Detailed Report on Responsibilities of Statutory Duty Holders - HASAWA

This report provides a detailed overview of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 (HASAWA) and its implications for workplace safety. It outlines the responsibilities of various stakeholders, including government bodies, employers, and employees, in ensuring a safe working environment. The report discusses key regulations such as the Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999, First-Aid regulations of 1981, RIDDOR 1995, and COSHH 2002, highlighting their roles in preventing workplace hazards and protecting employees. The document emphasizes the importance of training, hazard control, and reporting incidents. It also covers the priorities of health and safety legislations, including the Food Safety Act of 1990 and COSHH 2002, and their roles in maintaining a safe and healthy workplace. The report references relevant literature and explores the practical application of health and safety management within the context of North Staffordshire NHS Trust, providing a comprehensive analysis of the legal and practical aspects of workplace safety.

HEALTH AND SAFETY AT HSC WORKPLACE
(1.1) Managing health and safety within North Staffordshire NHS Trust
Legislation and communication of health and safety: Taking care of health and safety in Great Britain, certain laws are enacted for taking into concern of occupational
safety and health. This statutory instrument is taken care by local authorities and Government of UK by enforcing the Act Health and Safety at workplace Act 1974. Health
and Safety Executives plays a prominent role in trainings and guidance for maintaining safety at the place of work. Plant and machineries or systems should be maintained well
and to operate safely, then the handling of chemicals or other dangerous substances should be safely used, all these methods of work and trainings are provided to workers
under the Health and Safety at work Act 1974. This is also the way of communicating verbally to employees about the hazards.
(1.2) Responsibilities of statutory duty- holder under HASAWA Act of 1974
There are certain duties and responsibilities with the help of Acts and Regulations it is to be
performed by government authorities, employers and employees. They are as follows:
 Government Bodies: Government of UK took the responsibilities of protecting and
preventing employees at the place of work by enforcing number of law which are, Health and
Safety at workplace Act of 1974, Health and safety work regulations Act of 1999,First-Aid
regulations of 1981, RIDDOR 1995, COSHH 2002 which indicates about trainings and
preventions either by communications, written, or with the use of graphics, with a motive of
preventing and the safeguards of employees at the place of work.
 Duties of employer's: the employer should duly maintain the plant and systems which are
hazardous to staff, by providing proper training and knowledge about the handling, storages
and transportations to avoid hazards. Practical trainings can also be provided to get well know
about the use of dangerous substances. Employer should develop measures to minimize the
risk in employees’ health and safety.
 Duties of employees: Primarily, employees should not be careless about their own health and
safety and also safety of other employees. The instruction about handling, storing and
processing of systems and hazardous chemicals should be understood in well manner to avoid
mishaps. The trainings provided at the place of work should be done effectively without
missing and being absentee to get well known about the routines going to be. The emergency
contact and use of First-Aid kits and tools should be well known.
Guidance is also provided for employees regarding the knowledge of Health and Safety Regulations of 1981 which indicates and provides First-Aid facilities. The facilities
provided for employees under this Act enables employees to get benefit of First-Aid kits, equipment’s and other requirements if needed in work place. The arrangements of
First-aid are kept prepared in separate room also to provide some rest to injured person. The risk involved in the place of work is acknowledged to the employees under the
Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999. Giving the essential information about the arising risk and training for surveillance of health helps the employees
to be safe at workplace. Beside this, if employees get injured, RIDDOR – reporting of injuries, diseases and dangerous occurrences regulations 1995, which helps the
employees to report about the incident contact center. The trainings and indications about can be provided for the safety purposes.
Also, COSHH explains about the control of substances hazardous to health 2002. This is a law, that scrutinize about the hazardous and dangerous materials that are
being used at workplace. Workers are prevented from these substances or reduced by allowing to use by everyone. This law also helps by providing instruction and adequate
information by graphic signs of hazardous substances, electric hazards and fire exist etc., for the use and emergencies are planned it happens in case.
(1.3) Priorities of health and safety legislations and regulations
The priorities that are maintained by Health and Safety legislations and
regulations are as follows.
Priorities of COSHH 2002- Control of Substances Hazardous to Health. COSHH
plays a prominent role in accessing the risk in the workplace as decisions are made about
the necessary precautions. COSHH helps in controlling the work of chemicals which are
hazardous and absorbed by skin. COSHH provides guidance and proper advice in terms of
adequate information about the use and the precautions. For example., using of harsh
chemicals cannot be stopped, hence, employees can use surgical gloves before using
chemical by which, their skin get protected from absorption. The priorities lie in knowing
the procedures of exposure of chemical and to identify the symptoms and disease and the
adverse reaction on health of the employees.
Priorities of RIDDOR 1995 - Reporting of Injuries Diseases and
Dangerous Occurrence: RIDDOR indicates about the disease and injuries
that are caused to employers, employees and to the people who are in control
of place of work. Deaths or any kind of injuries incurred in the place of work,
or the employees come into contact of any disease, which is related to
chemicals used at workplace are taken into consideration under the RIDDOR
Act of 1995. Legally requirements arise in reporting of the accidents and death
occurred. Local authorities and Health Safety Executives inspects the risk as
how and where it arises and instructions are provided for future.
Priorities of Food Safety Act of 1990: This Act perform the responsibility of
providing safe food to the employees which will not harm their health in any
way. The food that are to be served is checked by the department involved in
Food Safety Act should be maintained by its quality and nature of food. The
employer is not supposed to provide food by misleading the employees in
terms of label, advertisements or the expiry products. The main responsibility
performed by Food Safety Act is, they remove the harmful things from the
food by inspecting the quality and process of making food which can damage
the health of the employees.
REFERENCES
Brauer, R. L., 2016. Safety and health for engineers. John Wiley & Sons.
Carayon, P. ed., 2016. Handbook of human factors and ergonomics in health care and patient safety. CRC
Press.
Reese, C. D., 2015. Occupational health and safety management: a practical approach. CRC press.