No matter what your job or where you work, you’ll come across safety issues every day. Although employers are ultimately responsible in most situations, individual staff members must be alert to safety issues; overlooking these will put you and your colleagues at risk.

Safety applies as much in an office as at a civil engineering site. Accidents at work lead to absences, long-term injuries and fatalities – so the aim of this guide is to help to prevent them, or at least reduce the hazards. It provides an overview of work safety issues written by safety experts to help you fully understand your rights and responsibilities.

Safety Standards to Expect

Safety at work is a legal issue. You don’t just have a right to expect a workplace to be safe, the law also supports you. What’s more, employers have a legal obligation to show a general duty of care. Regulations can be complex. In the UK, the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) puts these into plain English on behalf of the government. Some of the most well-implemented safety laws are those that apply to transport, asbestos and criminal background checks. These laws have been put in place in response to the safety needs of UK workplaces; they also follow the dictates of European health and safety law.

Safety Related Discrimination at Work

Safety at work isn’t just a matter of providing a safe working environment. Other safety-related issues affect the health of staff at work. One such issue is discrimination, which can affect your career prospects, your mental wellbeing and your safety. A consistent equal opportunities policy is vital in this respect. You should not, for instance, experience discrimination because of age, gender or disability. If you do, the law is there to help you.

If you are disabled, employers are expected to make reasonable adaptations to a workplace to accommodate your disability. Employers who fail to make necessary alterations are putting profit before safety. Similarly, an employer who refuses to allow staff to join a trade union may well be trying to cover up safety problems. Many trade unions, after all, have their own safety experts who inspect work premises and sites.

Did you Know Bullying is a Safety Issue?

Many workers may not think of bullying as a safety issue, but it is. A fine line exists between firm management of staff and bullying. But this should not excuse behaviour that puts staff under pressure and at risk. When staff feel bullied, they may cut corners and take chances to keep a bully off their backs.

Bullying comes in many forms, sexual harassment and cyber bullying among them. Whatever form it takes, you must be ready to spot the signs and to help put an end to it. Our section on bullying in the workplace deals with all these issues.

The Effect of Psychological Problems

Discrimination and bullying can have serious psychological effects, which creates stress in the workplace. When we are stressed, we rarely give much thought to our safety or the safety of others. Stress and psychological problems also lead to people drinking or taking drugs in an attempt to escape and find relief. Any hazards in a workplace become far more dangerous for workers who are under the influence of alcohol or drugs and who lack full control.

And it’s not just workers who are at risk. People with psychological problems take these issues home with them, which can lead to domestic violence. Find out how to recognise the signs and address the difficulties of work, stress and psychological trauma in our psychological section.

General Health at Work

To maintain good health, first and foremost you need to read and act upon workplace safety advice. You should also try to remain fit, ensure you’re not working long hours, and be aware of the risks of complaints that can affect many people in the workplace, such as COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease), MSDs (musculoskeletal disorders) and swine flu. Identifying and resolving such problems will lead to a safer working environment.

Types of Workplace Safety Problems

Becoming familiar with general workplace safety problems is vital. You need to avoid common accidents and be able to deal with them should they occur. Risk assessments highlight the problems you may come across, such as fire hazards, noise pollution, and lifting and carrying. In particular, employers need to carry out risk assessments on pregnant women, who need to fully aware of different safety issues that affect them and their unborn child.

In the context of types of safety problems, it’s worth noting that every workplace is subject to RIDDOR (the Reporting of Injuries, Disease and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations, 1996). Under these regulations, employers must tell the HSE of every workplace injury that leads to four or more days off work.

Risks Posed by Work Environments and Workplace Equipment

There are many circumstances that pose safety risks for specific groups of workers, and the environment or items of equipment can be the cause. Improperly managed working environments are hazardous, as is a failure to control noise. Similarly, inadequate ventilation may cause breathing problems and lung disease, while an absence of safety signs puts workers in harm’s way. All these issues and more are covered on the SafeWorkers site.

Does Your Profession Have Specific Dangers?

Certain professions also have safety risks specific to their work. Agriculture is one example that has many risks unique to this industry. Livestock can pass on diseases to workers, for instance, as can grain dust. Bales, if not stacked properly, can collapse and crush people, while farm machinery can be hazardous for users and bystanders.

The list of potentially dangerous professions doesn’t begin and end with agriculture, of course. Engineers must be cautious about the machinery they use in workshops. Workers in the commercial fishing industry have to deal with the rigours of life at sea. Those who work in the oil and gas industry must be vigilant for signs of equipment failure that can lead to explosions and fires.

Each profession requires risk assessments that examine the hazards. All workers must be familiar with these assessments and make recommendations to expand them as jobs change. In other words, workers should never be complacent. A risk assessment may be in place but unexpected accidents may still occur.

Don’t be Complacent if You Work at Home

This lack of complacency applies equally to people who work from home. Because a home is a comfortable, relaxing environment, there’s a tendency to ignore potential safety issues, and it’s all too easy to manage your time badly which can cause stress. You must also be practical and ensure your workspace is suitable. If you’re spending hour after hour at a desk and a computer, ensure you have an appropriate chair. Arrange the room so you have sufficient lighting and try to avoid distractions, such as noise, that cause stress.

Beware the Safety Risks of Travel

You should use a similar sense of safety awareness when you travel on business. You may, for instance, drive a car to an office or site without a moment’s thought. You may regard driving as simply part of the job, but driving is tiring, and when you have less energy you are more prone to make mistakes. These may compromise safety on the road and in the workplace. Long commutes also take their toll. Hours spent in a car or on public transport each week can be exhausting. Commuting may be inevitable but you must be aware of the potential effects on your work and safety.

Financial Matters

Finally, safety is relevant to money. Make the effort to understand matters such as PAYE, National Insurance, private health insurance and pensions. When you do, you’ll feel more in control of your life. Such control won’t eliminate all financial stress but it can help you strike the right balance between work, money and leisure, and enable you to be healthier and safer.

Stay Safe

Ensuring you are fully aware of your health, safety and your legal rights within the workplace is the goal of SafeWorkers. If you have a question that you can't find an answer for on the site, get in touch and let one of our safety experts answer your concerns. We hope you’ll return time and again.