LTB136/17 HSE Guide – The Health and Safety Toolbox – How to Control Risks at Work (HSG268):

No. 136/2017

3 March 2017

Our Ref: EX5/17

HSE Guide – The Health and Safety Toolbox – How to Control Risks at Work (HSG268):

To: All Branches

Dear Colleagues,

Introduction
This HSE Guide contains a lot of sound advice designed to put managers and employers on the right track, “The health and safety toolbox – How to control risks at work” (HSG268) covers the most common workplace hazards. It shows how most small to medium-sized businesses can put measures into place to control the risks.

The book is easy to use and will help organisations to comply with the law and prevent workplace accidents and ill health. It will be a valuable resource to those running or managing a business and for TU appointed Safety Representative. It also gives advice on how to control workplace hazards. Whatever the line of work is, the guide is aimed at helping run a safe and healthy workplace. It replaces the HSE’s most popular guidance book “Essentials of health and safety at work” and builds on that title’s success by including:

Case studies showing how accidents and cases of ill health have occurred, with helpful tips on how to avoid similar things happening in the future;
Simplified advice on key duties to make it easier for you to comply with the law and run your business;
Helpful lists of dos and don’ts’ for key hazards which summarise the actions needed to be taken.
Updates on legal changes;
Detailed lists of useful websites and sources of advice.

The Guide emphasises the mandatory need to undertake risk assessments under the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999 and that managing health and safety is an integral part of managing any business.

The Guide points out that risk assessments need to be done and then sensible measures need to be put in place to control the risks and make sure they stay controlled. The Guide shows how to follow the Plan, Do, Check, Act’ approach.

Why use this book?
In general, health and safety laws apply to all businesses, no matter how big or small. Employers or self-employed persons are responsible for health and safety in their business. They need to take the right precautions to reduce the risks of workplace dangers and provide a safe working environment. Health and safety management should be a straightforward part of managing the workplace as a whole. It involves practical steps that protect people from harm and at the same time protect the future success and the growth of the business. Good practice in health and safety makes sound business sense. This guide explains what the law requires and helps managers put it into practice.

What are the main causes of ill health and accidents at work?
Each year people are killed at work and many are injured or suffer ill health. The most common causes of serious injury at work are slips, trips and falls from height. There are health conditions that can be caused or made worse by work and working environments, including cancer, asthma, skin complaints, stress and musculoskeletal disorders such as back pain.

The law and guidance
The main law governing health and safety at work in the United Kingdom is the Health and Safety at Work etc., Act 1974 (HSW Act). This places general duties on employers and managers you to do what is reasonably practicable’ to ensure the health and safety of the workforce. Other regulations supporting the HSW Act set out more detailed legal duties for specific activities or industries. The relevant regulations are set out in The law’ sections in each chapter of this guide (HSG268). The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has produced publications to help employers and managers understand what the legal duties mean in practice. Information about useful publications and websites is given in this guide.

Contents
The Contents pages (3-5) will help find the topics most relevant, including electricity, gas, harmful substances etc. Looking at the workplace in the way this book suggests will help employers keep their workers stay safe and healthy.
Chapter 1 suggests how to tackle the basics of health and safety and assess risks.
Chapters 2, 3 and 4 cover issues to consider when looking at how to operate the business and things needing to be taken into account regarding your workers’ health and safety.
Chapters 5 to 19 are for anyone who needs to know more about tackling a particular hazard.

Contents
1 How to manage health and safety
8 Planning for health and safety
8 Writing a health and safety policy
9 Controlling the risks
10 Accidents and investigations
14 Multi-occupancy workplaces
15 Deciding who will help you with your duties
15 Consulting your employees
16 Providing training and information
17 Providing supervision
18 First aid
19 Emergency procedures
20 Reporting accidents, incidents and diseases
21 The health and safety law poster
22 Safety signs
22 Insurance
23 Inspectors and the law
24 Your organisation
25 Ergonomics and human factors
25 Shift work and fatigue
26 Health surveillance
26 Work-related stress
27 Drugs and alcohol
28 Violence at work
29 Your workers
30 Your responsibilities
30 New and expectant mothers
30 Agency/temporary workers
31 New to the job and young workers
32 Migrant workers
33 Lone workers
33 Homeworkers
34 Transient workers
34 People with disabilities
35 Contractors
35 Your workplace
37 What does the workplace cover?
37 A safe place of work
37 Designing workstations
39 Display screen equipment
40 Health and Safety
41 Electrical safety
41 Maintenance
42 When is someone competent to do electrical work?
43 Key points to remember
43 Overhead electric lines
43 Underground cables
43 Fire safety
45General fire safety hazards
45Dangerous substances that cause fire and explosion
47 Gas safety
49 Who is competent to work on gas fittings?
49 Harmful substances
52 How to carry out a COSHH risk assessment
53 Maintain controls
54 Simple checks to control dust and mist
55 Ventilation
55 Simple checks to prevent skin damage
57 Workplace exposure limits
57 Are your controls adequate?
58 Micro-organisms
60 Asbestos
61 Lead
63 Machinery, plant and equipment
64 Why is machinery safety important?
66 Plant and equipment maintenance
67 Safe lifting by machine
70 Vehicle repair
72 Manual handling
73 Why is dealing with manual handling important?
73 Practical tips for good lifting technique
74 Noise
77 Why is dealing with noise important?
77 Do I have a noise problem?
78 How can I control noise?
78 Choosing quieter equipment and machinery
79 Whenshould personal hearing protection be used?
79 Detecting damage to hearing
79 Health and Safety Executive
80 Personal protective equipment (PPE)
80 Why is PPE important?
80 Selection and use
81 Maintenance
81 Types of PPE you can use
82 Emergency equipment
84 Pressure equipment
85 Why is pressure equipment safety important?
85 Assess the risks
86 Basic precautions
86 Written scheme of examination
86 Radiations
88 What are the main types of radiation?
88 The hazards 89 Dos and don’ts of radiation safety
90 Slips and trips
92 Why is dealing with slips and trips important? D
92 Slips and Trips eLearning Package (STEP)
93 Vibration
94 Why is dealing with vibration important?
94 How can I reduce hand-arm v
ibration?
95 How can I reduce whole-body vibration?
95 Working at height
96 Dos and don’ts of working at height
97 Working in confined spaces
98 Dos and don’ts of working in confined spaces
99 Workplace transport
100 Safe site
101 Safe vehicle
101 Safe driver
102 Further information

Yours sincerely

Dave Joyce
National Health, Safety & Environment Officer