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Work safe - it could be you

Contents of this page:

• Working with machinery
• Moving stuff around
• RSI
• Bullying
• Noise
• Chemicals and asbestos
• Slips and trips
• Stress and violence

Within two hours of starting at Shoreham docks, student Simon Jones was dead. It wasn’t his fault: no-one had warned him about what could go wrong. And it wasn’t a one-off. Thousands of young people have accidents at work every year, some of them fatal. The stats tell the whole story: if you’re new to the job, you’re more likely to get hurt than anyone else at work. This isn’t a bunch of rules about what you can and can’t do when you start earning. It’s about keeping yourself safe at work so you can enjoy life to the full, on your own terms.

It’s about making sure you’re still earning next week, next month, next year: the difference between leaving work for a drink with your mates and leaving work in the back of an ambulance.

And it’s also about grabbing the power back. When you’re young and when you’re new, it can easily seem like everyone has the right to boss you around. Not if you know your rights to earn cash to do the stuff you want without having to risk life and limb. This is about putting you in control. You have a choice - use it!

This is not a full statement of the law.

Always seek the advice of a legal professional if you are not sure where you stand. 

Working with machinery

• only operate machines you’ve been trained to use
• always follow the procedures that you’ve been trained in
• if guards are fitted, use them
• know how to stop your machine and how to disconnect it from the power supply
• wait until a machine is switched off, stopped and disconnected from the power supply before you maintain or clean it
• if there’s something wrong with your machine, switch it off and call your supervisor straight away
• wear any gloves, goggles or other protective clothing provided (if there aren’t any and you think there should be some, ask about it)
• electricity can cause severe burns and fires. It can also kill. It is swift, silent and deadly. Don’t tamper with plugs, sockets or cables. If you think they are faulty, get help.
• if you’re under 18 you should not be driving any lift trucks e.g. fork lifts

Your boss is responsible for your safety

Full-time or part-time, in-house or agency, fixed-term or temporary contract, big company or small firm, even self-employed in some cases – if you’ve got a contract of employment, it’s up to your boss to make sure you’re not exposed to unnecessary risk. That’s the law (the Health and Safety At Work Act 1974).

This goes for any other employers whose premises you enter. And it goes for working through employment agencies, who also have responsibility for your safety.

But just because it’s down to the boss to make sure you’re not exposed to unnecessary risk doesn’t mean you can just switch off. You have a legal duty to “take reasonable care of yourself and others” and “co-operate with your employer” to reach health and safety standards. If you spot a health hazard, don’t just chat about it over a cup of tea: make sure somebody tells whoever’s responsible.

If you’re unlucky enough to have an accident at work, your employer may be liable to pay you compensation. However, this is not a recommended way of making a bit of extra cash.

Protection for under-18s

If you’re 16 or 17 years old, there are special protections in the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999

Employers must take account of

• lack of experience
• lack of awareness of risks
• lack of maturity

Young people can’t do work which:

• is beyond their physical or psychological capacity
• involves exposure to toxic substances
• involves harmful exposure to radiation
• could cause accidents due to their insufficient attention to safety, lack of experience or lack of training
• involves health risks from extreme temperatures, noise or vibration

Unless:

• it is necessary for their training
• there is supervision from a competent person
• any risk will be reduced to the lowest level that is reasonably practicable

Moving stuff around

• avoid lifting if there are mechanical methods available e.g. trolleys
• training must be given in any job where there are risks from manual handling
• wear any protective clothing provided e.g. safety boots
• if you think a load is too heavy or in an unsafe condition, call your supervisor

Know your rights at work

Nearly every worker is covered by the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974. You get more protection if you are an employee with a contract of employment but trade unions are trying to change the law so that all workers have the same cover.

Stand up for your rights. If you think any of your employment rights are not being respected, talk to your union rep. If your boss doesn’t recognise a union, or there is no union organisation at work, then try contacting one of the organisations in ‘where to go for help’ section at the end of this page.

