This ebook is intended to provide information to the people, workers and readers that are some way or the other involved with the health and safety at workplaces. This ebook on health and safety is designed by Safety-Steps.co.uk for providing practical guidance on a wide range of health and safety issues that may crop up at the workplaces on everyday basis. Source - http://www.safety-steps.co.uk/workplace-safety-free-ebook

2. Tables
of
Content
Introduction
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
Health and Safety Consultation
Hazard Management
Health and Safety – Job Roles
Health and Safety Policies
Reporting Injuries and Accidents
What Employers and Employees need to do?
Investigation of Injuries
Occupational Health and Safety Training
Workplace Health and Safety
Conclusion

3. About This Ebook
We intend to help
organisations find out
how they can make use
of their best resources,
materials, techniques,
strategies, time and
effort to resolve health
and safety issues within
the organisation
This ebook is intended to provide information to the people, workers and readers
that are some way or the other involved with the health and safety at workplaces.
This ebook on health and safety is designed by Safety-Steps.co.uk for providing
practical guidance on a wide range of health and safety issues that may crop up at
the workplaces on everyday basis. We have tried to cover most of the aspects
surrounding workplace health and safety measures and what can be done by the
employers and the employees and the other members of the staff to achieve
highest levels of health and safety standards.
The ebook draws references and information based on workplace health and
safety legislation in the UK. We intend to help organisations find out how they
can make use of their best resources, materials, techniques, strategies, time and
effort to resolve health and safety issues within the organisation. This ebook aims
at assisting the employee, employers and others establish, implement and
maintain the systems that not only prevent injuries, diseases and death at work
but also the ones resulting from work.

4. Health and Safety Consultation
Health and safety consultation: an Introduction
Consultation on health and safety involves the process of providing valuable
information to employees (and representatives) as well as listening to their concerns
and feedback before organizations can finally take decisions.
All the employers in the UK are required to consult with representatives or
employees on the issues relating to health and safety. Depending on the
circumstances and regulations, organization may have to consult with one or both
(employees and safety representatives).
Although, the
organizations still enjoy
the right to manage and
take the final decision, it
can’t be denied that
consultation will always
remain an inseparable
part of health and safety
management.
No law states the duration of the consultation or ‘when’ organizations should consult
but it should be a favourable time: as per law, they can be consulted “in good time”.
Organisations must ensure that the concerned people have been given enough time
for considering the issues that have been raised, keeping the workplace health and
safety in mind.
Although, the organizations still enjoy the right to manage and take the final
decision, it can’t be denied that consultation will always remain an inseparable part
of health and safety management.
How is consultation on health and safety carried out?
Health and safety policies and regulations, as we know, are enforced by the HSE as
well as the local authorities. When it comes to workplace health and safety
consultation, organizations must not ignore the requirements stated under the law.
Employers may need to consult:
 Employees directly
 Employees through designated representatives
 Both of the above
Why should employees be consulted?
It is important for the employers to consult with their employees about the concerns
that may be directly or indirectly related to their health and safety. It can include the
following:
 Organising and planning the health and safety training sessions
 Introducing imperative measures that can have an impact on the health and
safety of the workforce and promote a safer work environment
 Arrangements of competent professionals who can help the organization
comply with the health and safety laws and policies at workplace.

5. What are the benefits of employee consultation?
Businesses can get huge benefits by consulting with the employees. We are listing
down some of them below –
 Enhanced productivity
 Dramatic improvement in quality and efficiency
 Motivated workforce and promote safer/healthier workplace environment
 Encouragement to organisations for taking better decisions in terms of
health and safety often based on the experience and extensive knowledge of
employees
 Better level of commitment for seamless implementation of actions and
decisions with regards to health and safety
 Better level of trust and co-operation since it involves active participation of
employees at each stage
As per the law, it is mandatory for the businesses consult with the employees on the
matters that relate to health and safety.
What should organizations consult about?
Organisations must aim at consulting with the representatives or the employees of
the following concerns:
 Consulting with the employees before arranging competent and qualified
professionals who can help them and the organization to comply with the
health and safety regulations
 Safety measures that can contribute to the reduction of risks and guide on
the steps to be taken on exposure to risk (risk management plays a vital role
here)
 Employees to be made aware of the potential health and safety hazards and
related concerns that may arise at the workplace
 Arrangements for training and awareness on health and safety
 Consequences and impacts of the introduction of new technologies; the
expertise and knowledge of the experienced employees can largely help
Restrictions on information providing during consultations
Businesses may not be required to provide information if:




The information they are willing to provide goes against the interests of the
national security
The information includes a person who has not given permission to
businesses for giving it out to employees or representatives
Providing of the information may, in any way pose threat to the
organisation’s security
The information to be shared has actually been obtained for serving legal
proceedings

6. Will employees suffer on participating in health and safety
consultation?
The answer to this is NO. Health and safety law very well safeguards the employees
against any kind of penalisation on participating in consultation sessions. This also
applies to their participation in the election of representative/s for health and safety.
They shall also not suffer in case they are candidates applying for the election of
health and safety representatives.
If they are charged or penalised for participating in health and safety consultation
sessions, they can very well apply to an employment tribunal and they can further be
sure about seeking justice soon.

