Health and safety law: what you should know

​​What you should know:

• your health, safety and welfare at work are protected by law
• your employer has a duty to protect you
• you have a responsibility to look after yourself and others
• if there is a problem, discuss it with your employer or safety representative

Your employer has a duty under the law to ensure, so far as is reasonably practicable, your health, safety and welfare at work.

In general, your employer’s duties include:

• making your workplace safe and without risks to health
• keeping dust, fumes and noise under control
• ensuring plant and machinery are safe and that safe systems of work are established and followed
• ensuring articles and substances are moved, stored and used safely
• providing adequate welfare facilities
• giving you the information, instruction, training and supervision necessary for your health and safety

Your employer must also:

• prepare a written health and safety policy statement if there are five or more employees, including the health and safety organisation and arrangements in place, and bring it to your attention
• ensure that any protective clothing or equipment required by health and safety law is in working condition 

In many workplaces employers may have other specific duties, for example:

• to keep the workplace clear and unobstructed
• to see that workrooms are well ventilated and lit
• to ensure that floors, steps, stairs, ladders, passages and gangways are well constructed and maintained
• to see that employees, especially young people, are properly trained on under adequate supervision before using dangerous machines
• to ensure that employees do not have to lift, carry or move any load so heavy that is likely to injure them
• to securely guard all dangerous parts of machines
• to take proper precautions to prevent employees being exposed to substances which may damage their health
• to ensure employees wear suitable eye protection or protective equipment for certain jobs
• to ensure that lifting equipment (hoists, lifts, chains, ropes, cranes and lifting tackle) and pressure systems (including steam boilers, steam receivers and air receivers) are well constructed, well maintained and examined at specified intervals
• to take special precautions before allowing employees to enter and work in confined space
• to take precautions against danger from electrical equipment and radiation
• to ensure that workstations are well designed to minimise the risks to employees when using computers
• to take adequate precautions against danger from flammable or explosive hazards

As an employee, you have legal duties too

They include:

• taking reasonable care for your own health and safety and that of others who may be affected by what you do or do not do
• cooperating with your employer on health and safety
• not interfering with or misusing anything provided for your health, safety and welfare

A poster which can be displayed in the workplace is also available.

Health and safety law poster

Health and Safety law leaflet