What HASAWA is

The Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 (HASAWA) is the main piece of UK law covering workplace health and safety. It is an 'enabling act' - it sets out broad duties and general principles, and more detailed regulations (like RIDDOR, COSHH, PUWER) sit underneath it.

Employer duties (Section 2)

Employers must ensure, so far as is reasonably practicable, the health, safety and welfare of employees at work. This covers:

• Safe plant and systems of work
• Safe use, handling, storage and transport of articles and substances
• Information, instruction, training and supervision
• A safe place of work with safe access and egress
• A safe working environment with adequate welfare facilities

Any employer with 5 or more employees must have a written health and safety policy.

'So far as is reasonably practicable' (SFAIRP)

This is a key phrase and often tested. It means weighing the risk against the cost, time and effort of controlling it - not an absolute duty to remove all risk at any cost. If the risk is small and the cost of fixing it is huge and disproportionate, the employer may not be required to act. This is different from 'absolute' duties, which must be met no matter what.

Duties to others (Section 3)

Employers also owe a duty to non-employees affected by their work - visitors, contractors, members of the public. Self-employed people have similar duties to themselves and others.

Employee duties (Section 7)

Employees must:

• Take reasonable care of their own health and safety and that of others affected by their acts or omissions
• Cooperate with their employer on health and safety matters

Section 8 makes it an offence for anyone to intentionally or recklessly interfere with or misuse anything provided in the interests of health and safety (fire extinguishers, guards, PPE, etc).

Duties of designers, manufacturers and suppliers (Section 6)

Those who design, manufacture, import or supply articles for use at work must ensure the article is safe, tested, and comes with adequate information.

Common mistakes

• Confusing 'reasonably practicable' with 'absolute duty' - most HASAWA duties are qualified by SFAIRP, not absolute
• Thinking only employers have duties - employees, the self-employed, and suppliers all have legal duties too
• Forgetting the written policy threshold is 5 or more employees
• Mixing up Section 2 (duty to employees) with Section 3 (duty to others)

What is a risk assessment?

A risk assessment is a careful look at what in your workplace could cause harm, so you can decide if you are doing enough to prevent it. It is not about creating paperwork for its own sake - it is about stopping people getting hurt.

The five steps

• Step 1: Identify the hazards - anything with the potential to cause harm (trailing cables, chemicals, moving machinery, poor lighting, stress).
• Step 2: Decide who might be harmed and how - employees, visitors, contractors, cleaners, members of the public, young workers, new or expectant mothers.
• Step 3: Evaluate the risks and decide on precautions - apply the hierarchy of control.
• Step 4: Record your findings and implement them - written records are legally required once you employ 5 or more people.
• Step 5: Review the assessment and update if needed - review regularly and always after an accident, a near miss, or a change to the work.

Hazard vs risk - the key distinction

A hazard is something with the potential to cause harm. Risk is the likelihood that harm will actually occur, combined with the severity of that harm. Exam questions love testing this difference - a hazard exists even if no one is currently exposed to it.

The hierarchy of control

When deciding on precautions, work down this order of preference:

1. Eliminate the hazard entirely.

2. Substitute with something less hazardous.

3. Engineering controls (guarding, ventilation, isolation).

4. Administrative controls (training, signage, safe systems of work, reduced exposure time).

5. Personal protective equipment (PPE) - always the last resort, because it protects only the wearer and depends on it being used correctly.

The legal number to remember

Under the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999, a business with 5 or more employees must record the significant findings of its risk assessment in writing. Businesses with fewer than 5 employees still must assess risks - they just are not legally required to write it down, though it is always good practice to do so anyway.

Suitable and sufficient

Assessments must be suitable and sufficient - proportionate to the risk, not a generic template copied from elsewhere. A competent person should carry it out - someone with the right mix of knowledge, training and experience for the task.

Common exam mistakes

• Confusing hazard with risk - always double check which the question is asking about.
• Assuming PPE is the first line of defence - it is the last.
• Forgetting that a review is needed after any change in the workplace, equipment or process, not just on a fixed calendar.
• Thinking risk assessments are a one-off exercise rather than a living document.

Manual handling and DSE

Manual handling means lifting, lowering, pushing, pulling or carrying a load by hand or bodily force. Poor manual handling causes more lost-time injuries than almost any other work activity, mostly back and shoulder strains.