7. Hazard Management
Hazard management is a crucial stage in safety management and involves processes
such as identification of hazards, assessment of risks, development of effective
control measures, implementation of good health and safety strategies, etc.
What is Hazard identification?
Hazards are clearly
defined as something
that can pose
potentially dangerous
threats to the health,
safety as well as the
welfare of the
employees at work.
Hazards are clearly defined as something that can pose potentially dangerous threats
to the health, safety as well as the welfare of the employees at work. Working at
heights and under stressful work conditions are few typical examples of hazards at
work.
Here are a few ways in which you can identify those hazards:
 Make sure that you go through the records of the accidents and the injuries
that have taken place in the past
 Conduct inspections of the workstations with the help of a checklist that can
assist you in the identification of the hazards.
 Talk with the workers to find out their concerns and the issues they are
facing while working
What is Risk assessment?
Once the potential hazards are identified, risks resulting from each hazard must be
assessed with equal care. Since most of the hazards at work can lead to injury,
disease or accident, it becomes imperative to identify the reach of the risk involved.
With risk assessment, we mean a process that helps you identify or evaluate the
possibilities and results of an illness, injury, accident that may take place as a result
of the impact of hazards.
Risk assessment involves:






Nature of hazard
The manner in which it may affect health, safety and welfare of the
employees
How the workers are actually exposed to hazards and whether preventive
measures are taken to control them
Whether or not any employees are affected
How often the hazard can pose threat to the health and safety of employees
at work
Location in which the hazard has or can take place
Risk assessment involves information gathering along with decision taking. Other
concerns that are involved with the process of risk assessment are:

8. 




The manner in which a particular work (or set of works) was organised
The condition in which the work environment exists
Layout of the work environment
Different kinds of control measures that are currently available
Knowledge and training required by the employees in order to carry out the
work safely
While taking decisions in favour of better risk assessment, there can’t really be one
‘right’ acceptable answer. Assessment may encourage people to work and take
decisions depending on their own analysis. Since they may have an idea of their own,
risk assessment may vary from one group to the other but the basic motive remains
the same i.e. achieving high standards of health and safety at work.
Risk assessments should be made positively when an organisation or work
environment witnesses some kind of change that may directly or indirectly affect the
security systems of the organisation by also impacting the overall health and safety
of people at work. Assessments can also be made whenever the organisation seeks
new and vital information about workplace hazards.
What is Risk control?
Risk control is a process that takes place immediately after hazard identification and
risk assessment. Risk control involves actions to be taken for the development and
implementation of risk control measures. Risk assessment aims at controlling,
eliminating or minimising risk.
Organisations must aim at controlling the right risks at the source rather than forcing
employees to work in an ‘unsafe environment’. Even the protective clothing on
employees’ body may not be completely secure hence controlling the risk from the
very beginning can contribute to the prevention of the injury.
Controlling the issues following the order of priority list can fetch better results and
prove to be far more effective.
So how can the organisations control the risks? We have the answer. It can be done
by:
 Having a look at the regulations that can briefly describe the measures
required for controlling the risks involved with the particular hazards
 Consulting the employees who are prone to the potentially dangerous
hazards
 Seeking valuable and crucial information from employees, employers and
unions that can largely help
 Verifying through the information fetched from the suppliers and the
manufacturers that provided hazardous substances
 Consulting with the OHS consultants
 Interacting with the government agencies on the concerns

9. 


Incorporating administrative and engineering controls
Making use of personal clothing or equipment that is capable of providing
protection till a better measure of control is taken
Reviewing the work environment changes closely and the entire work system
routinely

10. Health and Safety – Job Roles
Preventive measures in health and safety can only be taken with the help of
dedicated professionals and committed workforce. Here are the common job roles
and responsibilities involved in health and safety. Know them to know more about
the health and safety concerns, solutions and regulations.
Responsible officer
They are responsible for providing a safe and secure workplace to workers by
employing adequate resources. Implementation of the right kind of strategies and
incorporation of the best resources can contribute to meeting health and safety
objectives. The job of the responsible officers is to ensure that:

Implementation of the
right kind of strategies and
incorporation of the best
resources can contribute to
meeting health and safety
objectives.






