As an employer you must provide a safe and healthy environment for your employees, including people with disabilities. As well as being safe, you must also take into account their welfare needs. This is a general list of points and does not include any information regarding work place workwear or any PPE such as safety boots etc.
Certain industries such as mining or working with hazardous materials, for example, are covered by separate health and safety legislation but most of the advice below is applicable to most companies and covers basic health and safety requirements.
There must be good ventilation, a supply of fresh, clean air drawn from outside is required. It must be uncontaminated and circulated around the workspace.
In indoor workplaces, you must provide:
A reasonable working temperature, usually at least 16C, or 13C for strenuous work, (unless other laws require lower temperatures)
Local heating or cooling where a comfortable temperature cannot be maintained which is safe and does not give off dangerous or offensive fumes
Thermal clothing and rest facilities where necessary (for example, for 'hot work' or work in cold storage areas
You must provide:
Good light. Try to use natural light where possible but ensure you avoid glare
A good level of local lighting at workstations where necessary
Suitable forms of lighting. Some fluorescent tubes flicker and can be dangerous near rotating machinery
Special fittings for flammable or explosive atmospheres, e.g. from paint spraying
You must:
Provide clean premises, furniture and fittings
Provide clean floors and stairs which are not slippery
Provide containers for waste materials
Remove dirt, trade waste and refuse regularly
Clear up spillages promptly
Keep internal walls and ceilings clean
Work rooms should have enough space to move about freely.
They must be suitable and fit the worker and the worker should be able to leave the work station quickly and easily in the event of an emergency. Make sure that:
Back rests support the small of the back and you must provide foot rests if necessary
Work surfaces are at a sensible height
There is easy access to controls on equipment
You must have:
Buildings in good repair
Safe glazing, if necessary (e.g. painted, toughened or thick) which is marked to make it easy to see
Good drainage in wet processes
Weather protection for outdoor work spaces, if practical
Outdoor routes kept safe in icy conditions, e.g. salted, sanded or swept
There are other considerations as well eg the safe sitting of machinery and furniture.
You must have:
Floors, corridors and stairs kept free of obstructions, e.g. trailing cables
Surfaces which are not slippery
Well-lit outside areas (which will also aid security)
Safe passages for pedestrians and vehicles
Level, even surfaces without holes or broken boards
Hand-rails on stairs and ramps where necessary
Safe doors, e.g. vision panels in swing doors and sensitive edges on power doors
You must have precautions in place where people might fall from open edges, for example fencing or guard rails.
You must also have floor openings fenced or covered when not in use, for example vehicle inspection pits.
Transparent and Translucent Doors, Gates or Walls and Windows
They must be made of safety material or protected against breakage. If there is a danger of people coming into direct contact with them, there should be markings or features to make them apparent.
You must have windows that can be opened and cleaned safely. They should be designed to stop people falling out or bumping into them when open.
You may also need to fit anchor points if window cleaners have to use harnesses.
Should be suitably constructed and fitted with safety devices if necessary.
Should function safely and be fitted with safety devices if necessary including one or more emergency stop buttons which are easily identifiable and accessible.
You must provide:
Clean well-ventilated toilets (separate rooms for men and women preferably, unless each convenience has its own lockable door
Wash basins with hot and cold (or warm) running water
Showers for dirty work or emergencies
Soap and towels (or a hand drier)
Special hygiene precautions where necessary, e.g. where food is handled or prepared
You must provide a clean drinking water supply with an upward drinking jet or cups.
You must provide lockers and hanging space for clothing and changing facilities where special clothing is worn.
The facilities should also allow for drying clothes.
You must supply rest facilities including the facilities for eating food which would otherwise become contaminated.
Suitable rest facilities should be provided for pregnant women and nursing mothers.
These are all areas of general workplace safety that all companies must address. However, each company must ensure that their own individual health and safety procedures meet with the minimum legislation standards required of their specific place of employment.
Any work wear issues such as safety boots and the provision of specialist High Visibility garments etc can all be purchased from Active Workwear