Hazard exposure in the workplace
Hazard exposure at work is a health and safety risk facing staff contact who deal with hazardous substances, environmental risks, and physical hazards. Repeated exposure to threats such as asbestos, radiation, or extreme heat may lead to chronic illness or injury.
To ensure your business remains compliant with UK laws and regulation, access expert business Health & Safety services in the UK to protect your people, property, and reputation. Enquire today for a free consultation.
Get your FREE consultation
Submit your details and one of our team will be in touch.
COVID-19 | FREE expert guidance for employers, including sample policies, template risk assessments and more
How we help
Prevent hazard exposure to create a safe, compliant workplace
If your employees use power tools, work in loud construction sites, or have contact with ionising or non-ionising radiation, you have a legal duty under UK law to monitor and control exposure in line with relevant regulations.
At WorkNest, our fixed fee support service will help you to meet these responsibilities and simplify the task of keeping staff safe.
- Get a full audit of your compliance with an on-site health and safety audit (General Risk Assessment)
- Ensure relevant to hazardous substances is managed, from maintaining suitable working temperatures to appointing a Radiation Protection Advisor
- Continue to meet your responsibilities with unlimited advice from a named Health & Safety specialist
- Help to develop task-specific risk assessments or self-serve from our MyWorkNest template bank
- Keep statutory check documents with our smart health and safety software, SafetyNest
Take full control of hazard exposure risks
Hazard exposure vulnerability risks can be identified with expert assessments, revealing the hidden dangers in your working environment. From EMFs to ultraviolet rays and vibrations, it’s vital to identify these less obvious risks.
You may take care of a spillage right away or have procedures in place for storing and handling hazardous chemicals but have you, for example, conducted a specific risk assessment to determine levels of noise exposure and the actions required to reduce it? If not, you may be in breach of health and safety law.
Monitoring exposure in the workplace is a large undertaking, and hazards that are difficult to detect make the job of managing them even harder. Speak to us today about competent support for your business, with our services set at a fixed fee price guaranteed.
What’s included in our fixed fee exposure hazard consultancy?
Accident and Incident Investigation
An accident in the workplace is every employer’s worst nightmare. We can help to guide your investigation, advise on corrective action and protect your interests in the event of regulatory enforcement.
Can you help us prepare an accident investigation report?
Yes. This can be tricky to get right, especially as once you reach conclusions and set out the actions you have taken, the document is disclosable to the other side in the event of a personal injury claim or prosecution. We’ll help you stick to the facts, keep opinion separate, and make sure the report is presented in a way that protects your best interests and, most importantly, identifies the things that need to be put right to prevent reoccurrence.
We have been written to by the regulator regarding a health and safety incident. Can you help?
Yes. In the event of a serious accident or emergency, we will support your investigation and advise you on your communications with the enforcing authority. We will be there to help mitigate damage, guide you and support you. If you have received a letter from the regulator, we can help you to formulate a response until legal advice is required, in which case (if you have chosen to take it) our Legal Expenses Insurance is activated.
Advice Line
Whether you’re facing an immediate crisis or just in need of an expert second opinion, get sensible, proportionate and practical advice at any time with our unlimited advice line support.
Who will I be advised by?
At Ellis Whittam, we’re big believers in a personal approach. That’s why we assign each of our clients a named consultant, with who will become your main point of contact for advice, guidance and support on all health and safety matters. If you take up our full Health & Safety service, your consultant will also be the one to conduct your health and safety audit and produce your policy and handbook. This means you’ll receive consistent advice from a dedicated expert who truly understands your organisation’s safety system, arrangements and goals.
What if my consultant isn’t available?
If, for whatever reason, your dedicated consultant isn’t available when you call, our office-based Helpdesk Team will be able to resolve most issues for you or direct you to the relevant guidance or template you need via our Knowledge Hub. If you have a particularly urgent or technical query, our Helpdesk Team can triage this to another expert within our team. Rest assured you’ll never be left without support.
Audit and Inspection
From a policy that isn’t being executed properly to a procedure or risk assessment that’s out of date, we can conduct a thorough examination of your premises, practices and procedures to identify and remedy any areas where you’re exposed.
What form does the audit take?
There are a number of different models and templates for conducting health and safety audits. Most commonly, and the approach we adopt at Ellis Whittam, is what’s known as a General Risk Assessment (GRA). This is a systematic examination of your workplace to identify possible causes of harm, the likelihood and severity of that harm occurring given the safeguards already in place, and any further control measures needed to reduce risk to as low a level as is “reasonably practicable”.
