Health and Safety at Work Act 1974

• In the health and science sector, feeling safe at work is paramount; employers owe employees a duty of care to provide a safe working environment free from unnecessary risks.
• Employees also have a responsibility to be aware of and adhere to safety legislation and regulations to protect themselves and their colleagues.
• Laboratory and industrial processes carry the potential to harm the public and the environment, emphasizing the importance of eliminating such harm.

Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 (HSWA)

• HSWA 1974, also known as HASAWA, outlines the duties of employers and employees in ensuring health and safety at work.
• Employers are responsible for the health, safety, and welfare of all employees.
• Employers must provide safe plants and systems of work, ensure safety in handling and storing substances.
• Also, they must give adequate information, instruction, training, and supervision.
• A safe working environment with safe entry and exit, and adequate welfare facilities must be maintained.
• The legislation acknowledges the impossibility of eliminating all risks, requiring duties to be carried out as far as reasonably practicable.
• Every employee has a duty under HSWA 1974 to take reasonable care for their own health and safety and that of others and to cooperate with their employer to enable them to perform their duty under the legislation.
• HSWA 1974 is an enabling act, allowing the government to introduce regulations to modify the act or establish up-to-date standards.

Health and Safety Executive (HSE)

• The HSE is responsible for enforcing HSWA 1974 and associated regulations and provides information on health and safety in the workplace.
• The COVID-19 pandemic increased lone working, prompting the HSE to offer recommendations for protecting lone workers' health and safety.

Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999

• These regulations aim to reduce workplace accidents through risk assessment and management, making good health and safety management a legal requirement for both employers and employees.
• Employers must assess workplace risks to health and safety affecting employees and others, ensure effective risk prevention and protection measures and appoint competent persons to assist with legal responsibilities.
• Employees are required to use machinery, equipment, dangerous substances, transport equipment, and safety devices in accordance with their training and instructions and to report any dangers or shortcomings.

Control of Substances Hazardous to Health (COSHH) Regulations 2002 (amended 2021)

• COSHH aims to protect individuals from health risks associated with hazardous substances at work by requiring risk assessment and control before work begins.
• Anyone working in a laboratory should be familiar with COSHH and actively involved in its implementation.
• Assessments of tasks in the laboratory include recording the scope, listing significant tasks, and listing substances involved, while also assessing hazard categories and exposure degrees associated with each task.
• Control approaches range from open bench working with general ventilation to purpose-designed facilities, depending on the assessed risks.
• Implementation and review include assessing other tasks and related risks, planning implementation and resources, considering safety and environmental risks, monitoring health, using control measures, and maintaining proper record-keeping and review procedures.

Personal Protective Equipment at Work (Amendment) Regulations 2022

• Prioritizing risk management and reduction is crucial.
• PPE should only be considered after all other risk reduction measures have been taken.
• These regulations define employers' responsibilities to provide appropriate PPE, such as safety helmets, masks, goggles, and gloves, to reduce harm to employees, visitors, and clients.

Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations 2013 (RIDDOR)

• RIDDOR defines employers' duties to report serious workplace accidents, occupational diseases, specified dangerous occurrences (near misses), and reportable injuries.
• Reportable accidents include those resulting in death, major injury, or absence from work for more than seven days.
• It requires reports of occupational cancer and diseases caused by work-related exposure to biological agents, whether from identifiable or unidentified events.
• An accident is defined as a separate, identifiable, unintended incident causing physical injury, including acts of violence.
• Accidents are considered work-related if the work activity, machinery, plant, substances, equipment, or the condition of the site played a significant role.

Environmental Protection Act (EPA) 1990

• The EPA aims to improve the control of pollution to the air, water, and land through waste management and emission control.
• It enables strict controls on processes or substances, setting limits on emissions and imposing criminal sanctions for offenders.
• The EPA covers the regulation and licensing of controlled waste disposal, including household, industrial, or commercial waste.
• The Environment Agency (EA) and the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA), along with local authorities, control processes, and local authorities collect controlled waste.

