Health And Safety Legislative Framework
Legislative framework in practice
In the table below, identify how four health and safety laws and two health and safety regulations influence the policies and working practices within your organisation.
Health and safety law or regulation
How this influences your workplace policies
How this influences working practices
Control of Subtances Hazardous to Health Regulations (COSHH) 2002
This regulation covers all substances that could affect a person’s health. These include cleaning materials, chemicals, dust and fumes. The workforce policies need to ensure that any potential risks to health from hazardous substances are fully assessed, and to prevent or adequately control the risks.
COSHH lays down a sensible step by step approach to the necessary precautions and is therefore a useful tool of good management. There will be tighter control over the use and storage of materials, which in turn can give potential for cost benefits due to tighter controls. There could be improved staff morale as there is clear guidance on the use and storage of chemicals. COSHH would be covered in all employees initial induction process and be regularly reinforced.
Manual Handling Operations Regulations 1992
This regulation states that employees should avoid all manual handling where there is a risk of injury “as far as reasonably practicable”. Where manual handling cannot be avoided employers must put the following points into practice:
Provide reasonable information about moving and handling
There should be suitable assessments of all moving and handling. These should be periodically reviewed and where circumstances have altered then changes should be made accordingly
Risk reduction strategies should be considered and put into place by employers to reduce the risk of injury
Staff are suitably trained in moving and handling on commencement of employment and this training should be regularly updated as required. This reduces staff injuries, thus in turn ensuring
In the table below, identify how four health and safety laws and two health and safety regulations influence the policies and working practices within your organisation.
Health and safety law or regulation
How this influences your workplace policies
How this influences working practices
Control of Subtances Hazardous to Health Regulations (COSHH) 2002
This regulation covers all substances that could affect a person’s health. These include cleaning materials, chemicals, dust and fumes. The workforce policies need to ensure that any potential risks to health from hazardous substances are fully assessed, and to prevent or adequately control the risks.
COSHH lays down a sensible step by step approach to the necessary precautions and is therefore a useful tool of good management. There will be tighter control over the use and storage of materials, which in turn can give potential for cost benefits due to tighter controls. There could be improved staff morale as there is clear guidance on the use and storage of chemicals. COSHH would be covered in all employees initial induction process and be regularly reinforced.
Manual Handling Operations Regulations 1992
This regulation states that employees should avoid all manual handling where there is a risk of injury “as far as reasonably practicable”. Where manual handling cannot be avoided employers must put the following points into practice:
Provide reasonable information about moving and handling
There should be suitable assessments of all moving and handling. These should be periodically reviewed and where circumstances have altered then changes should be made accordingly
Risk reduction strategies should be considered and put into place by employers to reduce the risk of injury
Staff are suitably trained in moving and handling on commencement of employment and this training should be regularly updated as required. This reduces staff injuries, thus in turn ensuring