Some of the roles and responsibilities that people and others have to undertake under

the health and safety at work act are; keeping the workplace safe and without risk to
health, keeping dust and fumes under control, providing and maintaining safe plant and
k[1] systems of work, arranging the safe use handling storage and transport of articles and
substances, providing information, instruction, training and supervision to ensure the
health and safety of all employee, maintain a safe place of work including both access
and exit routes, providing and maintaining safe facilities and arrangements for
employees' welfare at work, the provision of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE).

Some of the employers responsibilities and safe working practices are; to draw up a
health and safety policy statement, if there are five or more employees, carry out an
assessment of risks associated with all the company's work activities, identify and
implement control measures, inform employees of the risks and control measures.
Some of the employees responsibilities and safe working practices are include; to take
reasonable care of your own health and safety, if possible avoid wearing jewellery or
k[2] loose clothing if operating machinery, if you have long hair or wear a head scarf, make
sure its tucked out of the way, take reasonable care not to put other people - fellow
employees and members of the public - at risk by what you do or don't do in the course
of your work, to co-operate with your employer, making sure you get proper training and
understanding and follow the companies health and safety policies, not to interfere with
or misuse anything that's been provided for your health, safety or welfare, to report any
injuries, strains or illnesses you suffer as a result of doing your job.

Under the new CLP Regulation introduced in 2009 it now outlines that all substances
that contain any of the seven hazardous substances must be labelled by classification
on the packaging. The seven warning signs for the main groups of hazardous
substances are; flammable, explosive, corrosive, toxic, dangerous to aquatic
environment, oxidizing chemical and health hazard. The flammability of something is
the ability of a substance to burn or ignite, causing fire or combustion. An explosive
k[3] substance is a reactive substance that contains a great amount of potential energy that
can produce an explosion if released suddenly, usually accompanied by the production
of light, heat, sound, and pressure. A corrosive substance is one that will destroy and
damage other substances with which it comes into contact, it causes chemical burns on
contact. A toxic substance is a substance that can be poisonous or cause health effects.
Any chemical can be toxic or harmful under certain conditions. Oxidizing chemicals are
ones of which become very volatile once oxidized.

Relevant Health and Safety information can be found in many places, one of them
being the internet. You can find lots of information on the hse website which I have
attached regarding Health and Safety. Another place where you can find out information
about Health and Safety is on your company handbook or contract, there is usually
some kind of information regarding Health and Safety at Work. Alternatively there may
be posters around your place of work or college providing information about Health and
k[4] Safety. When expert assistance is needed a qualified health and safety officer or human
resources manager for guidance, risk assessments are carried out by a specialized risk
assessment company and reports kept available. If any injury occurs contact someone
trained in first aid. Posters or leaflets in the workplace and more information available
online from the health and safety executive. The manufacturer of the item or product
you need assistance with would be the most reliable source of information in most
cases, you could email or phone them for advice.

k[5] A hazard is something that possesses a risk to cause harm to someone for example
moving parts on machinery. Moving parts can quickly turn into a hazard when people
with long hair are around. This hazard can be eradicated by simply tucking your hair
into the back of your overalls. Electricity is also a hazard once near water or if not kept
in an insulating sleeve. Slippery surfaces also become a hazard if not taken care of by
using a mop and bucket to clear the spillage. Dust and fumes are also a hazard to the
respiratory system if there is no preventive technique used to either stop at the source
or eradicate once present, this is why it is very important to have extractor fans
 removing dust and harmful fumes from the workplace. The handling and transporting of
heavy materials is not a hazard unless you start taking risks like lifting things that are
too heavy for just yourself, to remove this hazard simply either ask someone to help you
or use a lifting mechanism like a fork lift. Contaminants and irritants such as acids can
be very harmful and are therefore a hazard when not handled correctly, always wear
goggles and gloves just in case of a spillage. Material ejection is hazard too so reduce
the risk of the material spiting something and hitting you always wear the correct PPE
and have the guard down. Fire is also a hazard that is very hard to prevent as usually is
you knew a fire was going to take place then you would prevent it so it is very important
to be careful around flammable substances to eliminate the hazard. Pressure systems
provide a great hazard so always make sure that you have the required training
needed. Again flammable, volatile and toxic substances all need to be treated with great
care as they are all hazardous substances which can cause a lot of harm and damage.
An example of an unshielded process could be using the band saw and the hazard that
this method possesses is material ejection, always wear the correct PPE especially the
goggles to protect your eyes. Working in confined spaces comes with a large hazard
when other factors like dust and fumes come into the equation so always turn your
extractor fan on and make sure the people outside of the confined space know you're in
there.

