1. The Health & Safety at Work Act 1974. HASAWA was passed because existing laws on health and safety were out of date and did not cover workers in environments other than offices, shops, railways and factories. It also thought that some protection should be given to other people other than workers, such as the general public.

2. The Health And Safety At Work Act 1974  One act to enable and to enforce  Intent:- create simple rules  Adequate and enforceable by law  Provide safety in the work place and protection for visitors and the public  Create duties for employers, employees and others  Make it everybody’s business

3. The Health And Safety At Work Act 1974  The Act places a strict duty on the employer to ensure, so far as is reasonably practicable, safe working conditions and the absence of risks to health in connection with the use, handling, storage and transport of articles and substances

4. Safety Policy Statement  Five or more employees Employer must –Prepare –Publicise –Revise when necessary A written statement of employers safety policy And The organisation and arrangement in force to carry out that policy

5. Duties of The Employees  To take reasonable care for the health and safety of self and others  To comply with :- –The employer’s health and safety rules –Health and safety law  Not to intentionally or recklessly interfere with anything provided in the interest of health and safety

6. Accident Reporting  Employees should :- –Report all accidents –Report all dangerous occurrences including near misses –Where a near miss is defined as an event that could have caused injury, damage or loss but in this case but in this instance did not  Consult their general practitioner and their employer if diagnosed as suffering from a disease that might be related to their work activity.

7. Health And Safety At Work  Please remember, you are required by law to act and work in a safe manner i.e. you do not put yourself or others at risk due to your own actions.  Using the wrong tools can not only ruin your job, but can be very dangerous.  Never use a piece of machinery or a tool which you have not been shown how to use, if in doubt always ask.

8. Maintenance Of A Safe Working Area  High standards of housekeeping are the basis of creating and maintaining a safe and healthy working environment. Strict attention to housekeeping is therefore essential.  Spillages of components or liquids should be cleaned up immediately. A supply of dry sand or other suitable non – combustible absorbent material should be readily available.  Sweepings and scrapings should be placed immediately in a suitable container. Hazardous sweepings and scrapings, such as from refinishing materials, should be placed in a metal container, wetted down with water and kept covered with a metal lid until removed from the building to a safe place.  Rags and other combustible materials should be deposited, after use, in a suitable container (again, metal in the case of rags/combustibles used in refinishing.  Waste and rubbish should be removed from all working and storage areas at least daily.

9. How Many Hazards Can You See? A Hazard Is Anything That Could Cause An Accident

10. Safety is important, no matter where you work

11. The Health and Safety at Work Act 1974  The Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 is the principal legislative act governing health and safety in the work place in Great Britain and Northern Ireland.It is revised and extended continuously to ensure that its various regulations keep pace with changes in technology, materials and working practices – so do not be misled by the date;1974 is merely the year the act first become law, replacing the Factories Act (1961).  Primarily, the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 places a duty upon the employers to ensure that the working conditions are, as far as is reasonably practical, safe and free from risk to health. This includes:  Safe access and exit, maintenance of a reasonable working temperature, the provision of adequate washing, sanitation and first aid facilities, have a formal safety policy to all companies with five or more employees, safe plant and equipment, fitted with the appropriate guards etc,equipment training and supervision, fume and dust control.

12.  However, the Act does not solely relate to employers. In the working environment it is assumed that there is no dangerous equipment or work tasks, just dangerous ways of using the equipment and carrying out the work. It is the operator who makes the work dangerous.  Therefore, employees are equally responsible to the Act. It is mandatory to adhere to the legislation not only for the safety of yourself and others but also because it is a criminal offence not to do so. The Crown can prosecute:  Employers who contravene the regulations.  Employees who do not use the safety procedures and equipment provided for them, do not take reasonable care of their own safety and that of others, or misuse safety equipment and do not co-operate with the employer to comply with the HASAW  Failure to comply can lead to a fine and imprisonment (employer and/or employee

13.  The Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 covers all workplaces. But there are also specific regulations relating to health and safety within the motor industry, which is covered in two sub-sections:  The Health and Safety at Work Act-Motor Vehicle Repair. There are some 36,000 mechanical repair workshops and 20,000 bodyshops in the United kingdom. Each year over 2,000 accidents are reported to the Health & Safety Executive (HSE) and local authorities by these various premises. Many go unreported. This comprehensive booklet deals with the more common and specific hazards of mechanical and body repair, ranging from simple avoidable injuries, such as trips and falls, to life-threatening accidents, such as work on petrol tanks which cause serious burns, hundreds of fires and some deaths each year.  It also provides practical advice on how to organise health and safety in garages and explains which laws apply to motor vehicle repair and how to apply them.

