Workplace, Health and Safety Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Workplace, Health and Safety - Coursework Example Act 1974. The Health and Safety at Work etc. Act demarcates the level of responsibilities and liabilities of people involved in enforcing health and safety regulations in workplaces. Section 2 of the said Act makes it clear that it is the employer’s duty to look after the safety and health concerns of the employees. The machinery and equipment being used for work must be well maintained and dangerous substances should not be used or should be used appropriately. The employer has to educate, inform and train the employees to deal with risks that they face on a daily basis. The particular health and safety policy of a workplace must be documented by the employer and should be provided to the employees. The trade union of the employees has the right to nominate its own safety representatives. The employer must under all conditions consult the safety representatives of the trade union before formulating and enforcing health and safety policies. Employers as well as self employed i ndividuals are also required to ensure the health and safety of non employees who work or visit the site as per Section 3. The non employee status individuals must be informed, educated and if required trained to deal with various risks on site. In case that dangers are present on a work site that the lay man cannot understand, the access to the site is limited as per Section 4. Again the site owner or the management of the premises have a duty to ensure the health and safety of the individuals accessing the site for any purpose. In order to guarantee the health and safety of all and sundry the Act provides to limit emissions as per Section 5. Other than this, any tools, equipment or substances being used on site must be made safe before use as per Section 6. If it is not possible to make these objects safe then it is the employer’s responsibility to inform, educate and train the people using these articles. These individuals could be employees as well as non employees. The m anufacturer of these articles must also ensure that the risks posed by these items is reduced to whatever extent possible. The employee also has certain duties to ensure the health and safety at the workplace under Section 7. The employee must conform to all instructions provided by the employer in order to ensure his own safety and the safety of other people around him. In addition any instructions issued by a statutory body applicable to health and safety must also be accounted for. Obstruction or impeding the duties outlined in sections 2 to 7 of the subject Act leaves one susceptible to prosecution under law as a criminal as per Section 33. When the Act was enforced in the mid seventies, it created two bodies namely the Health and Safety Commission as well as the Health and Safety Executive. These bodies were coalesced in 2008 and are now known as the Health and Safety Executive. This new body has the responsibility to enforce the Act. 2) Using words and necessary diagrams and r eferring to: a) negligence b) employers’ liability c) occupiers liability d) breach of statutory duty explain the basis of the English system of fault-based civil liability for accidents at work. The English common law system provides that negligence arises from carelessness and not from an intentional act. Negligence may be prosecuted under law or it may be forgiven depending on the circumstances and on relevant case law. Typically in the case of health and safety regulations any violations in Sections 2 to 8 of the Act are treated as punishable offences whether intended or based on negligence. The duties of employers and occupiers are nearly the same except for informing, educating and training the people employed by them whether directly or indirectly. In case that