Your safety rights

Every employer must have a policy, explaining how they will manage health and safety and who is responsible for what

• Your employer must identify the hazards and assess the risks
• You or your union must be consulted and informed and you must be trained about health and safety issues
• You have a right to refuse to do something dangerous
• You have a right to be protected against anything that can affect your health like chemicals, noise, stress, etc
• You have a right to be protected against anything that can affect your safety like machinery, fire, electricity, etc
• You have a right to welfare facilities like toilets, rest areas, drinking water, etc

Your working time rights

• four weeks paid holiday a year
• a break when the working day is more than six hours (41/2 hours if under 18)
• a rest period of 11 hours every working day (12 hours if under 18)
• a rest period of 24 hours once every seven days (48 hours if under 18)
• a ceiling of 48 hours on the maximum average working week
• a ceiling of an average of eight hours night work in every 24
• a free health assessment for night workers

In addition it is proposed that workers under 18 will not be allowed to work nights. If you are asked to work between 11pm and 6am you will need to look out for details on this.

The TUC has two leaflets on working time rights, one on holidays/rest breaks and one on maximum working hours, which you can get free by phoning 0870 600 4882. You can also click on the links and the text of these leaflets will be displayed as web pages.

Other leaflets on workplace rights also available by phoning the hotline. They are displayed in this section of the website. Go to the Know Your Rights main page for a full list.

RSI

Lots of the same movement at work can cause damage to your body. This is known as repetitive strain injury (RSI). Examples are check-out operators in a supermarket, or keyboard users in an office.

• identify any parts of your job where there is constant repetition
• check whether the area where you work could be adjusted to take more account of you as an individual e.g. adjustable workstations to cater for your body shape
• take advantage of any work breaks to give your body a chance to recover from any strain it has been put under
• try to rotate the type of work you do

Just say no

You’re new to the job. You want to make a good impression. You don’t want to appear soft. But that doesn’t mean you have to do something dangerous just because your boss tells you to – even if they say everybody else does it.

You have a legal right to refuse to do anything you believe would place you in “serious and imminent danger” under the Employment Rights Act 1996. You don’t have to prove it – you just need a genuine reason for thinking it would harm you. For example: you’re working in a fast-food restaurant when a fight breaks out between two blokes in the queue and the manager tells you to break it up. Stepping in would potentially put you “in serious and imminent danger” – so don’t do it.

If your employer takes action against you for refusing, you can apply to have your case heard at an Employment Tribunal. This can be for any disciplinary action, not just dismissal, like if you’re downgraded without explanation. The right applies from the your first day at work.

But tribunals can’t insist that you get your job back. If they find in your favour, they can only order your employer to pay you compensation. This can be up to a maximum of £50,000 but the average payout is only around £3,000. If you’ve lost your job, you won’t survive for long on that.

If you are asked to do something unsafe

• Refuse to do it. Explain your reasons. Say that you are prepared to do different safer work. If this is refused, say you want to see a union safety rep. If there isn’t one, ask to see a more senior manager and try to find a friend to come with you as a witness.
• Ask if there is a risk assessment for the job (see next section) and say you want to see it before you start the work.
• Contact an advice centre or an enforcement agency to get an opinion from them.
• Join a union if you aren’t in one already.

Bullying

Most people have come across examples of this at school. Well, unfortunately it can happen at work too. As a young worker you may be on the receiving end as part of some notion about ‘licking you into shape’. Don’t let yourself be bullied by managers or anyone else in the workplace. You have got the right to respect as a worker and it should never be seen as just part of the job.

Remember :

• Keep a written record of any examples of bullying or harassment
• Try and find someone who you feel comfortable to talk about it with
• Report it to your supervisor. If it is the supervisor who is doing it, then go to the next level of management.

Don’t suffer in silence!

Get the risks checked out

You’re off for a weekend bungee jump. Do you: (a) choose someone with a safety certificate, the right equipment and a checked-out venue or (b) someone who throws you off the nearest tall building with a bit of rope tied to your leg?

Employers have a legal duty to control risks at work. All significant risks must be identified and control measures put in place for everyone who could be exposed. This is called risk assessment.

If there are more than five people at work the risk assessment must be recorded. If there are fewer than five of you it doesn’t have to be written down but it must still exist. It must inform you about the precautions that are needed for the range of jobs and risks that you are exposed to.

