Topic 1 of 5
Health and safety law
Health and safety law sets out what employers and workers must do to stop people getting hurt. In the exam you'll need to match each law to what it covers.
The main Act
Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 (HASAWA) is the main law. It applies to every workplace.
- Employers (Section 2) must, so far as is reasonably practicable, provide safe equipment, safe systems of work, training, supervision and a safe workplace.
- Employees (Section 7) must take reasonable care of themselves and others, and co-operate with their employer on safety.
- Everyone (Section 8) must not interfere with or misuse anything provided for safety.
Regulations you need to know
| Regulations | What they cover |
|---|---|
| Electricity at Work Regulations 1989 (EAWR) | Safe electrical systems and work. Regulation 14: no live working unless it's unreasonable to work dead, reasonable to work live and suitable precautions are taken. |
| Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999 | Risk assessments, competent people, emergency procedures. |
| Control of Substances Hazardous to Health (COSHH) 2002 | Chemicals, dusts, fumes and other harmful substances. |
| Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences (RIDDOR) 2013 | Which accidents must be reported to the HSE. |
| Work at Height Regulations 2005 | Ladders, scaffolds, towers and any work where you could fall. |
| Manual Handling Operations Regulations 1992 | Lifting, carrying, pushing and pulling. |
| Personal Protective Equipment at Work Regulations 1992 | Supplying and using PPE. |
| Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations (PUWER) 1998 | Tools and equipment being suitable, maintained and used by trained people. |
| Construction (Design and Management) Regulations (CDM) 2015 | Planning and managing health and safety on construction projects. |
| Control of Asbestos Regulations 2012 | Finding, managing and working near asbestos. |
Enforcement
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) enforces the law on most sites. Local authorities cover places such as shops and offices. Inspectors can issue:
- Improvement notice: put something right within a set time.
- Prohibition notice: stop an activity straight away because of a risk of serious injury.
Breaking health and safety law can lead to fines and, for serious cases, prison.
RIDDOR in brief
Deaths and specified injuries (such as most fractures or amputations) must be reported without delay. Injuries that keep someone off normal work for more than 7 days must be reported within 15 days. Over-3-day injuries are recorded in the accident book but not reported.
Exam tip: "shall" or "must" in a regulation means an absolute duty. "So far as is reasonably practicable" means the risk is weighed against the cost and effort of reducing it.
Mini test
6 questions. Pick an answer to see if you're right and why.