Suitable measures and policies in health and safety are developed and also
implemented so that an effective risk management and health and safety
policy can be assured.
Adequate mechanisms are provided for enabling the implementation and
development of trusted health and safety policies and procedures.
Mechanisms are incorporated in order to encourage employees to consult
health and safety representatives in case of any change or proposal that may
directly or indirectly impact the health, safety and welfare of the workers.
Managers concerned with health and safety within the organisation are
provided adequate training and knowledge so that they can utilise best of
their skills after being assisted for carrying out their roles and responsibilities
effectively.
Adequate mechanisms are provided for assessing the performance of the
supervisors, representatives and managers with respect to health and safety.
Finance and business plans are made keeping the health and safety of the
workers in mind.
Annuals plans on the health and safety are not only developed but also
suitably implemented for meeting the objectives.
OHS coordinator
OHS coordinators play a crucial role in the implementation of health and safety
strategies and techniques. Their job is to coordinate various facets of health and
safety within an organisation.
The job roles of OHS coordinators involve:


Coordinating the functions like identification, development and
implementation along with the review of the policies and procedures in
health and safety to encourage best outcome.
Helping managers and other officials in the processes of assessment,
selection and identification of the preventive measures aimed at controlling

11. 



potential hazards and risks in health and safety.
Helping managers to communicate and consult with both the employees and
the representatives on various health and safety issues.
Advising and monitoring of the technical and the legislative changes being
made in connection with health and safety within an organisation.
Supporting employees so that they can follow the health and safety
regulations and procedures being carried out within the company.
Providing adequate and suitable information to the workers as well as their
representatives on concerns and issues relating to health and safety.
Managers
Managers have vast responsibilities and they are required to ensure that:







They can effectively and dedicatedly carry out their job roles and
responsibilities as per the health and safety regulations, policies and
procedures.
Proper and suitable implementation of the procedures and policies that
further ensure health and safety.
Health and safety risks and potential hazards have been identified, analysed
and successfully controlled.
If there is any deviation from a decent health and safety standard, it is
rectified as soon as possible.
Employees, supervisors and the representatives have sufficient knowledge
for carrying out the roles and responsibilities assigned to them for achieving
high standards of health and safety.
Employees as well as their representatives are consulted before any safety
and welfare proposals are to be considered. Changes, work policies and work
practices must be reported to them as well.
Employees, supervisors and representatives should be advised on each vital
stage so that the concerns affecting the health and welfare of the employees
take into consideration.
Supervisors
As the name suggests, supervisors are people within an organisation who are
entrusted with supervisory responsibilities. They must specifically ensure that:




They can successfully carry out all their job roles and responsibilities
conforming to the health and safety policies and procedures.
The areas that fall under their control witness successful and effective
implementation of policies and procedures relating to health and safety.
The preventive measures taken in favour of risk control in their own areas of
responsibilities are successfully implemented, constantly monitored and
properly maintained.
The employees that work under them are well trained, properly informed
and well guided with all the vital instructions required by them for carrying
out their roles and responsibilities effectively and safely.

12. Employees
Employees too have a well defined set of responsibilities. They are required to take
care of their own health and safety along with that of their colleagues. They must
ensure that:






Any signs of potential risks and hazards are immediately reported to the
concerned authorities.
They obey the health and safety instructions and guidelines specifically
aimed at their health and safety protection at the workplace.
They make use of machines, equipments or systems that have been provided
to them for ensuring their health and safety while they are at the
workstation.
They dedicatedly assist in the implementation of measures taken with
respect to risk assessment, risk control and hazards management.
They provide valuable feedback on concerns and issues that may directly or
indirectly impact their health and safety.
They are not affected by drugs or alcohol at work as it may further have an
impact on the health and safety of their own and of their colleagues.
Health and safety representatives
Health and safety representatives are elected and their role is to represent the
workers with an organisation on matters concerning with the same. Their roles and
responsibilities include:







Representation of the employees on the matters and concerns relating to
health and safety.
Investigation of the complaints relating to the health and security of the
employees within the organization.
Reporting back to the workers and working out on aggravating safety issues.
Discussing about proposals or issues that may directly or indirectly affect the
health and safety of the workers.
Assisting the management in the identification, implementation, assessment
and review of risks and potential dangerous hazards.
Assisting in encouraging the adherence to the regulations, policies and
procedures in health and safety.
Assisting in the maintenance of safety and monitoring of risk controls;
promoting effective risk management.

13. Health and Safety Policies
What are health and safety policies and procedures?
Health and safety policies
and procedures need not
be expensive or
complicated. They must
aim at promoting most
efficient and safe working
practices that can not only
save money but also save
lives.
Health and safety policies refer to the commitment by organisations in the form of a
statement released outlining their legal responsibilities and duties. Health and safety
policies and procedures are written statements by organisations that set out how
issues concerned with health and safety should be managed at work places. It aims
at fostering a safe and secure work environment by prevention of work related
accidents, injuries and illness.
Health and safety policies and procedures need not be expensive or complicated.
They must aim at promoting most efficient and safe working practices that can not
only save money but also save lives. They must adhere to the British health and
safety laws and must follow Health and Safety at Work Act (1974). In a nutshell, they
must adhere to HSE.
Why health and safety policies are important?
According to a recent survey, over 150,000 accidents and injuries take place in the
workstations almost every year across the UK. As a result of these workplaces
mishaps, employers or businesses are often forced to face dire consequences.
Employers are increasingly realising the need for having correct, appropriate and
well-defined health and safety policies and procedures in the first place.
Such policies are a statement of the employers on how they are willingly maintaining
the desired level of the health and safety at the workplace. Such policies include
procedures, rules, tasks and responsibilities they thrive on in order to successfully
achieve high standards of health and safety within the organisation. They must
promote empowerment of making decisions and encourage one to be proactive.
What should a typical health and safety policy include?
Health and safety policies and procedures may differ from one organisation to the
other in the UK but there are a few things in common. A typical health and safety
policy draft must include:





