THE ART OF STAYING SAFE!

THE workplace can be one of the most dangerous environments you’ll experience so, whether you’re an employer, an employee or just a visitor, it’s essential that due consideration is given to safety issues.

Whatever your business, you need to heed health and safety.

EMPLOYERS’ RESPONSIBILITIES

1 Provide and maintain a safe workplace, machinery and equipment.

2 Manage work to ensure the safety, health and welfare of employees.

3 Assess risks and put a safety statement in place.

4 Provide and maintain facilities for employees, such as clean toilets and washing facilities. They may need other welfare facilities depending on the type of workplace.

5 Prepare and update emergency procedures.

6 Provide appropriate training and information.

7 Report serious incidents to the Health and Safety Authority.

EMPLOYEES’ RESPONSIBILITIES

1 Co-operate with your employer and others.

2 Do not take chances with your life or those of your colleagues.

3 Tell your employer if you think something is dangerous.

4 Do not interfere with or misuse safety equipment. 5 Use equipment correctly. 6 Attend training. 7 Use protective equipment and clothing provided.

SAFETY STATEMENT

1 Employers, you must prepare a written safety statement. 2 The safety statement must be specific to your workplace.

3 Identify risks and controls in the statement. Controls means safeguards that must be taken. 4 Include emergency plans. 5 Involve all employees. 6 Update it regularly. 7 Make sure everyone knows about it. Bring it to their attention at least once a year.

INCIDENT FOLLOW-UP

1 Identify dangers and make them safe. 2 Get medical help if needed. 3 Preserve the scene of the incident as best you can. 4 Report the incident. See www.hsa.ie for details. 5 Carry out your own investigation and draw up a report. 6 You will need to make sketches and take photographs of the scene. Label them carefully and keep them safely as records. 7 Talk to any victims or witnesses of the incident and write down what they say about it.

Anyone at work who is responsible for directing workers while they are at work and organising work activities, also has health and safety responsibilities for those workers. These responsibilities include: ÷ Directors in all types of workplaces in both the private and public sectors. ÷ Senior officers of businesses. ÷ Board chairpersons and board members. ÷ Senior managers and any other managers or supervisors.

These people must ensure that the safety and health risks arising out of their work activities are properly managed.

They must control the key risk areas for their employees, their customers and the public who may be affected by what they do in the workplace.

Many small to medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) do not operate within formal management structures like larger undertakings and corporations.

However, all workplaces, whether large or small, tend to have a governing body of some description, usually consisting of two or more directors, such as a managing director or a works manager.

These people must understand and meet their legal responsibilities as in many cases they are the employer under the Safety, Health and Welfare at Work Act 2005 as well.

For all businesses, whether large or small, it is important that their directors and officers are fully informed of the relevant safety and health matters and requirements that apply to them.

They need to understand their role in governing safety and health as part of their responsibilities for good corporate governance in running their businesses.