 Recent figures from the Health and Safety Executive shows that in 2003/2005 in the UK there were 235 fatalities an increase of 4% of the previous year, 28,426 major injuries and 29,655 over – three day injuries.
Over 900 companies, organisations individuals were convicted of Health and Safety offences each having to pay an average of £12, 194, an increase of 39% over the previous year
Health and Safety legislation is there for a reason, to protect employees and employers in the workplace.
 The employer as well as the employee have a general duty of care to ensure the health, safety and welfare so far as it reasonably practicably of themselves and anyone else who may be exposed to their emissions, (Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974 Section 2(2).
In conjunction with the above Act, if you have more than 5 employees it is your legal responsibility as an employer to provide a written health and safety policy and procedures, the policy must contain (a) the Statement of Intent, (b) the Organisation Management Structure, (c) the Generals Arrangements.
Over the past two decades legislation has grown considerably, there are pieces of legislation out there that will affect all readers, from general health and safety risk assessments to chemical hazards, office safety, engineering, manual handling to food safety and many more.
 Risk assessment is the main phrase in health and safety today. Employers or self employed (5 or more employees) persons must undertake suitable and sufficient risk assessments of the hazards within their workplace, this could be a particular task, a machine, operation etc. All risk assessments must be undertaken by a competent person in order to identify the measures required to eliminate and/or control the risks identified.
Assessments must be supported by accurate records and documentation (a legal requirement where there is 5 or more employees). Experience has shown that on many occasions company management undertake their risk assessments but forget to provide the training, information and supervision from the assessments to their employees. |
Does my business require a fire risk assessment?
The Order requires Fire Precautions to be put into place where necessary and to the extent that it is reasonable and practicable in the circumstances of the case. The responsibility for complying with the Order rests with the competent person. You must appoint one or more competent persons, depending on the size and use of your premises, to carry out any of the preventative and protective measures required by the Order. Management will define a competent person as someone with enough knowledge, training and experience to carry out the risk assessment. The competent person must be able to identify potential ignition sources, evaluate the risks and take control measures to prevent fire taking place. 
Severed finger
Crushed to death
