Health and Safety Regulations

This page contains a directory of health and safety legislation that is relevant to the creative, entertainment and media industries. It is not exhaustive - but it will provide you with a readily available library of vital information.

 Safety Legislation and Regulations

Health & Safety at Work Act

This covers general duties which are laid down for employers, employees and self-employed people in sections 2, 3 and 7 of the Act.

Management of Health & Safety at Work

This covers the principles and practice of risk assessment at work and the principles of prevention to deal with hazardsa and risks once identified.

Manual Handling

This regulation looks at safe lifting, moving and carrying of weights and loads, inckuding at height and in confinded spaces. There is plenty of advice about technique and safe practice.

Display Screen Equipment (DSE)

The DSE Regulations cover working with computers and other display screens. It offers guidance and advice about seating, breaks and other remedies to prevent tiredness or injuries to eyesight or tendons (e.g. repetitive strain injury).

Control of Substances Hazardous to Health (COSHH)

The COSHH regulations describe the types of hazards associatied with chemicals, solvents and other substances and the specific risk assessment procedures that need to be undertaken. The application and relevance of this regulation is far more widespread and applies to far more people than is generally realised.

Workplace Health, safety and Welfare

This regulation addresses standards required of any workplace (not necessarily a permanent workplace) in terms of room dimensions, light and heating, toilet and washing facilities, canteen and refreshment facilities and general environmental standards.

Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)

The PPE regulation looks at the circumstances where PPE should be provided (and who ought to provide it) - where other preventive and hazard reduction strategies have already been tried. It also outlines guidance about storage, mainainance and use. 

Provision and Use of Work Equipment (PUWER) 

This regulation provides guidelines for the use, storage and mainainance of all equipment used in a work environment. It also addresses training, induction and briefings about the proper use of equipment. 

Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurences (RIDDOR)

RIDDOR puts duties on employers, the self-employed and people in control of work premises (the Responsible Person) to report serious workplace accidents, occupational diseases and specified dangerous occurrences (near misses).