The Workplace (Health Safety and Welfare) Regulations 1992 protect you in various ways within your workplace. They impose a wide-ranging set of obligations on the employer which are intended cover every situation and issue of Health and Safety which may arise during a work shift. The next few paragraphs set out the main provisions in terms of the Regulations:
The Regulations on the maintenance of workplace and of equipment, devices and systems ensures that the workplace and equipment is kept in an efficient state and in efficient working order and good repair. It also requires the employers to have a suitable system of maintenance for all equipment devices and systems
Every workplace should have suitable and sufficient lighting including as far as is reasonably practicable natural light
Every room where persons work shall have sufficient floor area, height and unoccupied space for purposes of health, safety and welfare.
Every workstation shall be so arranged that it is suitable both for any persons at work in the workplace that is likely to work at that workstation. A suitable seat should also be provided for each person at work for the operations to be performed.
Every floor in a workplace and the surface of every traffic route in a workplace shall have no hole or slope or be uneven of slippery so as to expose any person to a risk to their health or safety. It also states that as far as reasonably practicable every floor in a workplace and the surface of every traffic route should be kept free from obstructions and from any article or substance which may cause a person to slip, trip or fall. Lastly in terms of this provision it states that suitable and sufficient handrails should be provided on all traffic routes which are staircases providing it does not obstruct the traffic route.
Every workplace shall be organised in such a way that pedestrians and vehicles can circulate in a safe manner and that traffic routes in a workplace shall be suitable for persons or vehicles using them. Also all traffic routes should be suitably indicated where necessary for reasons of health or safety.
Doors and gates should be suitably constructed including being fitted with any necessary safety devices.