Advice for businesses: Specific topics and higher risk activities
Asbestos
The basic principle for asbestos management is simple:
- if it is in good condition, leave it alone (so that the fibres are not released)
- but know where it is and tell someone where it is if you need to
The HSE website has a whole section dedicated to asbestos:
Charity and voluntary organisations
Employers, businesses and organisations have a duty of care towards volunteers in the same way that they have a duty of care to their employees.
The HSE website has helpful guidance on this topic, which you can find here:
Inflatable devices (for example bouncy castles, inflatable slides, etc)
There have been a number of very serious incidents involving children where investigations have shown that the inflatable devices were not being operated safely.
The most common mistakes with these devices is not tethering them to the ground correctly and/or operating them when it's too windy.
The HSE website has extensive advice on how to operate these devices safely:
Warehouses
Warehouses can have a multitude of hazards, all of which need to be risk assessed and managed:
Working at height
There is a specific set of regulations that cover working at height, you can find out more here:
Working from home
The Heath and Safety Executive (HSE) has comprehensive advice on home working, which advises on risk assessment, stress and mental health, computer and laptop use and the working environment:
Workplace transport, including fork lift trucks (FLTs)
This applies where vehicles, including FLTs are operating in a work environment (which can be indoors, outdoors or both). You can find out more here:
Young people
Many businesses employ younger people in the workplace.
A 'young person' is someone who is under 18 years old.
- Any business employing children or young persons (including work experience or unpaid work) must complete a young persons risk assessment:
- What the law says about young people at work - on the HSE website
A child is someone who is under 16 years old.
- There are specific rules and byelaws relating to children at work and this is dealt with by West Sussex County Council (WSCC):
- However, if they have left school and are between 16 and 18 years old, they are classed as a 'young person' and the employer must do a young person's risk assessment:
Welfare provisions for drivers
The HSE has been aware of concerns around access to welfare facilities for visiting delivery drivers, such as those working at warehouses, restaurants, and takeaways that receive or send regular deliveries.
The Workplace (Health, Safety, and Welfare) Regulations 1992, defines the workplace as any premises or part of premises made available to any person as a place of work. These regulations require that Welfare facilities (onsite toilet, hand-washing, and rest facilities) in the premises must be made available to visiting workers if the premises has been made available to them as a place of work. This includes self-employed and other persons working at any workplace, for example, delivery drivers.
If you have delivery drivers, welfare facilities should be made available to them.
For further reference please see:
Work-related road safety
Do you have delivery drivers working for you?
Work-related road safety Workers who drive a vehicle or ride a two-wheeler (eg, motorcycles, mopeds, or bicycles) as part of a work activity, are exposed to risks on the road and it may be one of the most dangerous things they will do whilst at work. Factors such as vehicle condition, time pressures, the weather, distraction, and fatigue can all play a part in increasing road safety risks.
If your employees are required to make deliveries, you are required by law to manage work-related road risk in accordance with the recently reviewed joint Health & Safety Executive and Department of Transport's guidance Driving and Riding Safely for Work.
For more information see:
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Page last updated: 13 February 2024