Will you just provide a report of the issues identified?
No, we report on both compliant and non-compliant areas, and the report will provide clear solutions and recommendations to address particular areas of concern. Unlike some providers, we won’t insert default ‘corrective action required’ responses unless it is absolutely clear what you need to do; we edit to provide clarity. Plus, if you have any questions or concerns, your dedicated Health & Safety Consultant will be more than happy to assist.
Become Your Competent Persons
We’re so confident in our ability to manage your compliance that we’ll even act as one of your legally-required competent persons, which all organisations must have access to by law in order to meet the requirements of health and safety legislation.
What is a competent person?
Put simply, a competent person helps an organisation to comply with health and safety law and take all reasonable steps to keep people from harm. This will be one or more persons who have the ability to recognise the health and safety risks associated with your organisation and identify sensible and proportionate solutions. The meaning of competent person can be found in Regulation 7 of the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999. This states that “every employer shall, subject to paragraphs (6) and (7), appoint one or more competent persons to assist him in undertaking the measures he needs to take to comply with the requirements and prohibitions imposed upon him by or under the relevant statutory provisions and by Part II of the Fire Precautions (Workplace) Regulations 1997.”
Why would I appoint somebody external to my business?
Will the individual you appoint as your in-house competent person be able to dedicate enough time to this responsibility? They might know your organisation inside and out, but do they have the necessary skills, knowledge and training to keep you compliant? Do they have a working understanding of health and safety legislation and how it applies to your organisation? Appointing an impartial person, external to your organisation, gives you access to technical expertise and the benefit of hands-on experience, and brings structure to the way you manage health and safety. We’ll help you to set up an effective safety management system, show you what good looks like, and give you clarity over what you need to be doing.
eLearning
Taking time out for employee training isn’t always possible. Nevertheless, as an employer, you want to know that your staff are fully equipped to undertake their duties confidently and safely – and that your organisation is protected – without affecting productivity or spending a fortune.
A convenient and powerful alternative to classroom-based training, our online eLearning courses incorporate videos and interactive testing for impactful and engaging employee training.
What types of courses are available?
Our ever-growing library of eLearning courses currently covers over 100 topics, including HR courses such as Equality & Diversity, Sexual Harassment and Social Media Use; soft skills courses such as Communication, Leadership and Change Management; and compliance courses such GDPR, Anti-Money Laundering and the Bribery Act. We also offer an extensive range of Health & Safety courses, including Accident Reporting, Risk Assessment and First Aid. Download the full course brochure.
How much do the courses cost?
All of our eLearning courses are free for the first year when you purchase our Employment Law & HR or Health & Safety managed service. This means you’re not paying per head or per course, which not only keeps down but gives you complete cost certainty over your training expenses. This is particularly handy if your workforce is growing, as you won’t need to purchase extra licenses, giving you exceptional value for money.
Legal Expenses Insurance
An optional element of our fixed-fee Health & Safety support, our FCA-regulated Legal Expenses Insurance (LEI) can cover against the commercial ramifications of a serious safety incident.
What happens if there’s an accident in our workplace? Is it likely we will be fined?
Most reportable accidents in the workplace are not followed up by the regulator, but if they do take an interest, you are more likely to be subject to some sort of enforcement action being taken. This may be an enforcement notice or Fee for Intervention (FFI) breach. Alternatively, it may be the start of criminal proceedings that end up in court, the cost of which can be significant.
Does LEI include legal representation?
Yes. If you choose to defend the claim, our LEI includes legal support right the way through a case, including barrister’s costs. Here, there will be a prospect of success assessment; the likelihood of an acquittal will need to be more than 50% in order to be covered by the LEI. However, if you’ve followed advice from your dedicated Ellis Whittam Health & Safety Consultant, there’s no reason why you wouldn’t be covered in this situation. In reality, if we have identified an issue and you’ve taken the corrective action we recommended, you shouldn’t find yourself in this situation in the first place.
SafetyNest Software
Our innovative Health & Safety Management Software will revolutionise your approach to safety management by creating smart “to-do” lists, cutting out the admin and allowing you to monitor your compliance at a glance.
How can SafetyNest help me?