Risk management and the risks that are present in the workplaces
Actions that need to be taken for minimising the risks
How tasks and incidents are recorded and monitored
Steps that are taken in case of emergencies
Management of hazardous equipments, machinery and substances
Businesses must ensure that they have drawn up a bespoke health and safety

14. policies and procedures keeping the employees and workplace in mind. They need to
ensure that all essential concerns have been pondered upon so that nothing
imperative is being missed during the preparation of the policy.
Organisations must inform and suggest the arrangements that they have made in
attaining the health and safety objectives. Such policies should also include the
different functions of the departments and the responsibility of the people involved.
More and more businesses
are now focusing on
educating their employees
on the health and safety
hazards and human
resource departments
have a crucial role to play
in this.
Health and safety hazards: Employee awareness & Education
More and more businesses are now focusing on educating their employees on the
health and safety hazards and human resource departments have a crucial role to
play in this. Workplace accidents and injuries can be reduced to a large extent by
ensuring that all the employees are educated on the work related health hazards and
safety aids. They should be aware of the local and the seasonal threats as well.
Businesses can also keep their employees updated on the workplace health and
safety concerns with the help of monthly emails.
Organisations must target going beyond the stereotype manner of informing their
employees. According to law, achieving adequate safety standards often require
organisations to train their employees by arranging related documentation
alongside. Responsibilities of the organisations training their employees on the
health and safety don’t end here. They must also follow up with their employees to
find out if the training successfully sank in and whether the trained employees are
incorporating the knowledge gained into their everyday responsibilities. This is
important to measure the impact of your training and awareness program focusing
on health and safety.

15. Reporting Injuries and Accidents
Why is it important to report and record workplace
accidents/injuries?
Most of us know that recording and reporting of the workplace accidents and injuries
is a legal requirement that is also mandatory under the law.
When a mishap takes place in workstations, it should be reported so that:




Authorities such as the HSE, ORR, etc are aware of the injuries, deaths or any
other dangerous occurrences and can take actions accordingly
The authorities can start to function around concerns like identification of
risks and the reasons behind the occurrences
The authorities can decide whether it needs to be investigated; if yes then
what will be the course of action
Authorities can advice on how these workplace accidents and injuries can be
avoided in the long run
Accidents and injuries taking place in the workstations must also be recorded so
that:





Proper information is collected and can later be put into use by the
authorities or the organisations whenever required
You can do your bit to prevent potential health and safety hazards
It can also be used as an aid in risk management; it is an essential
management tool that can help you with related issues
You can be assisted in the development of the most convincing solutions to
the potential risks in the future
You can control the rising costs resulting from the accidental losses, ill health
and injuries, the consequences of which are often tough to bear
Hence, organisations must aim at keeping a record of:





Injury
Accidents
Dangerous hazards and occurrences at workplaces
Reportable death
Occupational diseases
Since most (if not all) of these will lead to workers staying away from workplaces for
a good number of days, they should be immediately recorded and reported. Records
should also be produced when HSE or any local authorities ask for them.

16. What needs to be reported?
Here is a list of incidents that must be reported at the earliest –
Death and injuries
Organisations must keep in mind that they will need to report death incidents if they
take place as a result of a workplace mishap. Since both deaths and accidents are
something that happens unexpectedly, every little detail may have to be reported to
the authorities depending on the severity of the incident.
Before reporting them, you must consider the following –


Organisations must keep in
mind that they will need to
report death incidents if
they take place as a result
of a workplace mishap.
Since both deaths and
accidents are something
that happens
unexpectedly, every little
detail may have to be
reported to the authorities
depending on the severity
of the incident.

