HEALTH & SAFETY GUIDELINES

The items outlined below are essential Health & Safety Guidelines to follow when placing a temporary worker on contract. You need to pass on all information relating to health and safety given by the client to the temporary worker plus any details of qualifications and skills the temporary worker will need to do the job safely. 

KEY POINTS FOR TEMPORARY WORKERS TO ADHERE TO:

• Learn how to work safely and obey safety rules
• Use all safety equipment and protective clothing provided
• Report anything that seems dangerous, damaged or faulty to your Supervisor
• Ask your Supervisor when unsure of anything

Work is not the place for acting the fool or playing practical jokes.
Deaths and serious injuries have been caused this way.
THINK BEFORE YOU ACT

WORKING TIME REGULATIONS

• A 20 minute uninterrupted rest break is required where temps are working longer than 6 hours (30 minutes for ‘Young Workers’ where the working day is longer than 4½ hours)
• Minimum daily rest period of 11 consecutive hours in every 24 hour period (12 hours in the case of Young Workers) and one break of 24 hours in every seven day or one break of 48 hours in every 14 days (48 hours every 7 days for ‘Young Workers’)
• A restriction of 8 hour’s night work in every 24-hour period. This can be averaged over 17 weeks except where the work involves special hazards or heavy, physical or mental strain involved.

PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT AND CLOTHING

• Protective equipment and clothing,such as ear defenders and eye protectors, dust masks, overalls, gloves, safety shoes or boots and helmets, are intended to protect workers. Wear Them.  It may feel strange and you won’t win any fashion contests but you’ll have a better chance of keeping out of hospital.
• Inform the Supervisor of anything that doesn’t fit properly or any item that gets damaged or worn for it to be replaced.

LIFTING AND CARRYING

• Back problems can cause a lot of pain, and may last a lifetime.  Always use trolleys, wheelbarrows or other appropriate lifting equipment if these are available.
• You must be shown how to lift and carry items correctly.  Take care that you only lift or carry what you can easily manage and that you can see clearly where you are going.  Ensure you get help with anything that you think might be too heavy or awkward to manage on your own.

MACHINERY

• Only operate a machine forthe job it is intended to do when you’ve been trained and given permission to use it.  Follow the safe way of using the machine.  Do not take short cuts to save time.
• Make sure you know where all the controls are and what they do. When using any machine, know how to stop it in an emergency.
• Safety guards are fitted to machines to protect you. They must be used.  If you think that any moving part could cause damage, ask your Supervisor if there should be a guard.
• Don’t wears dangling chains or loose clothing, which could get caught, in moving parts. Keep long hair tucked under a cap or tied back.
• Do not distract other people who are using machinery
• Inform the Supervisor at once if it is thought a machine is not working correctly or is unsafe.
• ‘Young Persons’ under the age of 18 may not use machinery without adequate training, risk assessment and supervision and are not allowed in any circumstances to operate hazardous machinery.

HYGIENE

• Dirt, and contact with chemicals, oil, etc can make you ill and can cause unpleasant skin complaints. Always ensure you wash your hands, using soap and water or suitable cleanser, before you eat a meal and before and after using the toilet
• Dry your hands with the towels or drier provided. Don’t wipe them on rags or on your clothes.
• If they are supplied, use barrier creams to protect your skin when doing dirty jobs.  You may also need to put on a cream after washing when the job is finished.
• Seek medical advice about any skin complaints, rashes, blisters, ulcers, etc and follow any treatment recommended to you.  Tell your Supervisor immediately.

VISUAL DISPLAY UNITS

• Visual Display Units (VDU) play an ever increasing role in all sorts of businesses.  There is no evidence to suggest that they can cause you harm, provided that you are adequately trained how to use the equipment.
• Adjust your chair correctly.
• Use a footrest and document holder if you need them.
• Make sure that you have breaks or change to other work away from the VDU.
• Report any problems with your eyes or any aches and pains in your wrists, arms or neck to your Supervisor. If there are no natural breaks in your job, your employer should plan for you to have rest breaks.  Frequent short breaks are better than fewer long ones.

MOVING ABOUT IN THE WORKPLACE

Remember:

• Walk, don’t run.
• Use the gangways provided and never take shortcuts.
• Look out for and obey all warning notices and safety signs.
• You are only allowed to drive vehicles for which you have been properly trained and have passed any necessary test.
• Take particular care where vehicles like fork lift trucks are operating
• Never hitch a ride on any vehicle not designed to carry passengers.

FIRST AID

• Make sure you know about the first aid arrangements in your workplace.  Get to know the names of the first aiders and where they can be found.  Report to your Supervisor any injury or any ill effects you suffer and ensure that it is recorded in the Accident Book.

FIRE

• Ensure you know:
• What to do if there is a fire.
• How to raise the alarm.
• What the alarm sounds like.
• Where the fire exits are.
• Where the assembly point is.

TIDINESS

• Slips, trips and falls are one of the major causes of accidents.  To help prevent them don’t leave things lying around - keep work areas and gangways tidy and clear.
• Clean up spills/wet patches on the floor straight away.
• Always close drawers.

HAZARDOUS SUBSTANCES

• Read all hazard warning signs and the instruction labels on containers.  They should tell you if, for example, a substance is poisonous, easily set on fire, or can cause burns.
• Do not transfer liquids or substances into unlabelled or wrongly labelled containers.  This can be dangerous.