Unit 4222-32

Employers have duties under health and safety law to assess risks in the workplace. Risk assessments should be carried out that address all risks that might cause harm in the workplace. Employers must give employees information about the risks in their workplace and how they are protected, also instruct and train their employees on how to deal with the risks. Employers must consult employees on health and safety issues. Consultation must be either direct or through a safety representative that is either elected by the workforce or appointed by a trade union. It is an employees duty to take reasonable care of their own health and safety. If possible avoid wearing jewellery or loose clothing if operating machinery. If the employee has long hair or wears a headscarf, make sure it's tucked out of the way (it could get caught in machinery). To take reasonable care not to put other people such as fellow employees and members of the public at risk by what they do or don't do in the course of their work. To co-operate with the employer, making sure the employee gets proper training and the employee understands and follows the company's health and safety policies. Not to interfere with or misuse anything that's been provided for their health, safety or welfare. To report any injuries, strains or illnesses they suffer as a result of doing their job (the employer may need to change the way they work). To tell their employer if something

Under the Health & Safety at work Act I have many responsibilities as an employee. These responsibilities must be obeyed in order to maintain a safe working area and minimize any potential hazards or risks to yourself or others. Some of my responsibilities as an employee are as followed:

Employees have a responsibility to be aware of the companies’ health and safety at work protocol to be able to use machinery and equipment for its proper use and not to misuse said items in compliance with the act

Section 2 of the HSW Act deals with employersʹ duties, and states: ʺIt shall be the duty of all employers to ensure, so far as is reasonably practicable, the health safety and welfare of all their employees whilst they are at work.ʺ

Create a health and safety policy and make sure that all employees are aware of It

- Train staff on the principles of health and safety at work and working at

Employers are ethically bound to do all they can to ensure that employees do not suffer illness, serious injury or death. They are by law required to carry out risk assessments as any accidents and injuries occurred which have not been risk assessed could inflict significant costs on the company.

The current health and safety regulations for a business are based on “the British health and safety law which is the Act of 1974 (HASAWA 1974). This act is there so that employers know what duties they have towards their employees and the general public. The duties that the employers have are qualified by the health and safety Act. The law of health and safety requires that the employer has a good management system to lead employees against any possible risks.

According to the Health and Safety Act 1974 employers have to reduce risk ‘so far as it is reasonably practicable’ which means that employers have to make sure they look after health and safety procedures in the workplace and try to prevent the risk of incidents occurring in the organisation. Employers must safeguard the health and safety of individuals that work for them as well as customers/clients that could be visiting the premises.

Under the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 (the HSW Act), you have to ensure, so far as is reasonably practicable, the H&S 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.

The Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970 apply to all businesses that affect interstate commerce. It imposes a general duty on employers to prevent hazard in the workplace in an effort to protect the safety and health of employees. Employers have to comply with health and safety standards established by the Secretary of Labor. Workers have to be informed of hazards chemicals in their workplace and are protected if they refuse to do work that they believe might cause death or injury. Employers are required to report on-the-job injuries within forty-eight hours. It’s enforced by Occupational Safety and Health Administration, whose inspectors can come to a workplace at any time without notice.

The Occupational Safety and Health Act requires employers to keep the workplace safe and healthy for employees. It is to protect employees from recognized hazards such as exposure to extreme noise, toxic chemicals, unsanitary conditions, mechanical dangers, repetitive injuries, and infectious diseases, among many other conditions.

Health and Safety Regulations aim to improve safety in workplaces, making employers and employees equally responsible for ensuring that they protect themselves and others from accident and injury. The regulations refer to such things as clean kitchens, safety guards on machinery etc., If an employee is injured at work because of breaches of these rules then compensation can be awarded. Most health and safety legislation places place the responsibility of health and safety on the employers. The responsibilities may however be delegated to other competent persons such as fire warders, first aiders and care takers but the employer still

When we wake up every morning and we go to work with do so with the ease that someone in the workplace will guarantee our safety. We are under the assumption that all employers have both a legal duty and a moral obligation to provide a safe workplace for us. According to the Occupational Safety & Health Administration (OSHA) Act of 1970 it states, “under the General Duty Clause, Section 5(a)(1), employers are required to provide their employees with a place of employment that is free from recognizable hazards that are causing or likely to cause death or serious harm to employees. This duty includes inspecting the workplace to discover and correct dangerous conditions or hazard in the workplace and to give adequate warning of its existence” (OSHA, 2001).

The employees in the organization have a legal right to a safe and healthy workplace, file complaints on workplace hazards, request their employer to fix dangerous conditions, it is the employees responsibility to also read the workplace safety and health poster as well as giving account on hazardous conditions to the employer, report work related injuries to the employer and seek proper treatment (Safetyworksmaine, 2013).