The manner in which the tasks were being carried out
Equipments, machinery or systems that were used for completion of the
work
Condition of the area, premises or site where the accident, death or injury
took place
If you feel that any of the factors that have been mentioned above are in any way
related to the incident, make sure that you report it to the enforcing authorities. If
you don’t do so, it will be treated as an offense under the law which may also be
punishable.
Deaths
In what cases should an unfortunate incident like death be reported? Here we have
them, for you –




When they result from injuries or accidents that took place at the
workstation
When an employee is found sustaining some occupational injuries
When it is found to result from a suicide having a connection with the work
environment
When it is found resulting from an act of physical violence to employees
taking place in the workstation
So what are the common injuries?
Here are the injuries that are commonly included in work related health and safety
reporting –






Amputation
Fractures
Dislocation of knee, spine, shoulder, hip
Permanent or temporary loss of sight
Injuries leading to unconsciousness, illness, etc; also includes situations like
hospital admittance for over 24 hours
Any kind of health concern or illness that requires instant medical treatment

17. 

or has an adverse effect on health
Injuries relating to the eye; also includes injuries resulting from penetration
Loss of consciousness resulting from substances impacting the skin or leading
to health issues as a result of indigestion, absorption or inhalation
Apart from these, if workplace injury stretches to over 7 days, it must be reported.
However, in most cases, injuries stretching to over 3 days will only need to be
recorded.
Occupational diseases
Occupational diseases must be reported by employees or employers so that the
concerned authorities can take desired action and plan their approach accordingly.
Occupational diseases need to be reported when the doctor provides a written
diagnosis in which it is stated that the worker has been found suffering from a health
issue having connection with the work activities. In a few cases, occupational
diseases and other work related accidents or injuries should be anticipated and
reported at the earliest so that actions can be taken in advance. It will also ensure
that a well thought out and suitable strategy is implemented to prevent similar
incidences from taking place in the future.
Dangerous hazards/occurrences
Dangerous occurrences are obvious and most of the times, unavoidable but one
must keep in mind that not all of them can be reported. Only few of the dangerous
occurrences can be found having relevancy with workplaces, let us list out some of
them below:
 Collapse or failure in lift and of lifting equipments
 Electrical circuits leading to fire or an explosion causing death, injury and
major accidents
 Release of some harmful biological agent causing health issues like some
severe illness or leading to death
 Accidental release of substances that may cause damage to the health of the
workers
Accidents resulting from Gas
Organisations that are involved with filling, supply, export and distribution of
flammable gas must have special considerations for this one. If any employee has
suffered injury or if death has taken place having a connection with the activities
being carried out in the workplace, it should be immediately reported.
Organisations must be cautious beforehand and it also requires them to provide a
detailed report on potentially dangerous fittings or appliances that can lead to
accidents, injuries and even death. The major causes for the concern can be:
 Accidental leakage of harmful gas
 Inadequate gas combustion
 Removal of products in gas combustion
Issues can also arise from improper installation, construction, servicing and
modification.

18. What Employers & Employees Need To
Do?
It’s the right of every employee to work with organisations and in work
environments that offer a control over the aggravating risk to the health and safety
of its workers. Even though, we all know that in most cases the employers are
responsible for keeping the health and safety hazards under control, it can’t be
denied that as workers, we too have a set of responsibilities to follow.
If you’re still unsure about what health and safety precautions should be taken by
employers and what the responsibilities of employees should be, have a look at the
list of things that the employers must do for their employees and vice versa:
What Employers Must Do?
Even though, we all know
that in most cases the
employers are responsible
for keeping the health and
safety hazards under
control, it can’t be denied
that as workers, we too
have a set of
responsibilities to follow.
Employers must:







Decide on the list of possible hazards that can affect the health and safety of
employees at workplaces. Employers must analyse what can pose threat to
the health and safety of their workers and prove to be harmful to them in
the long run and how they can be avoided.
analyse the most suitable precautions that can help in controlling the risks
arising from potential work related hazards and hampering safety of the
workers
Work with their employees on arranging health and safety aids, get their
opinion and try to consider suggestions from experienced and
knowledgeable employees
Work closely with the health and safety representatives on what measures
need to be taken to prevent harms resulting from work related mishaps and
injuries.
Consider providing quality health and safety training to employees for free as
it will involve more active participation and better response. It should be
sequenced in structure; best is to keep such awareness programmes open
for all
Consult employees on equipments and systems to ensure that better health
and safety measures are being taken
Provide employees essential health and safety aids free of cost and
inadequate amount/number; they must further ensure that the safety aids
are also properly looked after so that the best results can be fetched from

19. 


them
Ensure that employees have access to proper toilets, drinking water, washing
facilities, etc.
See to it that the employees have insurance backing them up in case they
face an injury or accident at work. Insurance must also cover them up in case
of health issues such as a severe illness. Electronic copies of the insurance
certificates must be displayed.
ensure that the major injuries or deaths are reported at the earliest so that
authorities can investigate as per requirement
What Employees Should Do?
Employees must:







Be careful while they use a new equipment or system; they should follow the
training that they have received from employers and ensure that it is being
put to its best use and implemented with confidence
Make sure that they are not only taking care of themselves but also cautious
about the health and safety of their colleagues
Cooperate with their organisation or employers for a better and safer work
environment
Be cautious and immediately report about any potential health and safety
hazard to their employers or the representatives concerned so that they can
arrange for preventive measures if anyone’s heath and security is found to
be at risk
Feel free to talk to the supervisors, employers or the representatives if a
potentially dangerous health and safety hazard seems to crop up
Keep them updated on the latest in health and safety
Consult with the local enforcing authorities if the employers and the health
and safety representatives seem to overlook the concern

