Health and safety regulations

Understanding Health and Safety Regulations

• Understand the importance of health and safety regulations in the land-based sector. These are legal requirements designed to protect workers and the public.
• Recognise the role of the Health and Safety Executive (HSE), the body that oversees health and safety in the workplace in the UK.
• Be familiar with the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974, the principal piece of legislation covering occupational health and safety.
• Know the key points of the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999, which require employers to carry out risk assessments and make arrangements to ensure health and safety of employees.

Risk Assessment

• Comprehend the concept of a risk assessment. It’s a careful examination of things in your work that could cause harm to people.
• Understand what factors you need to consider in a risk assessment, such as potential hazards, the likelihood of harm, and the severity of harm.
• Know the five steps in carrying out a risk assessment: identify hazards, decide who could be harmed, evaluate the risks and decide on precautions, record findings and implement them, review your assessment and update if necessary.

Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)

• Understand why Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) is important. It can protect you against health and safety risks at work.
• Recognise what might constitute appropriate PPE in the land-based sector (helmets, gloves, eye protection, high-visibility clothing).
• Know the responsibilities of employers to provide PPE and the responsibility of employees to use it properly.

Good Health and Safety Practice

• Recognise the importance of proper training in safe working practices and the use of machinery.
• Understand the significance of first aid provisions in the workplace and what is required by law.
• Recognise the relevance of hygiene practices, particularly when working with animals or in environments where disease could be a risk.
• Know why accidents should be reported and recorded, to help prevent similar incidents in the future.

Health and safety in the workplace is an integral part of operations in the land-based sector. A good understanding of the rules and regulations not only ensures your safety, but also the safety of others.