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The Workplace (Health, Safety and Welfare) Regulations 1992 complete a series of six sets of health and safety regulations implementing EC Directives, and replace a number of old and often excessively detailed laws.

They cover a wide range of basic health, safety and welfare issues and, unlike the Factories Act 1961 and the Offices, Shops and Railway Premises Act 1963, apply to most workplaces (except construction sites and some mineral extraction sites).

This article gives a brief outline of the requirements of the Regulations, and has been produced as part of the Health and Safety Commission’s commitment under the Review of Regulation to produce simple guidance for small firms to cover key areas of risk.

Employers have a general duty under section 2 of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974 to ensure, so far as is reasonably practicable, the health, safety and welfare of their employees at work. People in control of non-domestic premises have a duty under section 4 of the Act towards people who are not their employees but use their premises. The new Regulations expand on these duties and are intended to protect the health and safety of everyone in the workplace, and ensure that adequate welfare facilities are provided for people at work.

These Regulations aim to ensure that workplaces meet the health, safety and welfare needs of all members of a workforce, including people with disabilities. Several of the Regulations require things to be ‘suitable’. Regulation 2(3) makes it clear that things should be suitable for anyone. This includes people with disabilities. Where the workforce includes people with disabilities, it is important to ensure the workplace is suitable for them, particularly traffic routes, toilets and workstations.

‘Workplace’ -These Regulations apply to a very wide range of workplaces, not only factories, shops and offices but also, for example, schools, hospitals, hotels and places of entertainment. The term workplace also includes the common parts of shared buildings, private roads and paths on industrial estates and business parks, and temporary worksites (but not construction sites). ‘Work’ means work as an employee or self-employed person. ‘Premises’ means any place including an outdoor place. ‘Domestic premises’ means a private dwelling. These Regulations do not apply to domestic premises, and exclude homeworkers. However, they do apply to hotels, nursing homes and to parts of workplaces where ‘domestic’ staff are employed, such as the kitchens of hostels.

The measures outlined in this section contribute to the general working environment of people in the workplace.

Workplaces need to be adequately ventilated. Fresh, clean air should be drawn from a source outside the workplace, uncontaminated by discharges from flues, chimneys or other process outlets, and be circulated through the workrooms. Ventilation should also remove and dilute warm, humid air and provide air movement which gives a sense of freshness without causing a draught. If the workplace contains process or heating equipment or other sources of dust, fumes or vapours, more fresh air will be needed to provide adequate ventilation. Windows or other openings may provide sufficient ventilation but, where necessary, mechanical ventilation systems should be provided and regularly maintained.