The legal framework

• The Manual Handling Operations Regulations (MHOR) set out the duties.
• The hierarchy is: avoid the hazardous manual handling if reasonably practicable, assess the risk if it cannot be avoided, and reduce the risk to the lowest level reasonably practicable.
• There is no single legal maximum weight limit. Guideline figures exist instead.

The TILE and LITE assessment tools

• TILE stands for Task, Individual, Load, Environment. It is used to assess a manual handling risk.
• LITE (Load, Individual, Task, Environment) covers the same four factors in a different order — some awarding bodies use either acronym.
• Task: twisting, stooping, long carry distances, repetitive movement.
• Individual: strength, pregnancy, health conditions, training.
• Load: heavy, bulky, sharp, unstable, hot or hard to grip.
• Environment: floor condition, lighting, space, temperature, obstructions.

Guideline weight figures

• HSE guideline figures for lifting close to the body, at waist height: around 25kg for men and around 16kg for women.
• These figures reduce the higher the load is lifted above waist height or the further it is held from the body.
• The figures are guidelines, not legal limits — a full risk assessment always takes priority over the number.

Good lifting technique

• Plan the lift, check the route is clear.
• Feet apart, bend the knees not the back, keep the load close to the body.
• Keep a straight back and avoid twisting — move the feet instead.
• Get help or use mechanical aids for heavy or awkward loads.

Display Screen Equipment (DSE)

• The Health and Safety (Display Screen Equipment) Regulations cover workers who use DSE regularly as a significant part of their normal work — called DSE users.
• Employers must carry out a DSE workstation assessment for each user.
• Employers must provide eye and eyesight tests on request, and pay for glasses if needed solely for DSE work.
• Users should take regular short breaks or changes of activity — little and often is better than one long break.
• Screen top should be roughly at eye level, forearms roughly horizontal, feet flat on the floor or on a footrest.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Thinking 25kg and 16kg are legal limits — they are guideline figures only.
• Bending the back instead of the knees when lifting.
• Twisting the spine while carrying a load rather than turning the whole body.
• Forgetting that DSE rules apply to laptops and tablets used regularly for work, not just desktop screens.
• Skipping the DSE assessment for home or hybrid workers.

What is COSHH?

COSHH stands for the Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations 2002 (as amended). It is the main UK law covering hazardous substances at work - chemicals, dusts, fumes, vapours, gases, biological agents and even some naturally occurring substances like wood dust or silica.

The employer's duty

• The employer must carry out a COSHH risk assessment before work with a hazardous substance starts.
• The assessment must identify the substance, how people are exposed (breathing it in, skin contact, swallowing, injection), who is at risk, and what controls are needed.
• Assessments must be reviewed regularly and always after any change to the process or if there is reason to believe they are no longer valid.
• A Safety Data Sheet (SDS) must be obtained from the supplier for every hazardous substance - this has 16 standard sections and tells you the hazards and precautions.

The hierarchy of control

COSHH requires control measures to be applied in order, not just jumping to PPE:

• Eliminate the substance completely if possible.
• Substitute it with something less hazardous.
• Use engineering controls, such as local exhaust ventilation (LEV).
• Apply safe systems of work and reduce exposure time.
• Provide PPE and RPE (respiratory protective equipment) as the last resort, not the first.

Workplace Exposure Limits (WELs)

• WELs are legal limits set by the HSE for how much of a substance a worker can be exposed to in the air, usually averaged over an 8-hour reference period (long-term exposure limit) or a 15-minute period (short-term exposure limit).
• Employers must keep exposure below the WEL, and as low as reasonably practicable even if below the limit.

Health surveillance and hazard labels

• Health surveillance (such as skin checks or lung function tests) is required where exposure could cause an identifiable disease and there are valid detection techniques.
• Hazardous substances are labelled with GHS pictograms (the red diamond symbols) - for example the skull and crossbones for acute toxicity, or the exclamation mark for irritants.

Common mistakes

• Thinking COSHH only covers manufactured chemicals - it also covers dusts, fumes and biological agents.
• Believing PPE is always the answer - it is the last line of defence, only used when other controls cannot reduce risk enough.
• Forgetting that LEV systems need regular thorough examination and test, at least every 14 months.
• Assuming a substance is safe just because it is 'natural' - many natural substances (like wood dust) are hazardous.

Why fire safety matters

Fire kills fast. Smoke and toxic fumes usually cause more deaths than flames themselves, and a small fire can flash over into a room-engulfing event in under three minutes. Workplace fire safety is a legal duty, not a nice-to-have.

