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Below are 4 questions the Health and Safety Team is frequently asked.
If you have any other questions you would like answered please feel free to contact us for advise.
The Workplace (Health Safety and Welfare) Regulations 1992, Regulation 7 states that, ‘during working hours, the temperature in all workplaces inside buildings shall be reasonable’.
What do they mean by reasonable?
All reasonable steps should be taken to achieve a temperature, which, so far as practical, provides comfortable room temperatures for persons to work in. The Approved Code of Practice (ACOP) associated with this legislation suggests comfortable room temperatures in the workroom are at a level where there is no need for persons to wear special clothing. It states two minimum temperatures:
There is no specified maximum temperature in the Approved Code of Practice (ACOP).
In some workrooms it may be impractical to maintain a minimum temperature. For example, if you work near a window, work in a reception area, which is regularly opened to the outside, or work in areas that need to be refrigerated. In this incident minimum temperatures may need to be maintained at a higher level.
Reasonable temperatures will also be influenced/ affected by other factors such as air movement, relative humidity, ventilation or seasonal weather conditions. Other measures may need to be taken by employers to ensure that comfortable temperatures can be maintained and employers need to ensure that any measures introduced are both reasonable and practical for their needs.
Guidance written by the Health and Safety Executive entitled ‘Thermal Comfort in the Workplace – Guidance for Employers’ states that ‘An acceptable Zone of thermal comfort for most people in the UK lies roughly between 13° C (56° F) and 30° C (86° F)'
Under the Health and Safety (Display Screen Equipment) Regulations 1992, Regulation 5, employers have a duty when requested by users of Visual Display Units (for example, computer screens) to provide them with an appropriate eyesight test.
The definition of an eye test is defined in the Opticians Act 1989 and includes an eye examination and test of vision. The test should also take into account the nature of the user's work. In addition to the provision for an eye test, Regulation 5 states that employers shall also provide a user with special corrective appliances (for example a pair of spectacles needed to perform the tasks required by the employer) to carry out their work where:
The provision of eye and eyesight tests and of special corrective appliances under the regulations is at the expense of the user’s employer. For example, employers can specify that user’s tests and corrections are provided by a particular company or professional. Employers are also only responsible for payment of the basic price of special corrective appliance, i.e. the type and quality adequate for its function. If users wish to choose more costly appliances (e.g., designer frames) the employer is not required to pay for these. In this case the employers may either provide a basic appliance as above, or they may choose to contribute a proportion of the total cost of the ‘luxury’ appliance equal to the cost of the basic appliance.
At present there is no legislation that specifically states that there should be no smoking in the workplace. However, Under section 2 of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 employers have to ensure, so far as is reasonably practicable, the health, safety and welfare at work of all their employees.
It is therefore recommended that employers carry out a risk assessment to ensure that staff are not over exposed to tobacco smoke. When carrying out your risk assessment, consider areas such as the size of the workroom, number of employees exposed to smoke, amount of smoke and current ventilation provisions.
Smoking in rest rooms
The Workplace (Health, Safety and Welfare) Regulations 1992, Reg 25 (3) states that, ‘rest rooms and rest areas shall include suitable arrangements to protect non-smokers from discomfort caused by tobacco smoke.’
The approved code of practice related to this regulation requires either the:
If you are experiencing problems with passive smoking talk to your manager and express your concerns, in addition you can also read the Health and Safety Executive booklet entitled ‘Passive smoking at work’ (INDG63 (rev). This leaflet gives advice to employers on action to prevent passive smoking at work and is available from Health and Safety Executive publications (See Health and Safety Links). You can contact us for a copy of this leaflet. Alternatively this leaflet is available from Health and Safety Executive publications
The Health and Safety (First Aid) Regulations 1981 require employers to provide adequate and appropriate equipment, facilities and personnel to enable first aid to be given.
The minimum first-aid provision on any work site is:
Adequate and appropriate provisions will depend on the nature of your workplace. An assessment should be carried out to help you identify the level of first-aid provision needed. As part of this assessment you should look at accident history, whether there are significant risks such as hazardous substances or dangerous tools, the number of employees, shift work or out of hours working and whether you have inexperienced workers on the site, or employees with disabilities, etc.
What is a first-aider and appointed person?
A first-aider is someone who has undergone accredited training course in administering first aid at work. An appointed person would take charge if an incident should occur and call an ambulance if required. Appointed persons should not attempt to give first aid for which they have not been trained.
The number of appointed persons/ first-aiders available at your workplace, will depend on the type of workplace and the activity at this workplace. The Health and Safety Executive published leaflet entitled ‘First aid at work – your questions answered’ (INDG215) recommend the following:
| Category of risk | Numbers employed at any location |
Suggested number of first aid personnel
|
|---|---|---|
Low risk | ||
e.g. shops and offices, libraries | Fewer than 50 50-100 More than 100 | At least one appointed person At lest one first-aider One additional first-aider for every 100employed |
Medium risk | ||
e.g. Light engineering & assembly work, food processing, warehousing | Fewer than 20 20-100
More than 100 | At least one appointed person At least one first aider for every 50 employed (or part thereof) One additional first-aider for every 50 employed |
Higher risk | ||
e.g. most construction,slaughter house, chemical manufacture, Extensive work with dangerous machinery or sharp instruments. | Fewer than five 5-50 More than 50 | At least one appointed person At lest one first-aider One additional first-aider for every 50 employed |
You can contact us for a copy of this leaflet. Alternatively this leaflet is available from Health and Safety Executive publications (See Health and Safety links).
2008 Westminster City Council. Contact the Council
