You are on page 1of 43

Management of Health

& Safety at Work


Regulations 1992

EAL Advanced Diploma QETA 001


Learning Outcome 1.1
Appointment Responsibilities
Management of Health &
Safety at Work Regulations 1992
The MHSWR bring in a number of important new safety management concepts,
e.g. general risk assessments, assessment of human capability when allocating tasks,
competent persons, both generally and in the event of emergency, and clarify the
situation relating to contractors and sub-contractors working on an employer's
premises.

They also extend and specify existing duties on employers under HSWA, particularly in
the case of training. Furthermore, it should be appreciated that the majority of these
duties are of an absolute nature compared with those under HSWA, where the duties
are qualified by the term 'so far as is reasonably practicable'.
Management of Health &
Safety at Work Regulations 1992
Under these regulations an employer shall -
(a) make a suitable and sufficient assessment of the risks to employees and persons not in his
employment.
(b) make and give effect to such arrangements as are appropriate for the effective planning,
organisation, control, monitoring and review of the preventive and protective measures.
(c) ensure that his employees are provided with such health surveillance as is appropriate having
regard to the risks to their health and safety which are identified by the assessment.
(d) appoint one or more competent persons to assist him in undertaking the measures he needs
to take to comply with the requirements and prohibitions imposed upon him by or under the
relevant statutory provisions
(e) (i) establish and where necessary give effect to appropriate procedures to be followed in the
event of serious and imminent danger to persons at work in his undertaking;
(ii) nominate a sufficient number of competent persons to implement those procedures
in so far as they relate to the evacuation from premises of persons at work in his
undertaking; and
(iii) ensure that none of his employees has access to any area occupied by him to which
it is necessary to restrict access on grounds of health and safety unless the employee
concerned has received adequate health and safety instruction.
Management of Health &
Safety at Work Regulations 1992
(f) provide his employees with relevant and comprehensible information on -

(i) the risks to their health and safety identified by the assessment;

(ii) the preventive and protective measures;

(iii) the appropriate procedures to be followed for serious and imminent


danger and for danger areas;

(iv) the identity of those who are deemed as competent persons

(v) the risks notified to him.


Management of Health &
Safety at Work Regulations 1992
g) where two or more employers share a workplace, (whether on a temporary or
permanent basis) -

(i) co-operate with the other employers concerned so far as is necessary to enable
them to comply with the requirements and prohibitions imposed upon them by or under
the relevant statutory provisions;

(ii) take all reasonable steps to co-ordinate the measures he takes to comply with
the requirements and prohibitions imposed with the measures the other employers are
taking to comply with same;

(iii) take all reasonable steps to inform the other employers concerned of the
risks to their employees' health and safety arising out of or in connection with the conduct
by him of his undertaking.
Management of Health &
Safety at Work Regulations 1992
(h) ensure that the employer of any employees from an outside undertaking who are working in his
undertaking is provided with comprehensible information on -
(i) the risks to those employees' health and safety arising out of or in connection with the
conduct by him of his undertaking;
(ii) the measures taken by that first-mentioned employer in compliance with the requirements
and prohibitions imposed upon him by or under the relevant statutory provisions insofar as
they relate to those employees;
(j) in entrusting tasks to his employees, take into account their capabilities as regards health and
safety.
(k) ensure that his employees are provided with adequate health and safety training;
(i) on recruitment;
(ii) on being transferred, given a change of responsibilities, on the introduction of new work
equipment or a change respecting existing work equipment, on the introduction of new
technology, or the introduction of a new system of work or change in an existing system of
work.
The above training shall -
(i) be repeated periodically where appropriate;
(ii) be adapted to take account of new or changed risks to the health and safety of the
employees concerned; and take place during working hours
Management of Health & Safety at Work Regulations 1992 (cont)

(I) provide any temporary worker i.e. a person employed under a fixed- term contract of
employment or one employed in an employment business, with comprehensible information
on -
(i) any special occupational qualifications or skills required to be held by that employee if
he is to carry out his work safely;
(ii) any health surveillance required to be provided to that employee by or under the
relevant statutory provisions;
(m) ensure that every person carrying on an employment business whose employees are
required to carry out work in his undertaking is provided with comprehensible information on:
(i) any special occupational qualifications or skills required to be held by those
employees if they are to carry out their work safely;
(ii) the specific features of the jobs to be filled by those employees (in so far as those
features are likely to affect their health and safety);
and the person carrying on the employment business concerned shall ensure that
the information so provided is given to the said employees
Note: Self-employed persons have, in most cases, identical duties to that of an employer
under the regulations.
Management of Health &
Safety at Work Regulations 1992

