Health and Safety at Work

Ten Questions and Answers for Everyone

1. What is health and safety all about?
Preventing people from being harmed by work by taking the right precautions - and providing a satisfactory working environment.

2. Why are there health and safety laws?
Because health and safety at work is so important, there are rules which require all of us not to put ourselves or others in danger. The law is also there to protect the public from workplace dangers.

3. Do health and safety laws apply to me?
Yes. To all firms, however small; also to the self-employed and to employees.

4. Who administers health and safety law?
Inspectors from the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) or your local authority. For example

HSE at factories, farms and building sites;
local authorities in offices, shops, hotels and catering, and leisure activities.

5. What do inspectors actually do?
They visit workplaces to check that people are sticking to the rules. Mainly they help you to understand what you need to do. They enforce only when something is seriously wrong.

6. Do I have to contact an inspector to get information?
No. HSE operates a confidential telephone helpline called InfoLine, phone 0845 3450055 or write to:

Health and Safety Executive Information Services
Caerphilly Business Park
Caerphilly CF83 3GG

7. Do I need to register my business?
It's likely if you employ anyone - contact HSE or your local authority.

8. Do I need to have employers' liability compulsory insurance?
It's the law if you employ anyone - and you should display the certificate.

9. Do I need to display any posters?
Yes, the health and safety law poster (ISBN 0 7176 2493 5) if you employ anyone. To order a poster, ring HSE Books on 01787 881165.

10. Do I have to report injuries at work?
Yes, and other incidents.

View a list of useful Health & Safety external links

Free Leaflets online
Leaflets are available to download from the Health & Safety Executive web site covering a number of broad topic headings.

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