Essential Regulations for Workplace Health and Safety Representatives

RMT Health and Safety Workshop RMT Health and Safety Workshop Michael Cudjoe, RMT Education Manager Michael Cudjoe, RMT Education Manager

2:00pm 2:05pm Welcome 2:05pm 2:10pm Icebreaker 2:10pm 3:00pm Presentation 3:00pm 3:10pm Q&A 3:10pm 3:15pm Feedback & Close 2

1. The Management Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations This is a guide for RMT health and safety representatives on a group 2. The Display Screen Display Screen Equipment Regulations of six regulations introduced on 1 January 1993, popularly known 3. The Manual Handling Manual Handling Operations Regulations as the six pack . 4. The Personal Protective Personal Protective Equipment Equipment at Work Regulations 5. The Provision and Use of Work Equipment Equipment Regulations Work 6. The Workplace Health, Safety and Welfare Regulations Welfare Regulations

These regulations are the cornerstone or building blocks of H&S legislation and describe the duties it imposes on employers and how this protects employees from harm. 4

Health & Safety at Work Act 1974 (HSWA) Health & Safety at Work Act 1974 (HSWA) General duties Owed by employers, employees, controllers of premises, Directors & Managers Health & Safety Regulations Health & Safety Regulations 41 out of the 65 regulations introduced between 1997 and 2009 originated in the EU Over 100 regulations enforced by the HSE and Local Auth ACoPs ACoPs HSE guidance with a special status (L Codes) Guidance Guidance HSE, Construction Skills (HSG Series)

L22 L22 Safe use of work equipment. Safe use of work equipment. Provision and Use of Work Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998 Equipment Regulations 1998 HSG65 HSG65 Managing for health and safety Managing for health and safety L23 Manual handling. Manual Handling Operations Regulations 1992 - Guidance on Regulations L26 Work with display screen equipment L24 Workplace health, safety and welfare L25 Personal protective equipment at work 6

Employers must safeguard, so far as is reasonably practicable, the health, safety and welfare of their employees and others who may be affected by the work activity. Applies to all people at work including the self employed, to designers, manufacturers and suppliers

Health and safety legislation lays down many duties, chiefly on employers. These may be absolute duties or qualified duties. It is important for Union Safety Reps to recognise the difference when using the law to put pressure on employers to improve members workplace health and safety. 8

Take reasonable care of the health and safety of themselves and of others who may be affected by what they do or do not do Cooperate with the employer on health and safety matters Not misuse any equipment that is provided for safety purposes (eg fire extinguishers or safety goggles) Follow instructions from the employer on health and safety matters and attend relevant health and safety training Report hazards and defects observed in the workplace.

The regulations usually referred to as the Management Regs clarify what employers are required to do to manage health and safety under the Health and Safety at Work Act. They set out how health and safety should be managed in workplaces, with the emphasis on risk assessment.

Your facilitator will outline the activity You will have 8 minutes to complete

The regulations applies mainly to the use of display screen equipment (DSE), such as PCs, laptops, tablets and smartphones. The law applies to Employers Office based workers Home & Remote workers (includes hotdesking)

Risk Assessments: Requires employers to assess and address the risks associated with DSE use by their employees. Eye Tests: Employers should offer eye tests to employees upon request and contribute to the cost of corrective lenses if they are required for DSE use. Ergonomic Workstations: Employers must ensure that workstations are ergonomically designed. Training: Training must be provided by employers for their employees. The training should include the correct use of equipment and how to set up their workstations ergonomically to avoid the associated risks. Regular Breaks: Employees should be encouraged to take regular breaks to reduce eye strain and posture-related problems.

Summarises the importance of equipment inspection & maintenance, the provision of information instruction training and supervision (IITS) of users. Work equipment is machinery, appliance, apparatus, tool or installation for use at work (whether exclusively or not). This includes equipment which employees provide for their own use at work.

Consider what you will look for assessing the safety of any work equipment provided We will create a checklist of good practice Here are a few prompts to get you started 16

In this activity we explore some of the areas covered by the regulations.

The Environmental Health Department The Environmental Health Department of the local authority (covering offices, shops, railway premises where these are located within their local authority catchment area). The Fire Service, The Fire Service, dealing with all alleged breaches of fire safety law within the local authority area for which they are responsible. The Office of Rail Regulation Office of Rail Regulation (ORR) became the health and safety regulator for the rail industry in 2006 when responsibility was transferred from HSE 18

Summary procedure (judge) 12 months imprisonment 20 K fine or both Solemn procedure (judge & jury) 2 years imprisonment Unlimited fine or both The police will investigate suspected cases of corporate manslaughter/homicide. Companies face unlimited fines, remedial orders and publicity orders.

HSE HSE Public register of convictions Public register of convictions http://www.hse.gov.uk/prosecutions/ HSE Statistics HSE Statistics http://www.hse.gov.uk/statistics/ Office of Rail and Road (ORR) Office of Rail and Road (ORR) https://www.orr.gov.uk/guidance https://www.orr.gov.uk/guidance- - compliance/rail/health compliance/rail/health- -safety safety 20