Duties of employees under the MHSWR


1. Every employee shall use any machinery equipment, dangerous substance, transport equipment,
means of production or safety device provided to him by his employer in accordance both with any
training in the use of the equipment concerned which has been received by him and the instructions
respecting that use which have been provided to him by the said employer in compliance with the
requirements and prohibitions imposed upon that employer by or under the relevant statutory
provisions.
2. Every employee shall inform his employer or any other employee of that employer with specific
responsibility for the health and safety of his fellow employees -
(a) of any work situation which a person with the first-mentioned employee's training and
instruction would reasonably consider represented a serious and immediate danger to health and
safety;
and
(b) of any matter which a person with the first-mentioned employee's training and instruction
would reasonably consider represented a shortcoming in the employer's protection
arrangements for health and safety, insofar as that situation or matter either affects the health and
safety of that first-mentioned employee or arises out of or in connection with his own activities at
work, and has not previously been reported to his employer in accordance with this paragraph.
RISK ASSESSMENT

EAL Advanced Diploma QETA 001


Learning Outcome 1.1
Risk Assessment
The Health and Safety Executive Regulation 3(1) of the Management of
Health & Safety at Work Regulations 1992 makes an assessment of risk
a legal obligation for companies.

Such a risk assessment enables the company to identify potential


hazard in the workplace and to assess the potential risk to employees
and to anyone present on the premises by invitation. Carrying out such
an assessment helps to identify all the protective and preventative
measures that have to be taken to comply with the PUWER regulations.
Risk Assessment
Risk assessment is the process of identifying and evaluating a
hazard to determine the level of action required to reduce a risk to an
acceptable level.

It is nothing more than a careful examination of what in the


workplace could cause harm to people, so that we can weigh-up
whether the department has taken enough precautions or are
required to take additional precautions, to prevent harm occurring.
What is a Hazard?

A Hazard is anything that has


the potential to cause harm,
e.g. chemicals, electricity,
working up a ladder, using a
crane, forklift.
What is a Risk?
The Risk is the likelihood that the hazard will cause harm and the
severity of the consequence.

For Example:
If you are cleaning the oven with corrosive cleaner without using
gloves or apron there is a great risk of being harmed.
If you wear all protective clothing and gloves and adhere to all
safety precautions the risk is low.
If you change the chemical to a safer type and adhere to all
precautions the risk will be even lower.
Five Steps to Risk Assessment
When undertaking risk assessment on
work equipment it must be decided what
the requirements are already complied
with and, if not, what additional action
must be taken to ensure compliance.

1. Look for the hazards.


2. Decide who might be harmed and
how.
3. Evaluate the risks and decide
whether the existing precautions
are adequate or whether more
should be done.
4. Record your findings.
5. Review your assessment and
revise it if necessary.
Step 1. Hazard Identification
Walk around the workplace and look afresh at what could
REASONABLY be expected to cause harm.
Previous Accident Reports.
Brainstorming
Knowledge of Employees
Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS)
Manufacturers Instruction Books
Ask, What If .?
Step 1. Hazard Identification
The following are examples of plant, equipment or activities that are
usually associated with a hazard:
Work at heights, and access to/from it (roof work, ladders, scaffolds).
Work below ground level and in confined spaces (tanks, ducts, trenches)
Manual handling of loads.
Work with electricity (portable tools, extension leads)
Hazardous chemical substances.
Step 1. Hazard Identification
Display screen equipment.
Pressure vessels / vacuum works
Flammable liquid and gases
Machinery and plant (machinery requiring guarding).
Grinding/milling machines
Woodworking machines.
Portable power tools.
Noise
Vehicles (forklift, cranes)
Disposal of special wastes.
List of Hazards
Slipping/tripping hazards (poorly
maintained floors or stairs).
Fume (from welding)
Dust (from grinding)
Manual handling
Poor lighting
Temperature
Electricity (poor wiring)
Ejection of material (from plastic
moldings)
Chemicals (battery acids)
Pressure systems (steam boilers).
Step 2. Who Might Be Harmed
and How
Generally it will be staff occupying the workplace.

