Health and Safety (H&S) - Myths
In an office environment
It really is surprising how many H&S Myths there are out there...
Here I will try to answer some of them. If you have any you know about or if you have a H&S related question, Email me.
Myth: I have been told that I can no longer keep plasters in my First Aid box at work in case someone has an allergy to the type of plasters we use. The reality - Absolutely not true. In fact, if you don't have a supply of plasters for your staff you will be in breach of Health and Safety. HSE Advice
Myth: All office equipment must be tested by a qualified electrician every year
The reality - No. The law requires employers to assess risks and take appropriate action.
HSE’s advice is that for most office electrical equipment, visual checks for obvious signs of damage and perhaps simple tests by a competent member of staff are quite sufficient.
Myth: It is no longer possible for employers to give headache tablets to staff in case they have an adverse affect.
Not true. You must not keep tablets in a first aid kit that can be accessed by staff. There is nothing to stop a first aider (or anyone else) from keeping a supply of 'over the counter' headache tablets. Before giving them out, check that the recipient does not have a known allergy to the type of tablet held and that the tablets have not passed their use-by-date.
Myth: HSE has banned stepladders.
The reality - HSE have not banned stepladders - nor have they banned ladders! Despite this, the allegation is regularly repeated and some firms have fallen for the myth and acted on it. For straightforward, short duration work stepladders and ladders can be a good option, but you wouldn’t want to be wobbling about on them doing complex tasks for long periods.