Our SafetyNest software can transform how you manage health and safety. By turning heavily-administrative, time-consuming tasks into automated processes, it will increase standards and efficiencies across your organisation and free up valuable time. By being able to monitor your compliance at a glance, you’re not left in the dark about how you’re performing and can quickly and proactively identify what action is needed, reducing the potential for an incident and giving you peace of mind. It can also be instrumental in demonstrating compliance to the regulator, increasing your chances of a stress-free inspection.
What exactly is a ‘risk status indicator’?
One of the main benefits of our Health & Safety Software is that you can see, at a glance, exactly how you’re performing and what needs to be done to maintain compliance. When you log in, you will immediately see your Current health status, which gives you visibility of all sites and their current RAG status for ‘Audit’, ‘Registry’, ‘Monitoring’ and ‘Risk assessments’, as well as Location monthly health status, which allows you to select a site and see the progression of the RAG status in any given time frame.
Policy and Handbook
Whether you’ve got nothing in place or are in need of an expert review, our Health & Safety specialists can provide you with a policy and handbook tailored to your organisation, processes, activities and environment.
Who will the Health & Safety Policy be written by?
Your Ellis Whittam Health & Safety Policy will be written by an experienced Health & Safety Consultant with recognised qualifications and technical expertise. If you take up our core Health & Safety service, this person will become your dedicated consultant for all health and safety matters – meaning the advice you receive will be consistent and based on a genuine understanding of your business. Plus, for any questions or areas of your policy that require specific technical expertise, as well as support from your named consultant, you’ll be able to rely on a nationwide team of experts with vast and diverse specialisms and experience.
What sections will it include?
Your Health & Safety Policy will be based on the principle of plan, do, check, act. It will include a statement of commitment describing how the business is organised to fulfill its legal responsibilities (refined to reflect post holder titles), followed by an arrangements section covering all risk areas that are relevant to the business and how they will be managed (contractors, fire, first aid, machinery maintenance, lone working, etc.). For each, it will follow a format of “we recognise”, “we will” and “the approach we will take is…”. It will also cover the importance of risk assessment, monitoring and review.
Risk Assessment
Risk assessment is a fundamental element of health and safety management. Get an expert steer on formulating assessments for specific risk areas such as DSE, manual handling, COSHH and fire safety.
Is a risk assessment a legal requirement?
Yes. Under the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999, all employers, regardless of size or sector, must undertake a “suitable and sufficient” assessment of the health and safety of risks their employees are exposed to while at work, as well as the risks to any non-employees (customers, visitors, contractors, etc.) who may be affected by their activities. If you employ five or more employees, it is a legal requirement to keep a written record of your assessment and significant findings. If you’re not sure where to begin with risk assessment, we can help you.
We have an in-house health and safety team, but they haven’t had formal risk assessment training.
Risk assessment is the foundation of an effective safety management system, yet many individuals with this responsibility have not been taught the basic principles of how to conduct a risk assessment and what the law expects. This can result in an inaccurate estimation of risk, which may lead to certain control measures being recommended that are not necessary or, worse, control measures not being identified or implemented. If you are keen to make sure this essential task is being done properly, our expert Health & Safety Team can devise a risk assessors training package to develop internal competence.
First step in preventing potential exposures in the workplace
There are steps your business can take in preventing or adequately controlling potential exposures in the workplace.The three core focuses are:
- Risk assessment and planning: This allows you to identify workplace hazards, conduct an assessment of them, and plan for potential emergencies.
- Monitoring, maintenance, and review: Monitor hazards to ensure they’re below workplace exposure limits (WEL), check your control measures often, and periodically check your procedures.
- Training and personal protective equipment (PPE): Train employees and managers to follow essential instructions, as well as investing in PPE to support the correct working practices.
The types of exposure at work
There are three core types of hazards: biological, chemical, and physical. Protecting your staff and reputation begins with understanding the risks presented.
Asbestos exposure hazards
Employees and workers must be aware of the dangers of asbestos in working environments. It’s your duty of care as the employer to take steps to protect staff, which may include awareness training and an emergency plan in the event of asbestos discovery. Outsourcing to asbestos exposure services can help you quickly address any concerns.
Chemical and biological hazards
Chemical and biological hazards can pose serious long-term health complications for employees. With our expert UK COSHH consultancy services, you can manage those who work with hazardous substances (substances in the air: fumes, dust, gas, or mist etc.) in your working environment by remaining compliant with COSHH regulations.