The fire triangle

Fire needs three things at once: fuel, oxygen and a source of ignition. Take away any one of the three and the fire cannot start or continue. This is the basis of every prevention and extinguishing method.

Legal duties

The Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 (England and Wales) puts duties on the 'responsible person' - usually the employer or building owner. They must carry out and regularly review a fire risk assessment, put in place adequate fire precautions, provide training, and keep escape routes clear at all times. Scotland has its own similar regime under fire safety law.

Fire risk assessment - the 5 steps

• Identify fire hazards (ignition sources, fuel, oxygen sources)
• Identify people at risk (staff, visitors, those especially vulnerable)
• Evaluate, remove or reduce the risks
• Record findings, plan, inform and train
• Review regularly and after any changes

Extinguisher types and colour coding

UK extinguishers are red-bodied with a coloured band showing contents:

• Water (red band) - Class A, solids like wood and paper. Never use on electrical fires.
• Foam (cream) - Class A and B, solids and flammable liquids
• CO2 (black) - electrical fires and flammable liquids; leaves no residue
• Dry powder (blue) - multi-purpose but poor in confined spaces, harms breathing
• Wet chemical (yellow) - Class F, cooking oils and fats

Evacuation and alarms

• Know your nearest and second escape route before you need it
• Go to the designated fire assembly point and never re-enter the building
• A fire marshal or warden checks their area is clear and reports to the person in charge
• Fire doors must never be wedged open - they hold back smoke and flame
• Weekly alarm tests are standard practice; a different sound signals evacuation

PEEPs

A Personal Emergency Evacuation Plan is made for anyone who cannot evacuate unaided, such as a wheelchair user or someone with a mobility or sensory impairment. It sets out exactly how they get out safely, who assists them, and which route and refuge point they use.

Common exam trips

• Mixing up which extinguisher suits which fire class
• Thinking CO2 extinguishers are safe on Class A fires alone - they are not the best choice
• Forgetting the assembly point is not just for staff, but visitors and contractors too
• Believing propped fire doors are acceptable 'just for a bit' - they are never acceptable
• Assuming only the fire marshal has responsibility - everyone must know their own escape route

Why accident procedures matter

Accidents at work are not just bad luck - most have root causes that can be fixed. Good procedures mean the injured person gets help fast, the scene is made safe, and the cause is investigated so it does not happen again.

First aid provision

Employers must provide 'adequate and appropriate' first aid equipment, facilities and trained people - this is a legal duty, not a nice-to-have. What counts as adequate depends on a first-aid needs assessment: workforce size, the type of hazards present, spread of sites, and history of past accidents.

• Low-risk workplace (e.g. a small office) may only need an appointed person and a basic kit.
• Higher-risk workplace (e.g. a factory or construction site) needs trained first aiders and a fuller kit.
• First aid kits should never contain medication (like paracetamol) - only dressings, plasters, bandages, eye wash and similar items.
• An 'appointed person' takes charge of first aid arrangements (calls the ambulance, looks after the kit) but is not a trained first aider.

Reporting - RIDDOR

RIDDOR (the Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations) sets out what must be reported to the enforcing authority, and how fast.

• Work-related deaths and specified serious injuries (such as fractures other than fingers/thumbs/toes, amputations, loss of sight) must be reported without delay.
• Over-7-day injuries (worker unable to do their normal job for more than 7 consecutive days, not counting the day of the accident) must be reported within 15 days.
• Some dangerous occurrences ('near misses' with serious potential, like a scaffold collapse) must be reported even if nobody was hurt.
• Reportable work-related diseases include certain occupational conditions like carpal tunnel syndrome or occupational asthma, diagnosed by a doctor.
• Reports go online via the RIDDOR system (or by phone for fatalities/major injuries).

Accident recording

All accidents, however minor, should be logged in an accident book - this is separate from RIDDOR reporting. It creates a record for trends, insurance claims and investigations, and protects both worker and employer.

Investigation

Every accident and near miss should be investigated to find the root cause (not just blame a person) - common causes are poor training, missing guards, rushed work, or ignored procedures. Findings feed back into risk assessments so controls improve.

Common mistakes

• Confusing 'reportable to RIDDOR' with 'must go in the accident book' - all accidents go in the book, only some meet the RIDDOR threshold.
• Forgetting the over-7-day rule excludes the day of the accident itself.
• Assuming a near miss does not need reporting - dangerous occurrences with high potential severity must be reported even with zero injuries.
• Thinking first aid kits should include tablets or creams - they should not.