems include:
•Natural agents (e.g., carbon monoxide,
microorganisms, radon)
•Synthetic chemicals (e.g., formaldehyde,
cleaning fluids, cigarette smoke, asbestos).
An adequate office ventilation system which
delivers quality indoor air and provides for
comfortable humidity and temperature is a
necessity.

Where printing or copying machines are present, an
exhaust ventilation system which draws particulates
and gases away from the employees' breathing zone
should be present.
Office machines and ventilation system components
should be checked and maintained on a regular basis.

Common Office Safety and Health Hazards -
Illumination
Lighting problems in the office cause:
• Glare
• Shadows
• Visual problems (i.e., eye strain, fatigue, double-
vision, etc.).
• Poor lighting also can be a contributing factor in
accidents.

Controls to prevent poor lighting conditions include:
• Regular maintenance of the lighting system
• Light-colored dull finish on walls, ceilings, and floors
to reduce glare
• Adjustable shades on windows
• Indirect lighting

Common Office Safety and Health Hazards - Noise
In an office, workers can be subjected to many noise sources,
such as:
• Video display terminals
• High-speed printers
• Telephones
• Human voices.
Noise can produce tension and stress, as well as damage to
hearing.

Some of the numerous measures available to control unwanted
noise include:
• Place noisy machines in an enclosed space
• Use carpeting, draperies, and acoustical ceiling tiles to
muffle noise
• Adjust telephone volume to its lowest level
• Rearrange traffic routes within the office to reduce traffic
within and between work areas.

Common Office Safety and Health Hazards - Physical
Layout/Housekeeping
• Poor design and/or poor housekeeping can lead to crowding,
lack of privacy, slips, trips, and falls. The following are important
factors related to office layout and orderliness:
• At least 3 feet distance between desks and at least 50 square
feet per employee
• Keep telephone and electrical cords out of aisles
• Group employees who use the same machines
• Office machines should be kept away from edges of desks and
tables
• Regular inspection, repair, and replacement of faulty carpets
• Place mats inside building entrances
• Proper placement of electrical, telephone, and computer wires.

• Common Office Safety and Health Hazards -
Exits/Egress
• Blocked or improperly planned means of egress
can lead to injuries as a result of slips, trips, and
falls.
• If, during an emergency, employees become
trapped due to improper egress, more serious
injuries or fatalities may result.

Controls to ensure proper means of egress include:
• All exit access must be at least 28 inches wide
• Generally two exits should be provided
• Exits and access to exits must be marked
• Means of egress, including stairways used for emergency
exit, should be free of obstructions and adequately lit
• Employees must be aware of exits and trained in
procedures for evacuation

• Common Office Safety and Health Hazards - Fire Hazards
• A serious problem associated with office design is the
potential for creating fire hazards.
• Another danger found in modern offices is combustible
materials (e.g., furniture, rugs, fibers) which can easily
ignite and often emit toxic fumes.

• A number of steps can be taken to reduce office fire
hazards:
• Store unused records/papers in fire resistant files or
vaults
• Use flame-retardant materials
• Smoke only in designated areas and use proper ashtrays
• Fire extinguishers and alarms should be conspicuously
placed and accessible

Common Office Safety and Health Hazards - Handling and
Storage Hazards
Improper lifting can cause musculoskeletal disorders
such as sprains, strains, and inflamed joints.
• Office materials that are improperly stored can lead to
hazards such as objects falling on workers, poor
visibility, and fires.
• There are several controls which can reduce handling
and storage hazards.
• Materials should not be stored on top of cabinets.
• Heavy objects should be stored on lower shelves and
materials stacked neatly.
• Materials should be stored inside cabinets, files, or
lockers whenever possible.

• Materials must not be stored in aisles, corners, or
passageways.
• Fire equipment should remain unobstructed.
• Flammable and combustible materials must be identified
and properly stored.
• Material Safety Data Sheets must be provided for each
hazardous chemical identified.
• An effective control program incorporating employee
awareness and training and ergonomic design of work
tasks can reduce back injuries.

