Health and safety - the law

This chapter covers the legal duties of an employer and considerations they should take to minimise health and safety issues when working in the transport sector.

Download the health and safety - the law chapter of the Yearbook

Contents:

• General introduction to health and safety law.

  • Criminal and civil liability.

  • Insurance.

  • Civil liability – negligence and occupiers liability.

  • Civil law- duties of employers.

  • Damages.

  • Contributory negligence.

  • Vicarious liability.

  • Occupiers liability – general.

  • Criminal law.

    • Absolute.

    • As far as practicable.

    • As far as reasonably practicable.

  • Statutes.

  • Approved code of practice (ACOP).

  • Guidance notes.

• The Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 (HSWA).

  • Top-down management of health and safety.

  • The main duties of an employer under HSWA.

  • The public – customers and visitors.

  • The legal duties of employees contained in HSWA.

  • Provision and use of work equipment.

  • Charging employees for safety equipment.

  • Policy statements.

  • Consultation.

  • Duties of employees under HSWA.

  • Duties of the self-employed under HSWA.

  • Enforcement and penalties.

  • Health and Safety Executive.

• Health and safety sentencing guidelines.

• Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999 (MHSW).

  • Risk assessment.

  • Staff training.

• Compulsory display of notices.

  • Health and safety law approved poster of leaflets.

  • Health and safety policy.

  • First aid.

  • Employers liability (compulsory insurance).

  • Safety signs.

  • Fire.

• Notification of accidents.

• First aid.

  • Legal requirements.

  • First aiders and competent persons.

  • First aid information.

  • First aid rooms.

  • First aid boxes.

• Hazardous substances.

• Fire safety legislation.

• Fire marshals and fire wardens.

• Asbestos.

• Personal protective equipment.

• Manual handling.

• Display screens.

• Noise.

• Electricity at Work Regulations 1989.

• The Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998.

• The Lifting Operations and Lifting Equipment Regulations 1998.

• Corporate manslaughter.

  • Relevant duty of care.

  • Gross breaches.

  • Senior management.

  • The penalties.

Download the health and safety - the law chapter of the Yearbook