What you can do

• Try to remember what information you have received, if any, about the risks in your job.
• Ask your supervisor or safety rep if there are any assessments for the work that you are doing.
• If there are no assessments but you think there are significant risks that are not controlled properly report this to your supervisor and/or your safety rep.
• If there are assessments but they are not implemented or are not sufficient inform your supervisor and/or safety rep.
• If there are no improvements speak to your safety rep and/or other workers about the problem.
• If the assessment is okay and the control measures available then make sure you follow the procedures laid down.

Noise

Many workplaces are noisy. If noise levels are too high it can damage your hearing. If you go clubbing you’ll already know about ‘ringing in the ears’ which disappears after a while. The biggest problem is when noise over a long period of time causes permanent damage. You may not be aware of the damage until your hearing worsens and simply doesn’t recover.

Remember :

• Don’t suffer in a noisy environment
• Follow any procedures for noise control
• Wear any protective hearing equipment that is provided

You have a right to know

When you start a job, you can’t be expected to know what the risks are and how to avoid them. That is why the law makes it clear that this is a priority for all employers. The Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 and a lot of the regulations contain duties to provide you with information and training.

Information

• Notices and leaflets. Your employer must, by law, either display a poster summary of your legal rights at work or give it to you as a leaflet. These should include contact details of the enforcement authority for your workplace (either HSE or local authority) and names of any safety reps.
• Safety policy. Your employer must publicise their policy. You are not entitled to your own copy but you must have the chance to look at it if you want to. Some employers provide a summary for their staff. Where you have been shown the policy you are not obliged to sign to say that you understand it and will comply with it.
• Risk assessments  must also be available so that you can check what control measures are needed to do your job safely.

Training

Under the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999 you must be given training:

• When you are recruited (induction training)
• When there are new or increased risks because of :

• being given a new job or responsibilities
• new equipment introduced or existing equipment changed
• new technology introduced
• new or changes to systems of work

• If necessary it must be repeated periodically
• Be adapted to take account of any changes listed above
• Take place during working hours

What to do

• You or your union must be consulted about the information and training provided. Use this opportunity to suggest improvements if you think the standards could be improved
• Don’t do anything that you think may be unsafe unless you have been given information and training about it.
• Check that you are not being asked to pay for any of the information or training provided. Employers are not allowed to charge for this.
• Always be prepared to check other sources of information apart from what you are given.
• If you are satisfied with the quality of the information and training provided, always follow it when you are doing your job.

Chemicals and asbestos

There are thousands of toxic substances used every day at work. They may affect you in different ways according to:

• how much you are exposed to
• how long for
• the type of substance

Just because you can’t smell or see it doesn’t mean that it isn’t getting into your body. In some cases you will know it has, because you will get a quick effect like a headache or dizziness. In other cases you may get no immediate effect at all but it could still be doing you accumulated damage that will hit you later in life.

Remember:

• only use substances that you have been given information and training on
• follow the procedures for safe use - if you are worried ask for the Safety Data Sheet which will explain any potential dangers
• make sure you know what to do if there is a spillage or other emergency
• wear any suitable protective clothing or equipment

Asbestos dust is deadly. The dust gets into your lungs and can kill you twenty or thirty years down the line. The younger you are when you have your first exposure means you could die of a lung disease before you hit middle age.

Asbestos is present in most buildings that were built over 25 years ago unless it has been stripped out in a safe way.

Remember:

• you should be informed by your employer about any possible asbestos where you work
• if you suspect something contains asbestos inform your supervisor

If you are still being asked to work in conditions that you think are potentially dangerous then seek further advice.

You’re safer in the union

You’re half as likely to have an accident if there’s a trade union where you work. That’s because unions have the legal right to appoint safety reps to keep an eye on things (if the employer agrees to deal with them).

Safety reps can investigate problems, take up issues with management, call in enforcement agencies, tell you about your rights and make sure you get medical help if you have an accident. So get to know who your rep is.

You don’t have to make an official complaint to get your safety rep to investigate a problem. So don’t keep quiet because you’re worried the boss might pick on you: they need never know.

Slips and trips

This is the most common type of accident. Overcrowded conditions or where there are a lot of materials and liquids lying around will increase your chances of adding to the statistics. For example the electric cables that often run across an office floor could be lying in wait for you.