Everyone has their own responsibility for identifying and dealing with hazards in the
workplace. Everyone in the workplace should be able to spot hazards such as; slippery
floors, flammable substances hanging around unsafely, dust and fumes, contaminants
and other hazards. One way of identifying and dealing with hazards could be to carry
out safety inspections which include testing all of the equipment in your workshop/work
place. If any faults are found with the equipment then it should be off-limits and out of
use until someone has fixed the issue. Safety inspections should be carried out
k[6] regularly to avoid injury or damage. Hazard checklists are another method of reducing
the number of hazards and risks in the workshop and can prevent a hazard from
becoming a risk at the source. Controls of Substances Hazardous to Health (COSHH)
Assessments are another way identifying and dealing with hazards and reducing risk in
the work place. Walk around your workplace. Where is there potential for exposure to
substances that might be hazardous to health? This is how you would complete a
COSHH assessment and you would then need to rectify any potential hazards due to
Substances Hazardous to Health.

Tools can possess a great risk when not treated correctly. For example a simple tool
such as a hammer can be a risk if the head of it is not completely attached and you
swing the hammer and all of a sudden the head falls of and is then out of your control.
Always ensure al of your equipment is safe to use before you use it. Some of the risks
materials possess could be that with metals that get hot during fabrication they could
burn you if not cooled down properly. Oil spillages can be extremely dangerous it is very
flammable and therefore will set on fire but along with that if it comes into contact with
oxygen it will form an explosive compound. This is a great hazard as explosions can
k[7] cause large destruction. Other chemicals like acids are also irritants and could possibly
be corrosive so therefore this is why they cause a large risk. If you do not report any
accidental breakages puts others who are going to use the machine after you at risk, if
you do not report a breakage then the next person who comes along may use the
machine and potentially injure themselves due to the problem not being resolved by
fixing the machine. If you do not follow laid-down working practices and procedures like
keeping to the walkways in a workshop then you are putting yourself at risk of injury
from things like moving machines eg cranes or walking into welding bays where there
are many bright lights.

k[8] Safety inspections can be used to identify risks like faulty machines by testing them in a
safe controlled environment. I have attached an example of a safety inspection sheet
which you can modify to suit you best. As you can see in the attached link the report
form has 4 main columns; one for the time the particular risk was noticed, the actual
problem of what is wrong, the person who completed the inspection and whether or not
 there has been any remedial action taken. The safety inspection sheets can also be
found in some companies online with the same layout as the sheet attached maybe on
an excel sheet. One way of rating the risk could be by using colour codes; red being
high risk, yellow being medium risk and white being low risk. When the problem has
been fixed then the row would be turned green rather than the colour of the rating of the
risk. A hazard checklist enlists a list of potential risks in the workplace. If you were
complete a hazard checklist then you would have to find out whether the risk is present
in your workplace, if it does tick the box then some action needs to be taken to remove
this. One way of rating the level of risk in the workplace would be to have levels of risk
which require a certain amount of risks in the workplace itself. So for example if you
were to tick 10 boxes on the hazard checklist then this would display itself as a high risk
environment whereas if you only ticked 1 box then this would be a low risk environment
but the risk would still need to be addressed and remedial action would have to be
taken. I have attached an example of a hazard checklist. A risk assessment is taken
when there are risks present and you need to address them. Assessing the risk on how
severe it is and coming up with a plan on how to solve it. When undertaking a COSHH
assessment walk around your workplace. Ask yourself the question; is there potential
for exposure to substances that might be hazardous to health? If there is potential for
exposure to substances that might be hazardous to health then act on it. Get safety
data sheets, and read your trade magazines. Some substances arise from processes
and have no safety data sheet. Examples include fume from welding or soldering, mist
from metalworking, dust from quarrying, gases from silage and then take the correct
steps to removing this risk.

What ‘adequate and appropriate first aid facilities’ will depend on the circumstances in
the workplace. This includes whether trained first-aiders are needed, what should be
included in a first-aid box and if a first-aid room is required. Employers should carry out
an assessment of first-aid needs to determine what to provide. If an accident does
occur where there is an injury then Seek Medical Attention. First aid should be given by
k[9] someone who has had appropriate training. Names of people qualified to administer
first aid is on the front of the first aid kits. If the injury cannot be treated by a company
first aider then the help of an ambulance will be needed. Ring an ambulance
immediately and keep the first aider on hand to help whilst the ambulance gets there.
Once the accident has been cleared proceed to report the accident in the blue/accident
book.