Common Office Safety and Health Hazards - Electrical
Equipment
• Electrical accidents in an office usually occur as a
result of faulty or defective equipment, unsafe
installation, or misuse of equipment. The following
guidelines should be adhered to when installing or
using electrical equipment:
• Equipment must be properly grounded to prevent
shock injuries
• A sufficient number of outlets will prevent circuit
overloading
•

• Avoid the use of poorly maintained or non-approved
equipment
• Cords should not be dragged over nails, hooks, or other
sharp objects
• Receptacles should be installed and electric equipment
maintained so that no live parts are exposed
• Machines should be disconnected before cleaning or
adjusting. Generally, machines and equipment should be
locked or tagged out during maintenance.
Common Office Safety and Health Hazards - Electrical
Equipment

Common Office Safety and Health Hazards - Office Furniture
Defective furniture or misuse of chairs or file cabinets by
office workers can lead to serious injuries.
Listed here are controls related to chairs and cabinets:
• Chairs should be properly designed and regularly inspected
for missing casters, shaky legs, and loose parts .
• Do not lean back in a chair with your feet on a desk
• Do not scoot across the floor while sitting on a chair
• Never stand on a chair to reach an overhead object
• Open only one file drawer at a time
• Do not locate file cabinets close to doorways or in aisles
• Use drawer handles to close file drawers

Common Office Safety and Health Hazards - Office
Machinery
Machines with ingoing nip points or rotating parts can
cause lacerations, abrasions, fractures, and
amputations if not adequately guarded.
Machines such as conveyors, electric hole punches,
and paper shredders with hazardous moving parts
must be guarded so that office workers cannot contact
the moving parts.
Fans must have substantial bases and fan blades must
be properly guarded.

Common Office Safety and Health Hazards - Ladders, Stands,
and Stools, chairs etc
Improper use of ladders, ladder stands, and stools can lead
to falls.
The following controls will help reduce ladder related
injuries:
• Workers should always face the ladder when climbing up
or down
• Ladders should be inspected regularly to ensure they are
in good condition
• The top of a ladder should not be used as a step
• Ladders must only be used when they are fully open and
the spreaders are locked.
•

Common Office Safety and Health Hazards - Office Tools
• Misuse of office tools, such as pens, pencils, paper,
letter openers, scissors, and staplers, can cause cuts,
punctures, and related infections.
Injuries can be prevented by following precautions when
using these materials:
• Paper cutters - Keep blade closed when not in use. A
guard should be provided and fingers should be kept
clear
• Staplers - Always use a staple remover. Never test a
jammed stapler with your thumb
• Pencils, pens, scissors, etc. - Store sharp objects in a
drawer or with the point down. Never hand someone a
sharp object point first.

Common Office Safety and Health
Hazards - Photocopying Machines
Potential health hazards
associated with photocopying
machines include:
• Toxic chemicals
• Excessive noise
• Intense light.
• Photocopying machines can
also be a source of indoor air
pollution when used in offices
that are not well ventilated.

Use the controls listed below to reduce hazards:
Keep the document cover closed
Reduce noise exposure by isolating the machine
Place machines in well-ventilated rooms away from workers'
desks
Have machines serviced routinely to prevent chemical
emissions
Avoid skin contact with photocopying chemicals
Clean all spills and dispose of waste properly.

Common Office Safety and Health Hazards - Video Display
Terminals
Health hazards related to video display terminal (VDT) use
involve:
• Radiation
• Noise
• Eye irritation
• Low-back, neck, and shoulder pain
• Stress.
Studies have shown that the radiation levels emitted from
VDTs are well below those allowed by current standards.
To minimize noise, VDTs should not be clustered and sound
absorbent screens can be used if needed.

Common Office Safety and Health Hazards - Video
Display Terminals
Proper ergonomic design includes the relation of the
operator to the screen, background, lighting, and
operator's posture. All of these design elements
should be carefully tailored to prevent discomfort.
The keyboard position, document holder, screen
design, characters, and color are all factors to
consider.

• Vision testing should be conducted before office
workers operate VDTs and annually thereafter. Work
breaks and variation of tasks enable VDT operators to
rest their eyes.
• Postural strain related to VDT use can be relieved by
performing simple exercises.
• Finally, a training program should be conducted to
inform workers of the capabilities of the equipment
they are using.

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