Health and safety risks in the workplace
Contents
Employer responsibilities
As an employer, you must do a thorough risk assessment of your own working environment. This is a careful examination into what could cause harm to people in the workplace. Controlling potential danger at work involves recognising the problem, knowing enough about it, deciding what to do and putting the solutions into practice.
Risks specific to vulnerable employees
Certain groups of employees may be more vulnerable to hazards and therefore need extra consideration.
- Children and young people at work: Often less experienced, they might not recognize hazards or know safe practices, making training and supervision crucial.
- Expectant and new mothers: They may be more sensitive to chemicals, heavy lifting, or stress, which could affect their health or the baby's health.
- Workers experiencing menopause: They may face risks from hot flushes, fatigue, or other symptoms that can affect comfort, safety, and concentration at work.
- Disabled workers: They may face physical or sensory challenges that require adjustments to tasks, equipment, or the work environment.
- Homeworkers: They may face risks from poor workstation setup, long hours, or isolation that can affect physical and mental health.
Carefully consider these groups and implement protective measures such as modified duties, additional safety equipment, or specialised training where necessary.
General and specific risks in the workplace
When carrying out a risk assessment, you should consider both general and specific risks.
General risks are those found in most workplaces and should always be considered for assessment, while specific risks only arise in certain jobs or tasks and need to be considered only if the work involves that particular hazard.
General risks
- Display screen equipment
- Slips, trips and falls
- Workplace environment
- Electricity
- Gas
- Smoking
- Noise
- Workplace stress
- Working at height
Specific risks
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