Although the Health and Safety at work etc. Act 1974 provides criminal legislation for employers, there are various key health and safety requirements that identify a duty of care owed to an employee by an employer, that have been set via precedents. This essay aims to identify the key health and safety requirements owed by an employer to an employee, deriving from common law, including the principle of vicarious liability
Common Law
The case Caparo Industries v Dickman is a leading case that identifies a test to determine whether or not an employer owes a duty of care within a negligence case. In this case Caparo Industries had taken over a company called Fidelity and they seud Dickman for negligence in the preparation of accounts. Sir Neil
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In this case a warden in charge of maintain discipline in a boarding house, sexually abused boys aged between 12 and 15. His duties where to ensure order, make sure children went to bed, school and took part in organised activities. Lord Steyn was satisfied that the employers entrusted the warden with caring for the children at the boarding home. He stated that “the wardens acts were so closely connected with his employment that it would be fair and just to hold the employers vicariously liable”. This went against the Salmond test, which Lord Steyn deemed inadequate, providing an example of how the current test could deem a bank not liable for a employee defrauding a customer and pocketing money unless the bank was set up to defraud customers. In this case the Salmond test would find the employer not liable, as it was not his job role to sexually abuse the children. Steyn’s new close connection test focused on three main principles; a broad approach should be adopted when considering the scope of employment, the time and place of the act should not be conclusive in reaching a decision, and there must be a connection between the employees duties and the acts committed. This test is fairer in identifying whether an employer should be held vicariously liable. The expansion of this scope of employment is further visited in the case Dubai Aluminium Co Ltd v Salaam and Others where a dishonest fraud act by an employee was also deemed as being closely connected with the scope of employment, so therefore the employer could be held liable for an employees dishonest actions during the ordinary course of business, so they were deemed joint liable with the
Employers have duties under health and safety law to assess risks in the workplace. Risk assessments should be carried out that address all risks that might cause harm in the workplace. Employers must give employees information about the risks in their workplace and how they are protected, also instruct and train their employees on how to deal with the risks. Employers must consult employees on health and safety issues. Consultation must be either direct or through a safety representative that is either elected by the workforce or appointed by a trade union. It is an employees duty to take reasonable care of their own health and safety. If possible avoid wearing jewellery or loose clothing if operating machinery. If the employee has long hair or wears a headscarf, make sure it's tucked out of the way (it could get caught in machinery). To take reasonable care not to put other people such as fellow employees and members of the public at risk by what they do or don't do in the course of their work. To co-operate with the employer, making sure the employee gets proper training and the employee understands and follows the company's health and safety policies. Not to interfere with or misuse anything that's been provided for their health, safety or welfare. To report any injuries, strains or illnesses they suffer as a result of doing their job (the employer may need to change the way they work). To tell their employer if something
- The Health and Safety at Work Act (1974), under which I have a duty to secure the health and safety of any persons – staff, students and visitors – in my place of work. I must avoid exposing anyone to risks in the workplace, through proper
Under this act, employers are responsible for reporting certain types of incidents, accidents or illnesses to the Health and Safety Exectutive, or the local authority.