14.  The Health and Safety at Work Act – Tyre & Exhaust Fitting.  This sub-section of the Health and Safety at Work Act relates to tyre and exhaust fitting premises. It describes the main risks associated with the use of machinery, equipment, substances and work practices which are found in fitting bays, and what should be done to safeguard workers in industry. It has been produced by the Heath and Safety Executive’s Local Authority Unit after wide consultation with employers, trade unions and other interested organisation, including the National Tyre Distribution’s Association.  The HSE is responsible for developing health and safety standards nationally and for inspection and enforcement in motor vehicle repair workshops. Local authorities are responsible for inspection and enforcement in motor car tyre and exhaust fitting premises.

15.  The Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 also places a duty on manufacturers and supplies of any substance for use at work to ensure, as far as reasonably practicable, that a substance is a safe and without risk to health when properly used. This includes:  The correct siting, storing and identification of dangerous materials.  Training in appropriate handling of such materials.  The provision of appropriate protective clothing.  The employers duties under the act extends to virtually everyone who comes into contact with the business, including:  Employees, full time or part time.  Sub contractors.  Anyone who uses/visits the workplace, such as a photocopier engineer or milkman  Everyone permitted to use the equipment.  Customers.  Neighbours and other members of the public affected by the business.

16. How The Law Can Be Enforced  The Health and Safety Inspectorate is a government agency responsible for ensuring that companies comply with the health and safety laws. It has the following tasks:  To inspect work places to ensure the HASAW and other safety laws are being observed.  To investigate the cause of a serious accident.  To prosecute anyone found breaking the laws (employer or employee).  The Inspectorate has many powers, including the right to enter your workshop and inspect it to make sure the law is being followed. If any problems are found, the inspectorate can carry out one or all of the following:  Issue an improvement notice – this gives the owner of the premises a set time to do something e.g. put up warning signs  Issue a prohibition notice – this says that the work being carried out in a particular place must stop until the problem is put right e.g. a ramp may have to be repaired and tested before it is used again.  Prosecute the person breaking the law – either the employer or employee, this can result in large fines or imprisonment.  Anybody, including employees, can ask the Inspectorate to look into cases involving the health and safety laws.

17. Health and Safety Commission (HSE)

18.  Specific Regulations within the Health & Safety at Work Act.  The Health and Safety at Work Act contains various stand-alone regulations which deal with the various categories of risks and hazards to people and the environment, and the management of health and safety. These are:  Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations  The Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations  Personal Protective Equipment at Work Regulations  Environmental Protection Act and Special Waste Regulations  The Control of Substances Hazardous to Health (COSHH)  Abrasive Wheel Regulations  Manual Handling Operations Regulations  Reporting of injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations (RIDDOR)  Electricity at Work Regulation 1989  Health & Safety (First Aid) Regulations  Company Fire Policy and Fire Protection Regulations  Noise at Work 1989

19.  Personal Protection Equipment at Work Regulations – This requires employers to provide any protective equipment required for the work being carried out by employees. The equipment provided must be stored, maintained, cleaned and replaced when necessary.Employess are to be given information and training in its use. The equipment includes: head, eye, breathing, body and foot protection, safety harnesses and high visibility clothing.  The Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations – This requires the employer to provide equipment appropriate to the work place and the work being carried out there (e.g. amateur DIY equipment is not suitable for commercial working environment). Employees are to be given adequate information, instruction and training for any equipment they may use.  The Environmental Protection Act – This controls the emission of dust, fumes, odours, noise, chemicals and any other pollutants that may affect the area surrounding the workplace. The act, through the Special Waste Regulations 1996, also requires the disposal of all potentially dangerous waste to be carried out by suitably qualified and authorised operators, under special waste regulations. The duty of care means you must by law, take all reasonable steps to look after any waste you have and prevent its illegal disposal by others.

20.  The Abrasive Wheel Regulations – This requires employers to train, appoint and register any employee who carries out adjustment, maintenance and repair work to machines and their abrasive surfaces. This does not include training in normal use of the machine, with its guard, rests and eye protection notices.  The Manual Handling Operations Regulations – This requires the employer to assess the risk of injury due to the manual lifting and carrying required at work. Any risks revealed via risk assessment analysis must be reduced or removed by providing lifting equipment or by changing working practices.  Please refer to the Health and Safety website for further information and updates http://www.hse.gov.uk/mvr/index.h tm http://www.hse.gov.uk/mvr/index.h tm http://www.hse.gov.uk/mvr/index.h tm