Radiation hazards
Ionising radiation can cause serious health complications for any employee exposed, including burns and cell damage. You must request consent from the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) if you plan to work with radiation. Outsourcing to radiation safety consultants will help with your preparation and HSE application.
Noise risk
Under the The Control of Noise at Work Regulations 2005 (Noise Regulations 2005), it’s your duty of care as the employer to assess the risks of noise in the workplace. You must then take steps to reduce the risks posed to your employees or workers. With a professional noise risk assessment, you can began this process.
WorkNest is your trusted provider
Experts in UK exposure hazards services
If you’re not confident in your current practices, or don’t have professional support in place, our network of qualified Health & Safety Consultants can help you to build a safe and compliant working environment through expert support tailored to your organisation.
- Approved by a Primary Authority
- Dedicated specialists with recognised qualifications
- Genuine hands-on experience of managing risk
- Unlimited 24/7 advice, award-winning software and policy support
- The confidence to act as one of your competent persons
Who you’ll be working with
Toyah Marshall
Principal Employment Law Adviser
Latest news and insights
COVID fatigue | Keeping staff engaged with your health and safety controls
BLOG Having lived with coronavirus for over a year, it’s understandable that some may have become tired of constant COVID precautions. And with the successful vaccine rollout, marked decline in infection rates and subsequent relaxation of lockdown restrictions, there may be the illusion that it’s ‘business as usual’. However, the coronavirus threat hasn’t gone away. As the Prime Minister said when announcing the roadmap out of lockdown, there is “no credible route to a zero-COVID Britain or a zero-COVID world”.
Guilty until proven innocent? | Why health and safety law puts the onus on employers
BLOG We’ve all heard the phrase ‘innocent until proven guilty’. This is the assumption that underpins criminal proceedings in the UK. Under Article 6 (2) of the Human Rights Act 1988, it is the prosecution’s job to prove, beyond reasonable doubt, that the person on trial is guilty of the offence they stand accused of. Whether you’re accused of fraud, assault or burglary, these cases are all subject to the principle of presumed innocence. However, in the health and safety
Get prepared | HSE’s priorities for 2021
BLOG The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has been at the heart of the government’s response to the COVID-19 outbreak. Over the last year, its priority has been making sure that workplaces are COVID-secure through a nationwide campaign of spot checks and inspections. The HSE’s actions have included: Completing over 165,700 COVID-19 spot checks and responding to over 210,000 concerns. Carrying out some 2,000 workplace checks a day, a number which is said to be constantly rising. Targeted spot checks
FAQs
How do I calculate personal noise exposure for individuals?
If HSE guidance suggests you have a noise problem, you may need to get a competent person, either someone within your organisation or an external professional, to measure the noise and determine the representative daily or weekly personal noise exposure during a noise assessment.
They will measure the sound pressure level at the different locations within the workplace where the employee works, and for the different tasks carried out during the day. The average is calculated from these values and the time spent in each place or at each task
Is there a minimum and maximum working temperature?
The temperature must be reasonable. UK law doesn’t state a minimum or maximum temperature, but guidelines suggest a general minimum of 16°C or 13°C if the majority of the work involves rigorous physical effort. For maximum temperatures, TUC guidance states the maximum temperature employees should work in is 30°C (27°C for manual workers).
How can we prevent workers from developing hand arm vibration syndrome (HAVS)?
Make sure that control measures to reduce vibration are properly applied, information, training and health surveillance is provided, and workers are given the right equipment. You should also ensure that regular workplace risk assessments are carried out – especially if anything changes that may affect exposure to vibration. Assessments help ensure changes are productive and that hand tools/machines are safe to use.
Identifying signs and symptoms at an early stage is critical, so effective monitoring systems should be in place. Ongoing monitoring and recording also helps make sure standards are followed.
Do I need to conduct a noise assessment?
Under the Control of Noise at Work Regulations 2005, any employer who intends to perform work that will likely expose the workforce to excessive noise must carry out a specific noise risk assessment, covering all areas and/or operations. This should determine levels of noise, employee exposure and the actions required to reduce employee exposure to the levels required by the regulations.
The level at which risk assessments must take place is 80 decibels. If the noise level is 85 decibels or more, hearing protection and hearing protection zones must be provided. Workers who are regularly exposed to sound levels greater than 85 decibels must also have regular hearing tests.