Employers must provide a safe working environment for all of their employees. The legislation states it is an employer’s duty "to ensure, so far as is reasonably practicable, the health, safety and welfare at work" of all their employees as well as others on their premises, including temps, casual workers, the self-employed, clients, visitors and the general public.Workers health is paramount within an organisation, employers must ensure that all workers health is not affected by the work they are doing and put in place all necessities to prevent this. The Health and Safety at Work Act sets out specific standards which can add costs to a business, however these costs are considered essential for the safety of all workers. Most of the costs come from training staff about health and safety and putting in place procedures to maintain this. This act prevents unfair unsafe working conditions which in turn reduces the likelihood of accidents or injury at work. If a worker has injured themselves at work due to something which could have been otherwise prevented by the company had the followed the guidelines of the Health and Safety at Work Act they company may be required to pay out for the injury. For those who employ five or more staff, employers must also keep and revise a written record of health and safety policy and consult
The employer has a responsibility to follow the regulation which is known as the ‘Health and Safety at Work Act 1974’. This is An Act to make further provision for securing the health, safety and
The Health and Safety at Work Act is probably one of the main laws to consider as this not only affects your safety but
Reporting of Injuries,Diseases and dangerous occurrences regulations of 1995 requires the reporting of work-related accidents, diseases and dangerous occurrences. The Act applies to all work related activities, but not to all work related incidents. The objective of the regulations is to enable the enforcing authorities to identify where and how risks arise and to investigate serious accidents so as to prevent them from occurring in the future and thus providing a safer work environment. The enforcing authorities can then help and advise you on preventive action to reduce injury, ill health and accidental loss,the main points of our own policy that relate to this are:
Section 2 of the HSW Act deals with employersʹ duties, and states: ʺIt shall be the duty of all employers to ensure, so far as is reasonably practicable, the health safety and welfare of all their employees whilst they are at work.ʺ
Avii An explanation of the procedures to be followed to prevent and in the event of each of the
this legislation is important for employees and others. this secures the health and safety of the employees. it also protects the people that are around or using the place to protect them from risk of the people at work doing their jobs. always arrange to implement safety measures which are identified in risk assessments. well trained people should implement the changes if it is necessary. make sure you have emergency procedures, provide clear information and free training so all employees work properly and to a high standard. the employer must make sure that all risks and control measures are explained to the employee and understood. provide employees with not just training but also the right
Under the Health & Safety at work Act I have many responsibilities as an employee. These responsibilities must be obeyed in order to maintain a safe working area and minimize any potential hazards or risks to yourself or others. Some of my responsibilities as an employee are as followed:
Health and safety legislations and regulations are implemented in own work settings because there will always be a possibility of accidents happening which may damage someone’s health and all work will expose people to hazards, however the health and safety legislations and regulations are put in place and used so that these risks and hazards are under control and so everyone’s health (staff and children) are safe at all costs.
According to the identification of Aupperle, Carroll and Hatfield (1985), the corporation has various legal responsibilities to support the workplace safety, in order to further protect the interests of existing employees in the workplace. Clarke (1999) holds the similar opinion, that is, the corporation must provide the sufficient funding to
The issue is whether or not Ms Cora is liable for tort and if she would besuccessful in a claim against Empire Engineering Works ltd. There arefour elements need to be established, there was a duty of care, theduty was breach, the breach caused damaged and Vicarious liability. According to Blyth v Biringham waterworks a duty of care is a breachwhen the defendants actions fall below the acceptable standard of thereasonable man. According to Capro and Dickman Negligence is theomission to do something which a reasonable man guided upon thoseconsideration which a prudent man would not do. According to Lister vHesley an employer is not liable for torts committed by an independentcontractor during the course of employment. Which Ace cleaners wasdoing an act in an authorized manner. According to Joel V Morrison anemployer is not liable for acts committed by his employee who is on afrolic of his own. A frolic of his own is an unauthorized act on the partof the employee which is separate from his duties. Ace Cleanercompany was contracted to clean the (oor which they were acting oninstruction of Empire Engineering Works ltd instruction. In the employment contract there was no rules stated that miss Cora isnot permitted to visit her spouse whilst at work. Even though she wenton a frolic of her own. Miss Cora in her defense has the burden to provein relation to negligence. However there are circumstances in whichthe facts of the
Firstly, it is important to establish whether the employer owes a duty of care or not. The case of Caparo v Dickman resulted in a three stage test about duty of care and to address responsibility in determining where the liability of the financial loss lies. The test ruled “The harm caused by the negligent actions must be reasonably foreseeable; the relationship between the parties to the dispute must be one of reasonable proximity; and it must be fair, reasonable, and just to impose liability.” This test provides a qualification for establishing duty of care. Linked to this, in the Spring v Guardian Assurance case it was decided that there was a duty of care owed to the employee. If they duty is violated, then the liability of the economic losses suffered by the employee are given to the employer. Lord Woolf believed that it was necessary for the employer to be liable in damages as the law of defamation does not provide adequate remedy for damages caused as it requires malice not just negligence.