Intro
Health and Safety must be an integral part of the management of any company; large companies, small companies and sole traders alike. Managing finances and productivity to generate healthy profits are on a par with managing the health, safety and welfare of those that are affected by the work you do.
The PSA is committed to not only informing its members of best practice and compliance but also to actively working with the Health and Safety Executive to improve standards and develop industry-specific guidance where needed.
This section of our resource centre will rely heavily on links to the excellent array of information on the HSE web site – we’re not here to reinvent the wheel!
Noise
Possibly the most difficult regulations for our industry to work with are the Noise at Work Regulations (2005) because we make noise for a living. The problem is the kind of levels that we produce on a regular basis can damage your hearing. The damage is cumulative, permanent and irreversible; just like the noise from a pneumatic drill or a steel foundry. We therefore have to comply with the same regulations as road workers and steel foundries.
The HSE recognise the difficulties that we face and, with the help of the PSA and other entertainment industry associations, have produced guidance that represents their interpretation of best practice for our industry. Best practice is what their inspectors look for.
The basis of the regulations is a limit on the amount of noise that you are exposed to during a working day. The louder the noise, the less time you are allowed to be exposed. The HSE pages on noise regulations are a useful resource.
Risk Assessments
Every task or activity undertaken requires a comprehensive, site specific risk assessment. This can be done by any person deemed competent – it is important to understand that you may be asked to prove that the individual is competent as part of a court case, so it is imperative you are confident that this person is capable of delivering a risk assessment for the tasks being carried out.
The HSE guidance on risk assessments can be found here, but is very generic as it is written for all industries.
Originally published by the Health & Safety Executive, The Purple Guide is designed to provide guidance for event organisers, suppliers, local authorities and others involved in the outdoor events industry. Publication of the Guide was taken over by the Events Industry Forum in 2012 when the original guidance was updated. Since then, the guidance has been substantially expanded and continues to be developed.
Explosives
In the wrong hands, pyrotechnics and fireworks can be lethal. Competent operators are essential, as is safe handling, transport and storage.
For information and training on Stage Pyrotechnics, there’s no better place to look than the Association of Stage Pyrotechnicians website. They run regular one day safety courses too.
The HSE has a comprehensive section on explosives with advice, free leaflets and links here.
Workplace Transport
Accidents involving workplace transport have killed and seriously injured people in our industry. The accidents were preventable. Simple steps such as production of relevant risk assessments, use of HV jackets, competent banksmen, trained and competent operators and the separation of vehicles and pedestrians can prevent accidents.
The HSE guidance can be found here.
Work at Height
Let’s start with the basics: In terms of the Work at Height Regulations, height is any height that can result in an injury if you fall from that height. Forget any ‘two metre rule’ because falls from under two metres cause a great deal of injuries and even deaths – probably because people feel safer and are more likely to take risks and improvise.
The Working at Height regulations apply to your employer - but you are responsible for complying with any and all guidance, restrictions or training given to you while working. For example, if your employer has provided you with the correct equipment to complete a task at height and trained you appropriately to use it, you are responsible for using that equipment.
As a freelancer, it is prudent to ensure you're aware of the Working at Height regulations provided by the HSE - if you're injured as a result of a fall from height, you may not be able to work, and if you are working outside of the regulations or training you've been given, your insurance may not cover you.
There is a PDF published by the HSE that provides great guidance for working at height practices.
In addition to the HSE, No Falls Foundation run a great resource centre supporting prevention of falls from height and offering assistance to anyone impacted by a fall from height.
Work Equipment
The use of all work equipment, from hand tools to telehandlers is covered by the Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998(PUWER) and The Supply of Machinery (Safety) Regulations 1992 (SMSR)
Lifting equipment is subject to its own set of regulations; the Lifting Operations and Lifting Equipment regulations 1998 (LOLER)
Guidance on all of these regulations is available from the HSE here.
Health and Safety Policy
If you employ 5 or more people at any one time during the year, the law requires you to have a written Health and Safety Policy.
Your Health and Safety Policy is the foundation of your company’s Health and Safety Management. Advice on how to write it appears here.
Fire Risk Assessment
October 2006 saw a major change in fire regulations that requires every business to produce a fire risk assessment for their premises. Government advice on producing a fire risk assessment can be found here.
Temporary Demountable Structures
From the HSE website:
‘The London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games saw an unprecedented demand for temporary demountable structures (TDS), both for Games venues and for cultural and other associated events that took place across the UK.
In anticipation of the consequent pressure on the events industry and its supply chain, HSE commissioned the Health and Safety Laboratory (HSL) to conduct research into safe practice in the erection and deconstruction of TDS in the events industry.’
The report can be found on their website, along with guidance for the safe use of these structures.
Combustible Powders at Events
Following an incident in Taiwan, in which 8 people died and 400 were injured after an explosion and fire caused by the ignition of fine powder, HSE has issued a letter and guidance on the use of such materials in the event environment.
