Health & Safety 1.6

Health & Safety at work act 1974: also referred to as HASAW or HSW, is the primary piece of legislation covering occupational health and safety in the United Kingdom. The Health and Safety Executive is responsible for enforcing the Act and a number of other Acts and Statutory Instruments relevant to the working environment.

COSHH - Control of substances hazardous to health.
Using chemicals or other hazardous substances at work can put people’s health at risk, causing diseases including asthma, dermatitis or cancer.
The COSHH regulations require employers to control substances that can harm workers' health.

PUWER - Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations (1998),


These regulations lay down requirements for employers regarding the safety and use of all work equipment including machinery. Work equipment should not give rise to risks to health and safety.

The primary objective of PUWER 98 is to ensure that work equipment should not result in health and safety risks, regardless of its age, condition or origin.

PUWER 98 applies to the provision and use of all work equipment, including mobile and lifting equipment.

The definition of ‘use’ is wide and includes all activities involving work equipment, such as stopping or starting the equipment, repair, modification, maintenance and servicing. Cleaning and transportation of the equipment is also included.

The scope of work equipment is extremely wide and covers almost any equipment used at work. Work equipment covers:
(a) hand tool, eg. hammers, knives, handsaws etc.
(b) single machines, eg. photocopiers, dumper trucks, circular saws
(c) lifting equipment eg. hoists, lift trucks
(d) other equipment such as ladders, pressure cleaners
(e) the installation of a series of machines


The equipment should be suitable for the use for which it is intended, be provided with correct guarding, proper lighting, clear marks and warning signs etc.

The need for training, maintenance and suitability assessment will apply to all equipment whether old or new.


DSE - Display Screen Equipment.
Computer workstations or equipment can be associated with neck, shoulder, back or arm pains, fatigue and eyestrain.
These aches and pains are sometimes called upper limb disorders (ULDs) or repetitive strain injuries (RSI). These problems can be avoided by following good practice.
Display screen equipment (DSE) is any work equipment having a screen that displays information. Typical examples are computer screens often called monitors or VDUs.
Surveys have found that high proportions of DSE workers report aches, pains or eye discomfort. Mostly these conditions do not indicate any serious ill health, but it makes sense to avoid them as far as possible.
The Health and Safety (Display Screen Equipment) Regulations aim to protect the health of people who work with DSE. That does not mean that DSE work is risky – it isn’t, if the user follows good practice like setting up their workstation well and taking breaks in intensive work.
The Regulations were introduced because DSE has become one of the commonest kinds of work equipment. So there is potential to make work more comfortable and productive for very large numbers of people by taking a few simple precautions.