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Workers' Rights

Introduction:

All workers, whether they are permanent staff, agency or contractors, need to be aware of issues that affect their health and safety at work.

Employers have a responsibility to provide information to all workers that will enable them to participate fully and effectively in any consultation about their health and safety.

Source - HSE (GB)

Key Issues:

  • Your rights and responsibilities

    All workers are entitled to work in environments where risks to their health and safety are properly controlled. Under health and safety law, the primary responsibility for this is down to employers.

    As a worker, you have a duty to take care of your own health and safety and that of others who may be affected by your actions. Health and safety legislation, therefore, requires employers and workers to cooperate.

    If you have specific queries on health and safety in your workplace, first ask your manager, or if you prefer, your safety representative or trade union representative.

    If you think your employer is exposing you to risks or is not carrying out their legal duty in regards to health and safety, and you have pointed this out to them without getting a satisfactory response, you can contact us. We treat all contacts in strictest confidence.

    Remember: for confidential help and information you can contact the HSE Infoline.
    Tel: 0800 0320 121 or email: hseni@detini.gov.uk.

  • Your employer's responsibilities

    Under the law employers are responsible for health and safety management. This page provides a broad outline of how the law applies to employers. Don't forget, employees and the self employed have important responsibilities too!

    It is an employer's duty to protect the health, safety and welfare of their employees, and other people who might be affected by their business. Your employer must do whatever is reasonably practicable to achieve this.

    This means making sure that you and others are protected from anything that may cause harm, effectively controlling any risks to injury or health that could arise in the workplace.

    Your employer has 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 your workplace.

    Your employer must give you information about the risks in your workplace and how you are protected and instruct and train you on how to deal with the risks.

    Your employer must consult you on health and safety issues, either directly or through a safety representative that is either elected by the workforce or appointed by a trade union.