20. Investigation of Injuries
What is meant by investigation in health and safety?
Investigations are usually aimed at finding out what actually happened, why and
how. They are also carried out in order to prevent the similar occurrences from
taking place in near future. When such things result in damage of property or lead to
an injury, it must be investigated.
Investigation levels and procedures may very well vary depending on the severity of
the occurrence. The amount of information that will be gathered will depend on the
fact whether the mishap can be termed as a major or a minor one.
When it comes to workplace safety, supervisors, managers, HSRs and the committee
members may be required to actively and dedicatedly participate in the
investigation. The course of action and the future development depends on various
other factors.
Investigation levels and
procedures may very well
vary depending on the
severity of the occurrence.
The amount of information
that will be gathered will
depend on the fact
whether the mishap can be
termed as a major or a
minor one.
Who should do the investigation?
In order to carry out the investigation of the occurrences, the organisations must
follow a defined set of procedures. This would help them in establishing all the vital
contributory factors. Investigation is also the responsibility of supervisors and the
managers. It is also possible to involve the HSRs after having a good deal of
consultation with them as it would finally work in the favour of the investigation that
requires being carried out flawlessly and successfully.
When it comes to investigation, it is also possible to fetch advice and assistance from
an experienced and dedicated health and safety professional within the organisation.
Organisations must aim at developing a system that can effectively carry out the
investigation depending on the severity of the injury, accident or the occurrence. It
can also go on to becoming an important part of the training sessions arranged for
the supervisors, managers, HSRs, etc.
Identification of the causes
Any investigation must be mandatorily aimed at identification of all the possible
causes that lead to the occurrence. Investigators must keep in mind that they are
required to explore the causes rather than tracking the work carelessness and the
human error all the time. They must also aim at exploring or tracking down the

21. underlying issues in the plant equipment, work environment or the materials that
have been brought into use.
They must also have a look at the practices in management and the system of work
being carried out within the organisation. If a particular work has been covered by
the approved codes of work practice or the regulations then it must adhere to the
requirements of maintaining the standards. In case of injuries that resulted from
manual handling, an ideal investigation must also focus on bringing the risk factors
involved, into the picture.
Procedure of investigation
The procedures required for carrying out the investigation comprises of:
Investigators must keep in
mind that they should not
jump into conclusions even
before they have gathered
relevant data and
information related to the
injury or the occurrence.




Gathering of relevant information
Analysing the information and the data available
Drawing logical conclusions
Making important and reliable recommendations
Investigators must keep in mind that they should not jump into conclusions even
before they have gathered relevant data and information related to the injury or the
occurrence. They must also keep their eyes and mind open and willingly explore all
the possible causes. Investigators must also refrain from misguiding the entire team
with their personal remarks. Investigation should be based on logical aspects like
facts, possible causes, etc.
Also, the investigation procedures must commence as soon as possible and
immediately after the occurrence as a delay can lead to alteration of proofs, sites,
etc. Before the investigators can gather relevant information, it is important to
examine the site. All the necessary steps must be taken in order to preserve the
evidences so that the witnesses can be identified as soon as possible.
Written report
Preparation of report is an important part of any investigation. Investigators must
prepare a written report which would serve two major purposes:


As a record and proof of the investigation
For consideration by the management as they can easily locate what they
have been trying to know
The investigation must also mandatorily include the draft prepared previously stating
the sequence of the events and explaining to all those who were unaware of the
development of the investigation and hardly knew all that happened. Investigators
must also ensure that they have stated or identified the source of evidence in their
report along with the reasons that suggested the conclusions investigators reached
over.

22. Occupational Health and Safety Training
Importance of Health and safety training
People carry out varied job roles and responsibilities which would require them to
undergo effective training so that they can understand their job roles and contribute
to the OHS. Health and safety training is not just a requirement but also a legal
obligation under the health and safety act and regulations. Organisations must
ensure that their managers, coordinators, HSRs, committee members, employees,
supervisors and representatives are well trained. Employees must also ensure that
they keep a record of the training sessions undertaken by their employees, should
the entities be arranging them.
Health and safety training
is not just a requirement
but also a legal obligation
under the health and
safety act and regulations.
Organisations must ensure
that their managers,
coordinators, HSRs,
committee members,
employees, supervisors
and representatives are
well trained.
Training can be provided ‘in-house’ or an ‘approved’ course conducted by some
other organisation can be arranged. In-depth courses and training are also provided
by universities, industry training boards and a wide range of registered training
organisations. While organisations are arranging training for their workers, they must
take into account two important things:


Language
Literacy levels of the learner
Planning and Arranging Health and Safety Training
An effective and impactful training session requires a good deal of planning. A few
common procedures in the health and safety training planning are:




