Legislation

Running a small business is now more difficult than ever with the ever increasing pressure to keep updated and compliant with new legislation. This can be very worrying and time consuming. Our aim is to be aware of current legislation and to be able to work through it with you giving a learning curve that will be of benefit to your business.
We can point you in the right direction for expert advice and support on areas of legislation which include:-

• Fire Risk Assessments Health and Safety Risk Assessments
• Health and Safety Risk Assessments
• Fire Safety
• Portable Appliance Testing (PAT)

Fire Risk Assessments

With the introduction of new legislation property owners now have the responsibility to risk assess their own business.

The new ‘Order’ replaces previous fire safety legislation. Any fire certificate issued under the Fire precautions Act 1971 will cease to have any effect.
If a fire certificate has been issued in respect of your premises or the premises were built to recent building regulations, as long as you have made no material alterations and all the physical fire precautions have been properly maintained, then it is unlikely you will need to make any significant improvements to your existing fire protection to comply with the ‘Order’. However, you must still carry out fire risk assessments and keep them up to date to ensure that all the fire precautions in your premises remain current and adequate.

If your premises have never had a fire certificate, then if you have 5 or more employees you must now risk assess your property and record the findings. Less than 5 employees and you must still carry out risk assessments but do not have to record it- however should you not record your findings you would not be able to prove compliance should the need arise. It is therefore advisable to record all findings.

PAT testing

Why PAT Test
Portable Appliance Testing is an essential aspect of your companies health & safety policy. The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) claim that nearly 2000 fires in one year were caused by faulty leads to appliances. Around 1000 electrical accidents at work are reported to HSE each year and about 30 people die of their injuries. Therefore the importance of regular electrical safety testing cannot be emphasized enough.

As a business you are required by law to protect all users of portable appliances from electrical shock as well as fire hazards. PAT Testing should be carried out to protect your employees, customers and you against accidents and liability.

It should be carried out regularly by your business in accordance with guidelines stated in the IEE Code of Practice.

HSE employs Electrical Inspectors with the aim of reducing the number of electrical accidents by enforcing the Law, providing advice on good working practices, and developing guidance in response to technical changes in equipment and working methods.

Regular PAT testing of your companies electrical equipment will help you to identify faulty items and protect you against liability for electrical accidents in the work place.

Portable appliance testing is required to be carried out on all portable appliances within business premises.

Health and Safety Risk Assessments

Health and Safety law is enforced by inspectors from the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) or by inspectors from your local authority. Inspectors have the right to enter any workplace without giving notice, though notice may be given where the inspector thinks it is appropriate. On a normal inspection the inspector would expect to look at the workplace, the work activities, your management of health and safety and to check that you are complying with health and safety law. The inspector may offer guidance or advice to help you. He/she may also talk to employees and their representatives, take samples or photographs, serve improvement notices and take action if there is a risk to health and safety which needs to be dealt with immediately.

We can assist you achieve the above with a suitably qualified person to give advice or to inspect.