Providing support and guidance to employers who wish to commit to the health, safety and welfare of their employees and facilitate a healthy and safe working environment

Employers must ensure that all reasonable precautions are taken to protect their employees insofar as health and safety in the workplace is concerned. Employers are required to adhere to the Health & Safety at Work (Jersey) Law 1989, as amended, (the “Law”) together with the Approved Codes of Practice as set out by the Employment and Social Security Committee. Approved Codes of Practice offer practical examples of good practice, and give advice on how to comply with the Law. An Approved Code of Practice has a legal standing in that the guidance contained within the Code is admissible in the Courts as evidence of best practice.

Health & Safety policy document:

Employers with five or more employees are required, by Law, to set out the health and safety procedures, commitments and requirements in a policy document which must be made available to all employees.  The policy document must also outline the manner in which the monitoring and review procedures are undertaken.

Display Screen Equipment (“DSE”) Assessments:

The Code of Practice for Display Screen Equipment at Work was approved under Article 10 of the Law. This Code of Practice came into force on 4 January 1999. It is for the protection of employees and the self-employed who habitually use display screen equipment for the purposes of an employer’s or self-employed person’s undertaking as part of their normal work. DSE Assessments must be carried out by a trained assessor who is able to assess workstation risks, draw valid and realisable conclusions, make recommendations for improvement, and recognise the need to involve outside expertise insofar as faulty equipment is concerned.

Risk Assessments:

• A properly conducted risk assessment helps minimise the possibility of a business environment harming employees or visitors. By conducting regular risk assessments an employer may have some initial financial outlay to correct hazards which may be identified, but an employer may also be protected from potential claims for personal injury from employees and visitors.
  
• Evacuation procedures.
  
• Preparing computerised floor plans or digital photographs showing fire exits in support of evacuation procedures.
  
• Monitoring fire safety equipment to ensure that fire extinguishers are inspected annually.