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Learning Objective 1
Learning Objective 1
1.1 Summarise responsibilities of health and safety legislation
1.1 Summarise responsibilities of health and safety legislation
Legislation
Legislation
What is legislation?
What is legislation?
Legislation is the word which describes the laws and regulations which have been become legally enforceable in the United Kingdom.
What is a law?
What is a law?
A law is something that has become an 'act of parliament'. It is the 'parent' document which lays out what is expected of private citizens, and both public and private organisations; essentially every person and organisation who is subject to the rule of law in the UK. Often a law will not give sufficient fine detail as to how it will be used and interpreted and so this is left to regulations. Laws have to be voted on in the two chambers of parliament. If enough people vote for it, it becomes law and written into the statute book (a list of all the laws in the UK).
What is a regulation?
What is a regulation?
A regulation is a document which lays out all the fine details of how a law will be interpreted (understood), acted upon (used) and enforced as well as details all the things which are not possible to do in the law itself. Because times change and laws can become outdated, it is easier to change a regulation because it does not have to be discussed in the houses of parliament and be voted on again by MP's (members of parliament) or in the House of Lords. For this reason regulations are often revised and updated regularly and there are many hundreds of regulations that exist.
What are the laws and regulations I need to know about in the construction industry?
What are the laws and regulations I need to know about in the construction industry?
Below shows some of the most important laws and regulations which those working in the construction industry must be aware of and follow.
'The' law
'The' law
The document that says what must be done.
Health and Safety at Work Act, (HASAWA) 1974
Health and Safety at Work Act, (HASAWA) 1974
Some regulations which apply to the construction industry
Some regulations which apply to the construction industry
Remember, the law is HASAWA, but the regulations give the specific details on how to comply with the law.
INJURIES & ACCIDENTS
INJURIES & ACCIDENTS
Reporting of injuries, diseases and dangerous occurrences, (RIDDOR) 2013
Reporting of injuries, diseases and dangerous occurrences, (RIDDOR) 2013
DANGEROUS SUBSTANCES
DANGEROUS SUBSTANCES
Control of substances hazardous to health, (COSHH) 2002
Control of substances hazardous to health, (COSHH) 2002
TOOLS AND EQUIPMENT
TOOLS AND EQUIPMENT
Provision and use of work equipment regulations, (PUWER), 1998
Provision and use of work equipment regulations, (PUWER), 1998
HANDLING OBJECTS
HANDLING OBJECTS
Manual handling operations regulations, 1992
Manual handling operations regulations, 1992
PROTECTION
PROTECTION
Personal protective equipment regulations (PPE), 1992
Personal protective equipment regulations (PPE), 1992
WORKING AT HEIGHT
WORKING AT HEIGHT
Working at height regulations, 2005
Working at height regulations, 2005
ASBESTOS
ASBESTOS
Control of asbestos regulations, 2012
Control of asbestos regulations, 2012
LIFTING EQUIPMENT
LIFTING EQUIPMENT
Lifting operations and lifting equipment regulations (LOLER), 1998
Lifting operations and lifting equipment regulations (LOLER), 1998
Activities
Activities
These activities will help you understand the topic better and will be a useful revision resources for you in Year 11 when you are preparing for your exam.
1.2 Identify safety signs used by the construction industry
1.2 Identify safety signs used by the construction industry
Recognising that the colours have meaning
Recognising that the colours have meaning
There are four main types of safety warning sign in use in the United Kingdom. These are:
- Blue, white & black - Mandatory
Mandatory means you must. Therefore if you see a blue sign, it is instructing you that you must do something. If you fail to do what the sign says, you could cause accident or injury to yourself or others around you. Failure to follow the instructions could result in a fine, dismissal or even a criminal conviction.
- Red, white & black -Prohibition
Prohibited means you are not allowed to do something. Therefore a prohibition sign tells you that you must not do something. Failure to follow the instructions could result in an accident, fine, dismissal or even a criminal conviction.
- Yellow and black - Hazard warning
Hazard warning signs should be positioned wherever there is an identified hazard so that the person(s) who are in the vicinity (near area) are aware of what the dangers are. Hazard warning signs are nearly always accompanied with a blue or red sign instructing you what you should or should not do, in order to avoid the hazard.
- Green and white - Safe condition
Safe condition signs tell you were you can locate things like fire escapes and emergency equipment such as first aid kits, fire extinguishers, eye wash stations, etc. They are often luminescent so that they can glow in the dark in the event of a power failure. They are coloured green and white.
1.3 Identify fire extinguishers used in different situations
1.3 Identify fire extinguishers used in different situations
The risk of fire
The risk of fire
Fires can break out at any time in a workplace and it is important to be aware of the emergency procedures for your particular building or organisation. This is one of your employee responsibilities under the Heath and Safety at Work Act.
1.4 Describe the role of the health and safety executive
1.4 Describe the role of the health and safety executive
Who enforces health and safety law in the UK?
Who enforces health and safety law in the UK?
The body responsible to overseeing, monitoring and enforcing health and safety in the UK is the:
Watch the video below which explains a little about the organisation.
The HSE publish advice about the law as well as providing training. When a company, organisation or individual has failed to follow the law or apply proper working practices, the HSE has the power to prosecute them which could result in a fine, a prison sentence or if it is a company the company being forced to stop operating.
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