Assessment of training requirements
Setting of aims, goals and objectives
Evaluation of the results or outcomes
Working on methods for the provision of training
OHS training must also form an integral part of your training plan.
Strategy-Planning For Health and Safety Training
In order to measure the impact and ensure that it serves the aim well, a training
strategy will need to be developed. The strategies involved in the process will also
help in determining how the knowledge and skills shall be acquired by the trainees.
Strategy development before health and safety also helps in taking decisions relating

23. to:



Amount, duration and level of training required
Requirement in terms of in-house or off-site training
People conducting training and whether the training type will focus on
individual or group
Organisations must ensure that the trainers are equipped with updated information,
qualification, skills and experience. They must be aware of the modern training
techniques and a decent access to all the vital resources. The composition and the
overall scope of the training must be kept in mind.
Organisations must ensure
that the trainers are
equipped with updated
information, qualification,
skills and experience. They
must be aware of the
modern training
techniques and a decent
access to all the vital
resources.
Training Evaluation
Health and safety training is incomplete without an evaluation. It is important for the
organisations to assess how well a particular training session could meet the
expectations and move one step towards the common aim.
So what should the evaluation in health and safety include? Here they are:



Review of each and every employee’s work progress
Level of acquisition of the knowledge and skills
Enhancement in competencies and knowledge of workforce in general
Organisations must provide some time gap between the training and the evaluation
so that they can closely analyse the outcomes and find out whether the objectives
have been met. Benefits achieved by the employee after the training may not be
enjoyed immediately after the training has been conducted. The impact of training
reflects in the tasks, roles and responsibilities that are being carried out by trainees
at work.
Follow-up training
Follow-up training is usually required even after a training session on health and
safety has already been conducted. In order to ensure that the employees remain
updated on their skills and can best utilise them at work, organisations may want to
consider having follow-up training time to time. Follow-up trainings play a pivotal
role in allowing trainees to revise their specific knowledge and skills.
Continuation of training programmes also allows the supervisors and managers to
stay updated and broaden their knowledge and skills relating to health and safety.
Follow-up training sessions should not be overlooked as they do impact the manner
in which the jobs are being carried out within an organisation.

24. Workplace Health and Safety Welfare
Health and safety regulations for the workplace cover a wide array of issues to
promote safe working environment. As employers or as employees, our duty is to
know all the requirements of the workplace regulations so that the potentially
dangerous health and safety hazards can be avoided. These regulations are aimed at
protecting the health and safety of all workers within the workplace and ensuring
that the best safety welfare facilities are accessed by the employees.
According to these regulations, each member of the workforce has the right to basic
health and safety requirements and it also includes the people with disabilities. Also,
the health and safety measures must be ‘suitable’ for everyone at work.
So what are the considerations that can make health and safety welfare programmes
within a workplace an ultimate success? Let us discuss.
Health
Temperature: In order to ensure that they can focus on their tasks well,
Health and safety
regulations for the
workplace cover a wide
array of issues to promote
safe working environment.
As employers or as
employees, our duty is to
know all the requirements
of the workplace
regulations so that the
potentially dangerous
health and safety hazards
can be avoided.
organisations must ensure that the temperature maintained within the workplace is
a decent one and up to the mark. It must also be ensured that the environmental
factors such as heat and humidity are not made to combine with the personal issues
of employees. Even though the individual preferences can’t always be taken into
consideration, having a decent maintenance of temperature in the workplace is
mandatory.
Ventilation: Organisations must ensure that the workplaces have adequate
ventilation facilities. Furthermore, ventilation facilities should be capable of keeping
a check on the dilute and humid air and it should be giving workers a great sense of
freshness. Ventilation should help in releasing foul air and keep the surrounding
hygienic. Even though windows and various other openings can give way to good
ventilation, mechanical ventilation systems should be allowed and with proper
maintenance.
Work Environment – Hot or Cold: When conditions in the workplaces
seem to move away from what they call “comfortable”, risk to the health and safety
of the workers naturally increases. Issues like stress resulting from heat,
uncomfortably low or high temperatures and various other concerns should be
checked in time so that the best preventive measures can be taken. Exposure to
extremely high thermal radiation and relatively higher levels of humidity should be
controlled with the help of proper and suitable health and safety measures.
When the organisations are assessing the risks to the health and safety of the
employees working in a cold or hot environment, they should consider both the

