LEGAL RESPONSIBILITIES

Under the management of health and safety regulations 1999, all employers and self employed people have a legal duty to carry out health and safety risk assessments as first steps in ensuring a safe and healthy workplace , it must Identify preventative and protective measures and the results must be recorded if 5 or more staff employed. The assessments must be Suitable and Sufficient and reviewed if no longer valid (through changes to equipment, procedure or materials used)
Under the health and safety at work act 1974, all employers and self employed owe a duty of care to employed and non employed people.

Legislation also states that all companies including the self employed must have a health and safety policy statement and if 5 or more staff employed you must have the full health and safety policy in place
Recent changes in legislation has shifted the onus of health and safety system design and interpretation of requirements onto the employer/self employed
(ie The Regulatory Reform (fire safety Order 2005)
Every organisation must have access to competent health and safety advice under regulation 7
of the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999