Information for Employees

Employers must give employees adequate information on the following topics:

  • Risks to their health and safety as identified in risk assessments
  • Preventative and protective measures in place
  • Procedures required to be followed in the event of danger
  • Identification of competent persons nominated to assist in health and safety

Co-operation and Co-ordination

Where two or more employers or self-employed persons share a workplace each employer or self-employed person must:

  • Co-operate with any others as far as necessary to enable statutory duties to be complied with
  • Reasonably co-ordinate his own measures with those of the others
  • Take all reasonable steps to inform the other employers of the risks arising out of his undertaking

This applies whether the workplace is shared on a permanent or temporary basis.

Capabilities and Training

Employers must ensure they take capabilities as regards health and safety into account when giving tasks.

Adequate health and safety training must be provided to all employees on recruitment and on their exposure to, for example, new or increased risks because of job or responsibility change, introduction of new work equipment, introduction of new technology, introduction to a new system of work etc.

The training must be repeated where appropriate and it must take place during working hours.

Employees' Duties

  • Employees should notify their employer, without delay, of any work situation that might present a serious and / or imminent danger.
  • Employees should also notify their employer of any shortcomings in the health and safety arrangements, even when no immediate danger exists, so that the employer can take remedial action if necessary.

New or Expectant Mothers

Employers are required to assess separately the risks to health and safety of new and expectant mothers.

Account should be taken of the processes, working hours, working conditions and any physical, biological or chemical agents. The specific findings of the risk assessment should be addressed for example, working conditions, working hours, etc to avoid such risks.

If the risks cannot be avoided by the taking of any other action or if it is not reasonable to alter the working conditions or hours, the employer shall, subject to The Employment Rights Act, suspend the employee on full pay from work for so long as is necessary to avoid such risks.

Young Persons

Employers are required to assess separately the risks to health and safety of young workers.

Account needs to be taken of the young persons' lack of experience and awareness of existing or potential risks, their physical and psychological capacity and their maturity.

The risk assessment should address specific factors and provide information, training and supervision to the employee and provide information to parents of those who are not over the minimum school leaving age.