25. environmental and the personal factors. Personal factors mostly include the kind of
clothing that rests on the body, physical activity, exposure and duration. On the
other hand, environmental factors include radiant heat, an ambient temperature,
rain, velocity of wind, etc.
Lighting: Lighting is one aspect that helps a lot in the performance and
productivity but it is also an important factor in health and safety at workplaces.
Organisations must ensure that the lighting is adequate so that the workers can
move around freely and work comfortably. Light fittings should be installed in a way
such that they don’t lead to any hazards. Arrangements should be made for a good
and suitable solution to sudden loss of light. Automatic emergency lighting would
serve the purpose hence organisations must mandatorily get them installed at the
earliest.
Cleanliness: Workplaces should have a special focus on the cleanliness. It should
be kept in mind that the furniture, fittings and furnishings are maintained and kept
neat and clean. It is also important to keep the walls, surfaces and ceilings clean so
that accidents and injuries resulting from them can be avoided. Removal of waste
and cleaning should be carried out on a regular basis depending on the requirements
for cleanliness in the work area. Organisations should not hesitate in arranging a
casual cleaning system at least twice in a day. Waste should also be stored suitably
so that infection and diseases can be kept under control.
Room Dimensions: Workrooms should be spacious and decent in size so that
the workers can move around safely without them leading to a chaos. Depending on
the layout, type and the nature of the work to be carried out by the workers,
workplace areas should allow enough mobility keeping away any scope for
suffocation.
Seating Arrangements: Workstations must be suitable for the employees and
the work they are required to do. Employees should be made to sit in such a way
that they can leave the workstation instantly in case of any emergency. If the work
requires the employees to sit for long hours then they should be provided a
comfortable seating. For the employees who are not capable of placing feet straight
on the floors, arrangements for foot rest should be made. Seating must allow the
workers to have suitable support for their back so that the related and health issues
can be avoided in the long run.
Safety
Maintenance: Equipments and systems in the workplaces should be maintained
so that they remain efficient without actually posing a threat to the health and safety
of the workers. In case a fault comes into view, it should be immediately attended.
Employees should also consider reporting the issue if they happen to take note of it
beforehand. It will ensure that the best health and safety welfare measures are
taken that are further capable of preventing the hazards.

26. Floor Routes: This includes fixed ladders, doorway, stairs, gateway, etc. Traffic
routes must be sufficient so that the vehicles and the people can move around
comfortably and safely. One of the best ways to ensure safe mobility is to keep the
path of the pedestrians and vehicles apart. This is also mandatory under the
regulations covering the security at gates and doors of workplaces.
Since it can become extremely tough for the drivers to see what lies behind the
vehicle while they are reversing, the best way out is to plan the traffic routes that
won’t at all require them to reverse. Driving through the loading areas and utilising
the one-way systems can be a good solution. It is also important to ensure that the
speed limits of all the vehicles are set in advance and they are being followed along
with other traffic rules. In order to let the pedestrians and drivers know where they
are required to go, route markings along with signs should be provided for guidance.
Make sure that the crossing points are marked and visible clearly. They should also
be warned of any potentially dangerous hazards so that they know it very well where
they are required to go and what set of rules should apply to the routes they are
supposed to undertake. Traffic and floor routes must have the capability to bear the
load and heavy traffic. Surfaces in use must not have holes. They should not be
slippery and uneven at the same time. Maintenance systems should be flexible and
open to providing immediate repair facilities whenever required.
Open sides of all the staircases must be fenced decently and handrail can also be
provided on both the sides, in case there are possible haunting risks. Make sure that
the access from one floor to the other should not be through steep stairs and ladders
as they can pose threat to the safety of workers using them.
Dangerous Falls: Falling into the potentially dangerous substances can have
dire consequences hence one must ensure high level of security and protection. If
there are any dangerous substances in the pits or tanks, they should be fenced
properly. Companies must also take special measures to prevent falls that can result
from height; conforming to the work at height regulations is important.
Protection Against Breakage & Poor Quality Materials: Walls,
partitions and doors must be made up of quality materials; they should be
safeguarded against any form of breakage. If a breakage occurs then it should be
marked so that the people who can possibly come in contact with it stay alert well
ahead.
Window Safety: Windows, ventilators and skylights must be capable of being
opened comfortably. On opening, they must not pose any threat to the safety of the
workers around. They must be regularly checked for any undue risk and must be
designed in such a way that they can be opened and cleaned with ease.
Gates & Doors: Gates and doors in the workplaces must be suitably constructed.
They should be fitted with quality and safety devices. Make sure that the power

27. operated doors can boast of exclusive safety features so that people can prevent
getting trapped or stuck. They should be capable of being stopped instantly in case
any emergency occurs. They must boast of a control that is both accessible and
identifiable.
Escalator Safety: Moving walkways, stairs and escalators must be functioning
properly and they should be fully equipped with safety devices necessary for the
access. It is mandatory for them to have the safest and secured emergency stop
controls which should be maintained from time to time.

28. Conclusion
Organisations must abide by the regulations and the approved codes of practice
that suggest volumes about the workplace health and safety hazards and the ways
to control the evolving risks in the same. Proper maintenance of workplace health
and safety calls for dedication, awareness, suitable strategies implementation and
observation. Sources to consult shall depend on the type of the information that is
required.
We hope that our ebook compilation successfully and flawlessly acts as an effective
guiding tool for all those who have a crucial role to play in the workplace health,
safety and welfare. When we have employers and employees, both working hand in
hand to solve issues and successfully implement the hazard management
programmes, it can ultimately prove to be an effective process.