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Safety Law: supplying personal protection

ASIDE from the Personal Protective Equipment at Work Regulations 1992, there are a number of other regulations that cover the provision and use of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) in the workplace, including:

  • The Noise at Work Regulations 1989 require the provision and use of hearing protection when noise reaches certain levels.
  • The Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations 1999 (COSHH) require respiratory protection to be provided whenever exposure to hazardous substances at work cannot be prevented or adequately controlled.
  • The Construction (Head Protection) Regulations 1989 sets out requirements for the provision and use of appropriate head protection on construction sites.

In general terms, health and safety law has had a positive effect in ensuring that employers provide appropriate PPE to their staff.

Head gear: since the Construction (Head Protection) Regulations came into effect, the number of head injuries has fallen

All the Infracos take these Regulations seriously and all of them have a bearing on the work that is carried out by staff on the assets, for example tunnel refurbishment, asbestos removal, etc.

Workplace risk assessments have taken place to establish what PPE is required and is issued. The other part of the Regulations is aimed at staff themselves: you are required to use the PPE that is issued for your protection.

Should you need further evidence of its effectiveness, HSE statistics show that in the year after the Construction (Head Protection) Regulations came into force, head injuries fell from 693 to 486 and has prevented at least 20 deaths per year since it came into force in 1990.

Remember “Safety is for life” – if you are given PPE, wear it.

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