Other Relevant Legislation

• Special Waste Regulations 1996: Controls the transit, import, and export of waste, pollution reduction, and environmental impact assessments.
• Hazardous Waste Regulations 2005: Manages the storage, transport, and disposal of hazardous waste.
• Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment Regulations (WEEE) 2013: Reduces electrical and electronic equipment in landfills and requires businesses to store and transport it correctly.
• Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order (RRO) 2005: Reduces fire-related death, damage, and injuries by mandating fire risk assessments and evacuation procedures.
• Manual Handling Operations Regulations 1992 (as amended): Assesses and minimizes risks from manual handling, moving, and positioning, and covers workplace ergonomics.
• Health and Safety (Display Screen Equipment) Regulations 1992: Defines employer responsibilities for workstation risk assessments to minimize risks like tiredness, repetitive strain injury, and eye strain.

Assessing and Minimising Potential Hazards and Risks

• Minimizing risk involves identifying hazards and assessing the likelihood and severity of harm through risk assessment.
• A hazard is anything with the potential to cause harm, while risk is the likelihood of a hazard causing harm.

Health and Safety Executive's 5 Steps to Risk Assessment

• Step 1: Identify hazards by checking manufacturers' instructions, accident records, non-routine activities, and long-term health hazards.
• Step 2: Determine who might be harmed, including employees, visitors, contractors, and those with particular requirements.
• Step 3: Evaluate risks and decide on precautions, aiming to eliminate hazards or control risks to prevent harm, considering safer methods and restricting hazard access.
• Step 4: Record findings and implement them, ensuring the documentation is simple, focuses on controls and includes proper checks, consultations, hazard management, precautions, and employee involvement.
• Step 5: Review and update the assessment regularly, addressing significant changes, potential improvements, problems, accidents, and near misses.

Promoting Health and Safety at Work

• Health and safety in the workplace depends on everyone's participation, with employers providing a safe environment and employees taking care of their safety and that of others, as emphasized by HSWA 1974.
• A good health and safety approach is ingrained in the workplace culture, promoted through good practices and adherence to organizational policies and standard operating procedures (SOPs).
• Individuals must be given the knowledge and information with the need to take reasonable care of their own and others' safety.
• Management should lead by example, fostering a good practice culture, complemented by high-quality, well-designed policies and SOPs to ensure health and safety at every stage.
• Employers are legally required to display a health and safety law poster from the HSE, which outlines health and safety laws and what employers/employees must do to ensure safety in the workplace.
• Employees must be free to raise issues and report their concerns through established procedures and the maintenance and removal of faulty equipment is key.

Manual Handling Techniques

• Manual handling involves activities like lifting, lowering, pushing, pulling, and carrying, accounting for a third of workplace injuries.
• It's crucial to assess the type of load, environmental conditions and individual capabilities.
• Store in smaller quantities closer to use.
• Avoid twisting and reaching. Don't lift from the floor or above shoulder height.
• Use equipment like forklifts or conveyor belts and plan storage as part of delivery.

Maintaining Clean, Tidy, and Hazard-Free Environments

• Maintaining a tidy and hazard-free area displayed can eliminate hazards and prevent accidents.
• Items on the floor or unneeded items creates clutter.
• Chemical or bacterial contamination can result from dirty work areas.
• Cleaning and tidying should be part of routine duties, especially in laboratories.

Appropriately Storing Equipment and Materials

• Storing in their proper places is important for safety.
• It's the employer's duty to provide correct storage, with everyone ensured to follow their guidelines.
• Regulations like COSHH and Hazardous Waste Regulations cover hazardous substances.
• Moving equipment in and out of storage must align with the Manual Handling Operations Regulations.

Importance of statutory training

• Everyone needs training in health and safety.
• Employers must offer data, instruction, training, and supervision required to ensure the employees’ health and safety.
• According to The Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999, training is particularly important when new people start, when there is exposure to new risks and when skills lose their sharpness.
• Contractors need the level of protection and training as general employees to ensure the safety of everyone.

Dealing with Situations That Can Cause Harm

• Apply previous lessons, where laws minimize dangers and providing a work environment following the same pattern for the course of action.
• Organizations need procedures to handle incidents, so you can deal with these situations. Ensure you are aware of these situations and can deal with the situations.
• When dealing with it, don't make the situation worse, such as cleaning a chemical spill.
• Equipment and PPE needs to be used correctly, where people are aware of procedures to be followed.
• Some situations are too hazardous to deal with alone, which can result in a need to evacuate the space.
• Even if the situation is under control, contact supervisors , line managers or other personal responsibilities for worse situations.
• Debriefing and reflecting prevents the situation from reoccurring and those involved need to review what happened to learn important lessons.