Within the practices of workplace health and safety it can be difficult to separate the guidelines from what is legally required. Any qualified workplace health and safety officer is required to know the difference and they can communicate this to workers across your organisation.
To help separate myths from guidelines and legal requirements, we’ve put together a test to see if you can tell which of these health and safety rules are real. The real rules are either legal obligations for workplaces or official guidance provided by HSE.
Can You Tell Which of These Health and Safety Rules Are Real?
1. You Are Not Legally Allowed to Change Lightbulbs at Your Workplace
This is false. Your employer should check you are competent to complete the task but there is now law against this. A past survey of anonymous workers showed there are some workplaces who prohibit changing lightbulbs within their company staff guidelines but this is per personal request of the employer and not a requirement outlined within official health and safety guidance.
2. All Offices are Legally Obligated to Have a First Aid Kit
This is true. All workplaces should have a first aid box, with designated equipment appropriate for administering basic first aid. It should also include first aid advice and each workplace should have a first aider who has been properly trained in health and safety. All employees should have access to first aid guidance at your place of work.
3. Employers are Legally Obligated to Provide the Right Equipment for Those Working at Heights
This is true. Employers who manage or undertake work at height themselves need to, as a requirement, make sure the work is formally planned, supervised and the staff they employ for these tasks are competent and able. Part of this includes using the correct tools and equipment for the job.
4. Employers Are Not Responsible For Noise Levels in The Workplace
This is false. The Control of Noise at Work Regulations 2005 (Noise Regulations 2005) requires employers to prevent or reduce risks to health and safety from exposure to noise at work. This isn’t solely the responsibility of your employer though, there are additional duties for employees to take precautions to reduce risk of loud noises at work.
5. Employees are Obligated to Have Proper Health and Safety Training Before Using a Ladder
This is false. Employers are advised to make sure employees have the right kind of competency for using a ladder and should check if the employee is comfortable using ladders, but there is no obligation for formal training . We would advise businesses who need their employees to use ladders for more than 30 minutes at a time to review their equipment and consider alternative solutions to ensure worker safety.
6. Your Employer is Legally Obligated to Provide You With An Eye Test If You Use a Screen
This is true. UK law states that employers are legally required to provide eye tests to staff who use Display Screen Equipment (DSE). They are also required to provide glasses if an employee needs them for DSE use at work.
7. Employers are Legally Obligated to Clean Staircases In Your Office
This is true. Employers are responsible for the space and cleanliness of their workspace. The Workplace (Health, Safety and Welfare) Regulations 1992 state that any workplace floor should be of suitable construction, free of obstructions and not be a hazard for risk of slips. Other parts of these regulations state every workplace, and the furniture, furnishings and fittings therein shall be kept sufficiently clean.
8. Your Employer Legally Has to Let You Use the Toilets Anytime You Need
This is false. Whilst employers are required to provide toilet facilities, there are no laws protecting the right to request toilet breaks at any time or as many times as you want for general staff. As long as staff are being allocated legal breaks, there are no laws stating employers have to grant frequent ad hoc breaks for toilet use. For pregnant employees and those with disability, this is not necessarily the case. Although it isn’t legislated, it is recommended you do offer some leniency for toilet breaks for staff morale and employee wellbeing.
9. It Is Illegal to Work In a Space Without Windows
This is false. There is no law stating workplaces must have windows, but employers must ensure you have reasonable light levels and good ventilation. It is recommended that employers risk assess the long-term impact of working in windowless rooms as this can have a significant impact on employee mental health and wellbeing.
10. Your Boss Is Legally Obligated to Risk Assess Your Workplace Stress
This is true. Your workplace has a legal duty of care to assess the impact of stress which is being caused by your work. The same applies for any mental health conditions as it does for physical conditions and works the same as any health and safety assessment. This assessment can include identifying risk factors in advance and taking appropriate action to mitigate the impact of worker’s stress.
11. It Is Illegal to Work In A Confined Space Without Unavoidable Reason
This is true. Small spaces pose risk of lowered oxygen, fire hazards or contamination, depending on your job role. Your employer should ensure you do not work in confined spaces unless absolutely essential or in emergency circumstances . If you do meet the requirements, you should have a thorough health and safety risk assessment conducted by your workplace before doing so.
12. Workplaces Must Have a Set Number of Toilets And Washbasins
Sanitary conveniences states: ‘Suitable and sufficient sanitary conveniences shall be provided at readily accessible places.’ and also mentions: ‘separate rooms containing conveniences are provided for men and women except where and so far as each convenience is in a separate room the door of which is capable of being secured from inside.’ There is a code of practice which dictates the number of toilets and washbasins per person, starting at 1 basin and toilet per 1-5 staff members for mixed gender use.
13. It is Illegal to Carry Planks of Wood Along a Pavement Unless There Is The Intention of It Being Unloaded From a Vehicle
This is true. Although it sounds like a bizarre thing to legislate, some laws date back centuries. The Metropolitan Police Act, 1839 legislated this at a time when carts were often overloaded and the wood would fall off, posing a danger to pedestrians.
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