General incidents that happen at the workplace that constitute as a dangerous

occurrence include a long list of things that i have attached which are specific for the
different sector of trade you are in, otherwise anything thing that has caused either
harm someone or has damaged any other possession around it could be classed as a
dangerous occurrence. A dangerous occurrence must be reported even if no one is
injured otherwise he occurrence could happen again and maybe this time the person
who was injured last time may not be as lucky this time or the occurrence could cause
even more destruction to the place of work than last time. If dangerous occurrences are
k[10] not reported then the company can get into large trouble and it is actually against the
law not to act on reported incidents that possess the threat to harm someone.
Hazardous malfunctions are problems that go wrong with machines, these can be minor
or major incidents that could lead to death and therefore need to be seen too. If
hazardous malfunctions are not reported then this means that the malfunction will not
get fixed and most probably happen again, putting at risk the health of the person
operating the system as well as maybe costing the company a lot of many because
rather than repairing a new part they may have to completely buy the system/machine
again.

k[11] Every company must have a fire alarm procedure and these procedures differ from
what kind of work you are doing. The fire alarm procedure for a workshop for example
will be different to the one of an office block. Plan essential actions such as emergency
plant shutdown, isolation or making processes safe. Clearly identify important items like
shut-off valves and electrical isolators etc. Before sounding the fire alarm always make
 sure that you are certain its necessary. When you've confirmed its necessary find a fire
alarm which usually look like a red box on the wall with needs to be opened or broken
into. Nominate competent people to take control. Then follow your specific evacuation
procedure but generally always head for the green exit signs above the doors .You must
make sure that there are enough emergency exits for everyone to escape quickly, and
keep emergency doors and escape routes unobstructed and clearly marked. Then
proceed to your fire assembly point which may be on a nearby car park or field. Then if
the fire is not a test you should alert the fire brigade. Once everyone is out in the fire
assembly point, whoever you have nominated to be in charge (usually your fire safety
officer) should take a register of everyone that was in the workplace. If anyone is
missing then make the fire brigade aware so that they can try and find them along with
any information of where they are or where the fire started. Work should not resume
after an emergency if a serious danger remains. If you have any doubts ask for
assistance from the emergency services.

An organisational policy with regards to firefighting procedures would include being

taught what different colour extinguishers fight what kind of fires. Using the incorrect fire
extinguisher can harm you and make the fire worse - only use one if you are confident
in your selection and ability. There are many causes of fire in the work place but one of
the main ones is electricity. The neglection and misuse of electricity can lead to short
circuits. Another common cause of fire is the accumulation of rubbish and waste
material as fire is more likely to spread through accumulated waste to prevent this
helping a fire spread then always keep on top of your rubbish by recycling. In the
k[12] kitchen there is usually a cooker which is another appliance which can cause fire,
reduce the risk of a fire by swapping the cooker out for a microwave which is safer.
Although smoking has been banned from smoking in public places some people decide
to ignore this law and the remains of a cigarette has the ability of causing a fire so to
prevent them from smoking introduce posters around the workplace remaining them its
illegal and maybe introduce a smoking area which is far enough away from the
workplace that nothing can catch on fire. Combustible materials such as flammable
liquids, glues and solvents are all liable to set on fire unless stored and used properly,
always keep them stored in a metal cupboard.

Personal Protective Equipment is essential when working in environments like

workshops. This is due to the moving equipment, machines and tools which are being
used. One of the most important pieces of PPE would be the overalls. These are so
important when completing tasks like welding due to the intense sparks that are
continuously being projected towards you. Not only do they protect you from sparks but
when completing general tasks within the workshop there tends to be a lot of dirt and
dust, therefore the overalls protect your clothes underneath. The next piece of PPE
which is also mandatory in most workshops is steel toe capped boots. They simply
k[13] protect your feet from being crushed by things falling on them, many times from my
personal experiences have they saved my feet from being potentially broken. Goggles
are a piece of PPE ad they protect your eyes when undertaking tasks like grinding,
projectile sparks that otherwise would blind you are deflected away. Another piece of
PPE which is necessary when working in a workshop with cranes would be a helmet.
This piece of PPE protects your head from any projectile objects like objects being
moved around on cranes or even if you were to fall over the helmet would provide some
level of safety. Gloves are another piece of PPE which protect your hands when
completing every day activities around the workshop.