Attention must be paid to:

Visitors
Contractors
Cleaning staff
Maintenance staff
Inexperienced staff
Step 3. Assessment of the Risk
For the hazards listed; You must ask yourself do the precautions
already taken:

1. Meet the standards set by the legal requirement?

2. Comply with a recognized industry standard?

3. Represent good practice?

4. Reduce risk as far as reasonably practicable?


Likelihood (Probability)
Most Unlikely Unlikely Likely Most Likely
Example Working at Height
The probability of falling off an edge is more likely the closer you are
working to it

15 Mtrs. 8 Mtrs. 1 Mtr.


Consequences
Trivial Slight Injury Serious Injury Major Injury(Death)

Example Working at Height


If these three workers fell down these heights, the consequences will
be different

15 Mtrs.

8 Mtrs.
1 Mtr.
Step 4- Recording of
Assessment Findings
Formal written record.
Any suitable form.
Where the risk is considered to be low, either from experience or
from the calculation of risk rating, this must be stated in the form
and no further action is then required.
If the risk is deemed to be medium or high, the further action
needed to control that risk must be clearly stated on the risk
assessment form.
Risk Control
RATING ACTION BANDS

RATING BANDS ACTION REQUIRED

1 & 2 Minimal Risk Maintain Control Measures


3 & 4 Low Risk Review Control Measures
6 & 8 Medium Risk Improve Control Measures
9,12 &16 High Risk Improve Controls Immediately & Consider
Stopping Work
Example
The task of shredding documents in a paper
shredder.
1. Begin with identifying hazards:

Entanglement: (being drawn into the document shredder.)


Contact with moving parts
Overheating leading to fire
Likelihood (Probability)
Most Unlikely (1) XXXXXXXXXX

Unlikely (2)

Likely (3)

Most Likely (4)


Consequences
1 Trivial Injury/ies
2 Slight Injury/ies
3 Serious Injury/ies XXXXXXXXXXXX
4 Major Injury/ies or death
Risk
(Consequences x Probability)
Consequences

Probability Slightly Harmful Harmful (2) Extremely


(1) Harmful (3)

Most Unlikely (1) 1 2 3

Unlikely (2) 2 4 6

Likely (3) 3 6 9

Most Likely (4) 4 8 12


Risk
(Consequences x Probability)
Consequences

Probability Slightly Harmful Harmful (2) Extremely


(1) Harmful (3)

Most Unlikely (1) 1 2 3

Unlikely (2) 2 4 6

Likely (3) 3 6 9

Most Likely (4) 4 8 12


Risk Control
Risk Level Action and Timescale

Efforts should be made to reduce the risk, but the


3 costs of prevention should be carefully measured and
limited;

Risk prevention measures should be implemented


within a defined time period;

Where the risk is associated with extremely harmful


consequences, further assessment may be necessary
to establish more precisely the likelihood of harm as
a basis for determining the need for improved control
measures.
Risk Control
When a risk assessment has identified a hazard as having unacceptable
risks we have to put in place control measures to eliminate the risk or
reduce the risk to an acceptable level.

In order to place these control measures in the correct sequence we call


this the :
Hierarchy of Control
Hierarchy of Control
1. Elimination
2. Substitution
3. Isolation
4. Engineering Control
5. Administrative Control
6. Provide Personal Safety Devices.
1. Elimination
The most satisfactory method of dealing with a hazard is to eliminate it.
2. Substitution
Substituting dangerous process or substance with one that is not as
dangerous.

(e.g.) Water based paints rather than those contain lead.


3. Isolation
Separate or isolate the hazard from people.

(e.g.) A guard is placed over a piece of moving machinery.


A fence with gate around machines.
4. Engineering Control
Fixing local ventilation system to remove harmful fumes.
Fixing dust collector with proper filters.
Fixing proper shock absorber to reduce noise.
Illumination / A/C
5- Administration Control
Modification of the likelihood of an accident happening.
Reducing the number of people exposed to the danger and
providing training to those people who are exposed to the hazard.
Training of electricians (licensed).
Danger signs, written safety systems of work.
6. Personal Protective
Equipment
To be considered only when all other control methods are impractical.
7. Procedures
Must be considered when multi trade tradesmen are working on one
task.
Step 5. Monitoring and Review
To review the assessment periodically usually 12 monthly.

The introduction of new machines, substances or people into the work


place may introduce new risks or change the category of an existing
risk from low to medium or high.

Only when there is a significant change.

You might also like