Remember:

• report any unsafe conditions to your supervisor
• record any accidents or near misses in the accident book
• wear footwear that will help to prevent you slipping

Where to go for help

If you’re worried about safety in your job, don’t be scared to raise it with your manager or supervisor first. If that doesn’t work, try your safety rep, your union, or one of the following:

1. Health and Safety Executive

Main enforcement body in the UK. It employs the inspectors who check on standards in workplaces and who can force employers to improve them. Anyone can contact them to ask for advice or ask for a visit to their workplace. You can ask that this is kept confidential if you are worried that your boss may find out. Find out which office of the HSE covers you by contacting the HSE Information Centre Tel 0541 545500. The HSE produces free and priced publications. Contact the Information Centre or HSE Books Tel 01787 881165 Fax 01787 313995. HSE free publications can be downloaded from www.open.gov.uk/hse/new.htm. If you want to check the law on health and safety you can find it on www.hmso.gov.uk

2. Trades Union Congress

The TUC is the collective voice of Britain’s 78 trade unions.

TUC Know Your Rights line. Tel 0870 600 4882. Free leaflets on employment rights, including health and safety.

TUC Information Service. Tel 020 7636 4030. Email info@tuc.org.uk Information about unions and enquiries on employment issues.

TUC Website www.tuc.org.uk. Choose the Health and Safety subject from the drop down menu to access more information on health and safety, plus links to websites in the UK and other countries and direct access to the websites of all TUC-affiliated unions.

3. Health and Safety Advice Centres

Located in different parts of the country and providing free advice and information on occupational and environmental hazards. They are also linked to Trade Union Safety and Health Groups and Occupational Health Projects. These organisations are part of the Hazards Campaign which can provide details of your local group Tel 0161 953 4037. Some advice centres have projects specially for young workers like Newham HealthWorks. Tel 020 8557 6161 or email Healthworks@Newham.gov.uk. Some advice centres have their own website like the London Hazards Centre www.lhc.org.uk

4. Local authority Inspectors

Have a similar role to HSE inspectors, in the service sector. Environmental Health Officers can be contacted through the local authority numbers in the telephone directory.

5. Local fire authority

If your problem is to do with fire safety, then contact the fire officers responsible. They can be contacted in the local phone directory.

6. Employment Medical Advisory Service

Employs doctors and nurses who specialise in occupational health. Contact them if you want advice on any work-related health matters. Find out which is nearest you through your HSE area office.

7. Labour Research Department

Produces a range of health and safety information. Tel 020 7928 3649. Email info@lrd.org.uk Website www.lrd.org.uk

Stick up for your rights - join a union

Factory workers and lorry drivers, office staff and shop assistants, bus drivers and airline pilots, teachers and soap stars, musicians and motor mechanics, footballers and chiropodists are all union members.

It costs less than you probably think - the average cost of being in a union is only 81p for part-time workers and £1.99 for those working full-time. And your employer doesn’t even need to know you are thinking of joining.

To find out more about how to join a union and which is the right one for you, phone the TUC, Britain’s national centre for trade unions, on:

020 7636 4030.

Stress and violence

Stress is now the most commonly reported problem at work. Starting a new job is stressful enough anyway without getting any more piled on to you. Stress can be caused by lots of things but many stem from the way that your job is organised. Things like impossible workloads, boring or dangerous work can all make you wish you’d never got a job. Don’t fall for the old line that ‘some stress is good for you’. Stress is different from pressure. Stress happens when there is too much pressure.

Remember:

• Think about the kind of things that cause you stress at work
• Decide what things you can do something about
• Speak to someone, who you are confident in, about the things that you can’t do anything about
• Agree possible solutions and who you could involve to try and achieve them

Violence in the workplace has become more common too. Some jobs carry a much greater risk, particularly where there is contact with the public. Like bullying or stress it should never be seen as just ‘part of the job’. Violence doesn’t just cover physical attacks - it also includes verbal abuse as well.

Remember:

• Find out if your employer has got any procedures in place for dealing with the violence - like training
• Record any incidents that have happened to you
• Seek advice and counselling to help you deal with any attacks