Safety First

Every year in the U.K., accidents happen in the workplace whilst using work equipment.  Many are serious, some are fatal.  By identifying and assessing the potential risks in your work environment, you are part way to preventing accidents caused by work equipment.  When carrying out your risk assessment, issues to consider include:

• All the work has to be done with the equipment during normal use and also it's set up, maintenance, repair and breakdown.
• Who will use the equipment?  This may include inexperienced workers, new starters, workers with language difficulties or those who have other difficulties - for example, impaired mobility or illiteracy.
• Whether guards or safety devices are poorly designed, an inconvenience to use or are easily defeated (this could encourage workers to risk injury).
• The type of power supply - for example, electrical, hydraulic, or pneumatic.  Each type has different risks and ways to control them.

Following Health and Safety rules may reduce the frequency and cost of injuries in the workplace.  This may also lead to fewer Public Liability (PL) and Employers Liability (EL) claims which will help contain your premiums.

For further information on workplace and work equipment safety, go to www.hse.gov.uk

(Source: Health and Safety Executive.  Reproduced under the terms of the Click-Use License).

 

 

 

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