What does the health and safety at work act enforce?
The Health and Safety at Work Act is a wide ranging act that requires an employer to provide a written policy on health and safety, to educate and train staff in the application of the act, to set up safety committees and to carry out audits and inspections as required by the act. The employer is required to provide written risk assessments of his work to include duty of care to employees and visitors, purchase of raw materials and safe disposal of waste. To provide protective equipment where appropriate, to maintain this and to provide necessary training in its use. Some of the fundamental principles are to provide risk assesments with the aim of Removing the risk Reducing the risk Transfering the risk Providing protective equipment The employer must audit his premises to ensure that all functions comply, that reports of failure are written and appropriate action taken in the event of breaches.