k[14] There are many ways of handling and moving objects around the workplace and one of
them ways is to push or pull the object. Pushing and pulling loads is a way to reduce or
avoid manual lifting and carrying. So, when people push and pull instead of lifting and
carrying, less effort is required, but there may still be a risk of injury. Try to avoid
pushing and pulling objects as long as you can safely pick the load up. Moving loads
using wheeled equipment, such as hand trolleys, pump trucks, carts or wheelbarrows is
much more suitable to push/pull rather than carrying. When carrying loads and picking
them up; limit the amount of twisting, stooping and reaching as well as avoiding lifting
 from floor level or above shoulder height, especially heavy loads, adjust storage areas
to minimise the need to carry out such movements, consider how you can minimise
carrying distances and assess the weight to be carried and whether the worker can
move the load safely or needs any help – maybe the load can be broken down to
smaller, lighter components. Before lifting the load always ensure that your path is clear
of any kind of obstructions. Then move onto adopting a strong stable position to begin
the lift with your legs shoulder width apart get a good grip and using your legs move the
object smoothly upwards up to a comfortable height. Always avoid twisting by keeping
the object close to your hips. Move slowly and do not rush the movement and If precise
positioning of the load is necessary, put it down first, then slide it into the desired
position. Some of the manual and mechanical lifting aids can be found on the attached
file but on of the most common ways of moving objects around the workplace would be
to use a simple trolley by pushing the trolley under the object you intend to lift up and
then whilst holding the top pull the handle back and proceed to push the trolley to the
desired location and then remove the trolley from underneath of the object. A commonly
used mechanical lifting mechanism would be a fork lift, these work best with loads that
are sat on a pallet. Only ever operate the fork lift truck when you’re fully qualified to
drive it.

One way of maintaining safe working areas is by maintaining the cleanliness of the work
area, this can be just simply sweeping up the floor in a workshop but it may get more
complicated in messier environment like painting facilities. Cleaning areas like these
would require things like grinders or expensive solvents to maintain the cleanliness of
the working area. Removal of waste materials/products is also necessary to maintain
safe working areas not just to prevent people from tripping on them some waste
products eg chemicals need special procedures to be taken to remove them safely from
the work place and if just left there then they could quite possibly poison and damage
the environment. Another vital area to keep safe and clear is the walkways and
emergency exits due the potential hazard of someone tripping over, this would be
k[15] especially dangerous in the case of a fire. It’s also vital to have sufficient lighting, in
drawing offices the required lighting level required is very high due to the detail on
drawings which need to be seen clearly. A company must provide; good light – use
natural light where possible but try to avoid glare, a good level of local lighting at
workstations where necessary, suitable forms of emergency lighting, well-lit stairs and
corridors, well-lit outside areas – for pedestrians and to help with work activities such as
loading/unloading at night. Hygiene and cleanliness is also important to stop the
spreading of diseases/infection in the workplace. The company must provide clean
toilets and hand basins, with running hot and cold or warm water, soap and towels or
another suitable means of drying. These are all of the main basics to good
housekeeping in the workplace that need to be met due to hse regulations.

Safe storage of tools is very important, if tools are left around then this is where they
can become dangerous and become a hazard. Always place hand tools such as
hammers and other general tools on a rack somewhere that they cannot be in reach of
any unauthorised person, preferably in a locked tool box. This prevents anyone who
shouldn't be handling the tools from being able to, this will reduce injury in the work
place and also makes your workplace more secure from thief's. When deciding where
to store power tools always keep these locked away in a safe place like a locked
k[16] cupboard as well as taking thing like batteries and drill bits out of them so anyone who
came along who wasn't trained they would find it had to use the tool which will
ultimately reduce the chance of injury in the workplace. The importance of storing away
materials and products is immensely important. If someone who wasn't authorised
managed to get a hold of a product then this can be dangerous to the client who will be
receiving this product as the could tamper with it. It would also be bad for the business if
someone was to get a hold of a prototype or something that is unique and special to
that company so its essentially important to keep all of your tools and materials safely
stored away.

k[17] If you are aware of some one acting unsafe or putting others at risk you have the
authority to correct them and/or stop them from carrying on what they are doing. other
problems you cannot resolve, see your team leader and/or health and safety
representative.