1. Chapter 1.5 Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 (HASAWA)

2. Aims This covers all aspects of health and safety at work. All employers must provide safe working areas. All employees must take care of their own health and safety and not endanger others.

3. Legal obligations Employers: Responsible for the H&S of employees. Must provide adequate working space. Must provide safe areas of work. Must provide supervision, instruction and training of staff. Must ensure machinery and tools are safe and maintained. Must provide good ventilation, lighting and temperature control. Must ensure easy evacuation and exit routes in case of fire or emergency. Must have a written safety policy. Must have completed risk assessments for each activity and that they are regularly updated.

4. Legal obligations Employees: Must take reasonable care of their own health and safety. Must take reasonable care of other people’s health and safety. Must not misuse equipment, machinery or premises. Enforcement: The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) exist to protect people’s H&S by ensuring that risks are properly controlled. The HSE enforce the regulations and can visit and inspect premises whenever they choose.

5. Regulations Organisations must: Provide a written H&S policy (if they employ 5 or more). Assess risks to employees, customers, partners and any other people who could be affected by their activities. Arrange for the effective planning, organisation, control, monitoring and review of preventive and protective measures. Ensure they have access to competent H&S advice. Consult employees about their risks at work and current preventive and protective measures. Failure to meet these requirements could result in fines and imprisonment.

6. Safety signs Warning signsBlack symbol on yellow background Mandatory signsWhite symbol on a blue background Prohibition signsBlack symbol on a white background, outlined in red and diagonal line across Emergency signsWhite symbol on a green background Fire-fighting signsWhite symbol on a red background