Health and safety
AT WORK
Getting hurt at work or becoming ill through work is not a pleasant subject to think about. The reality is that over 200 people a year lose their lives at work in Britain. In addition 150,000 non-fatal injuries are reported each year, and an estimated 2 million suffer from ill health caused or made worse by work.
Preventing people from being harmed by work or becoming ill by taking the right precautions and providing a satisfactory working environment is what health and safety is all about.
The basis of British health and safety law is the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974. The Act sets out the general duties which employers have towards employees and members of the public, and employees have towards themselves and each other.
Inspectors from the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) or the Local Authority enforce health and safety law. For example: -
- HSE at factories, farms and building sites;
- Local Authorities in offices, shops, hotels and catering and leisure activities.
Penalties for breaches of Health and Safety legislation can be severe and can include substantial fines and/or imprisonment. Advice and guidance can be obtained from the Health and Safety Executive website at www.hse.gov.uk.
AT HOME
Every year in the UK almost 4,000 people die in accidents in the home and 2.7 million turn up at accident and emergency departments seeking treatment. But, because the accidents happen behind closed doors in isolated incidents they rarely attract public and media attention. RoSPA is one of the few national voices speaking out on this issue. RoSPA campaigns for change and provides a large range of resources to inform, educate and help to prevent accidents in the home and garden. RoSPA advice and information can be found at www.rospa.com/homesafety/advice/index.
