Employers responsibility to health and safety

 

Employers are responsible for health and safety management by law. It is their overall responsibility to protect the health, safety and welfare of their employees by doing whatever is reasonably practicable. Of course, employees have responsibilities too which should be laid out within their health and safety induction.

All workers have the right to work within a place where their health and safety is properly controlled and managed. Health and safety regulations are in place to stop you getting hurt at work and whilst this is the employers responsibility, it is vital that you help. Employers must ensure that employees and others are protected from anything which may cause harm, controlling any risks to injury or health which could arise in the workplace.

There are various things employers must do under the Health and Safety Law. Risk assessments must be carried out on a regular basis to understand what may harm employees and prevent them from doing their job, all precautions must be made to stop it and risk assessments should be made available to all employees. If working within a shared premises, they are required to liaise with other employers as well so everyone's health and safety is protected.

Employers are also responsible for giving you the health and safety training you require to do you job safely, along with providing you with any equipment or protective clothing to assist you. As well as this, they are required to provide toilets, washing facilities, drinking water and adequate first aid facilities.

A further requirement is to have appropriate insurance to cover you in case you are injured whilst at work or suffer from a work related illness. The current insurance certificate should be displayed where it can be easily read.

Health and safety is a two way street. Whilst employers are required to protect employees, they must also show willingness to consult employees on health and safety issues. All consultations must be either direct or through a safety representative. This ensures equality and that all consultations are fair.

Employers have a legal duty of care under the Health and Safety Information for Employers Regulations (HSIER) to display the workplace law poster in a prominent position so all employees can view it. Failure to do so can lead to the company being reported to the HSE.

Are you an employer? How do you keep up to date with workplace regulations?