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About: Employer

Introduction:

All employers in Northern Ireland have a legal duty to:

  • Make the workplace safe and eliminate or control risks to health;
  • Ensure plant and machinery are safe and that safe systems of work are set and followed;
  • Ensure articles and substances are moved, stored and used safely;
  • Provide adequate welfare facilities;
  • Give workers the information, instruction, training and supervision necessary for their health and safety; and
  • Consult workers on health and safety matters.

Key Messages/Current Issues:

  • Monitoring

    You need to review your health and safety policy and risk assessments regularly and make sure that all your employees understand their roles and responsibilities.

    A regular programme of performance review will help you improve health and safety in your business.

    First, you might like to go back over the Getting Started section and make sure all the documents you produced are up to date and relevant.

  • Inclusivity

    Talking to, listening to and involving your employees helps to:

    • make your workplace healthier and safer
    • improve standards
    • raise standards

    Good preparation helps you to gain the commitment of your employees and their representatives, so that they feel involved and enthusiastic about tackling health and safety together.

  • Leadership

    Effective health and safety performance comes from the top; members of the board have both collective and individual responsibility for health and safety.

    The publication Leading Health and Safety at Work has guidance for all directors, governors, trustees, officers and their equivalents in the private, public and third sectors. It shows you how to;

    • Plan
    • Deliver
    • Monitor and
    • Review

    health and safety in your organisation.

Key Legislation

Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2000

Health and Safety (Consultation with Employees) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1996

Please note that these links are to the original legislation on the OPSI website, visitors should verify for themselves whether legislation is in force or whether it has been amended or repealed by subsequent legislation.