Main General Duties to Manage Health and Safety

The employer has two main general duties in the Health and Safety at Work Act. The employer must:

· ensure, so far as is reasonably practicable, the health, safety and welfare at work of his employees;

· conduct his undertaking in such a way as to ensure, so far as is reasonably practicable, that persons NOT in his employment who may be affected thereby are not thereby exposed to risks to their health or safety.

Protecting Employees

The employer's main general duty towards his employees applies wherever they work, not just at his workplace. The employer's health and safety management must cover employees who work in public places, at customers' or suppliers' sites, in people's homes, or anywhere else.

Protecting Others

The employer's main general duty towards non-employees applies if their health or safety may be affected by how he conducts his business. The employer's health and safety management must cover contractors, sub-contractors, customers, suppliers and members of the public who may visit his workplace. It must also cover neighbours and people passing by his workplace or anywhere else that his employees may be working. His health and safety management must also cover users of any services he provides. And, in many cases, it must cover people who may be at risk from any products he designs or makes.