Purpose of Health & Safety Legislation
To ensure the health, safety and welfare of persons at work and others in the working environment.
Employers’ responsibilities under health and safety legislation
- Produce health and safety policy/procedures for the organisation.
- Display health and safety law poster.
- Comply with external health and safety inspections (Fire Service, Health and Safety Executive).
- Carry out regular risk assessments/address any risks identified.
- Provide health and safety training.
- Provide adequate protective clothing.
Employees’ (Administrators’) responsibilities under health and safety legislation
- Comply with organisational health and safety procedures.
- Attend training relating to health and safety.
- Report health and safety hazards.
- Follow procedures when accidents occur.
- Report accidents in the accident book.
- Take part in fire/evacuation drills.
- Follow manufacturers’ instructions.
- Wear protective clothing provided.
- Maintain personal hygiene.
- Store equipment and materials without causing a hazard to self or others.
- Use correct manual handling techniques.
Risk of/Implications of breaching health and safety legislation for the organisation
Risk of:
o accident, injury or death to employees, customers, suppliers, other stakeholders
o loss of reputation for the organisation
o closure of business operations (temporary, permanent)
o prosecution (personal, corporate, penalties or fines, imprisonment).
Principles of Data Protection Legislation/Personal data must be:
o processed lawfully, fairly and in a transparent manner
o collected for specific purpose and not further processed in a manner that is incompatible with those purposes
o adequate, relevant and limited to what is necessary
o accurate and kept up to date
o kept in a form which permits identification of data subjects for no longer than is necessary for the purpose for which the personal data are processed
o processed in a manner that ensures appropriate security, including protection against unlawful processing and loss, destruction or damage using appropriate techniques or organisational measures.
Employers’ responsibilities under data protection legislation
Responsibilities:
o have a documented valid lawful basis in order to process personal data
o have data protection policies (collection, storage, processing, retention and disposal of personal data)
o ensure staff are adequately trained in data protection
Employees’ (administrators’) responsibilities under data protection legislation
Responsibilities:
o follow organisational policy/procedures for collection, storage, processing, retention and disposal of personal data
o maintain security/confidentiality of data (paper-based, electronic)
o report data security risks in line with organisational procedures.
Implications of breaching data protection legislation for the organisation
Risk of:
o loss of reputation for the organisation
o closure of business operations (temporary, permanent)
o prosecution (personal, corporate, penalties or fines, imprisonment).
Principle of Equality legislation
To legally protect people from discrimination in the workplace and in wider society.
Protected characteristics under Equality legislation
o age
o disability
o gender reassignment
o race
o marriage or civil partnership
o pregnancy and maternity
o religion or belief
o sex
o sexual orientation
Employer responsibilities under equality legislation
o ensure equal access to employment (advertising, recruitment)
o duty to make reasonable adjustments in the workplace
o not to treat others less favourably because of a protected characteristic
o ensure equal pay for an equal job.
Employee (administrator) responsibilities under equality legislation
o treat others with dignity
o respect rights and beliefs of others
o challenge or report incidents of discrimination, harassment or bullying.
Implications of breaching equality legislation for the organisation
Risk of:
o loss of reputation to the organisation
o loss of current/potential staff
o employment tribunal
o investigation/formal enforcement action by the Equality Commission
