Essentials of Health and Safety at Work

Publisher – Health and Safety Executive

ISBN – 0 7176 0716 X

This is the book we issue to delegates on our IOSH - Working Safely course.

As its title suggests, this book does not provide in-depth information on every aspect of health and safety at work. However, it does provide the essential foundational knowledge needed by most small firms to manage their health and safety in an effective manner.

As such, it is a document to which health and safety inspectors are likely to refer in order to illustrate what they consider to be good practice when it comes to complying with the law.

This book is aimed squarely at those who need an easy introduction to health and safety – for example, anyone who is starting up or operating a small business or someone who has been appointed as a safety representative in a larger organisation.

The information is presented at two levels. The first chapter is a high-level introduction to managing health and safety in the workplace. It is broken up into easily digested topics, such as "What the law requires", "Looking for hazards", "Inspectors and the law" and much more.

The remaining chapters look in more detail at how health and safety applies to the more common aspects of the working environment. These aspects are grouped under the following headings, which demonstrate the comprehensive coverage of the information:

• Premises
• Plant and Machinery
• Substances
• Procedures
• People

Although quite detailed, the information is well presented and copiously illustrated with charts, diagrams, checklists and photographs.

The material will be sufficient in itself for many small organisations and even those whose business activities or circumstances are not specifically covered will often find that the same basic principles apply. However, perhaps the most important lesson in this regard is to recognise the limitations of this publication and know when it is appropriate to call in professional help.

At the end of the book there is a valuable reference section that suggests additional sources of information and a comprehensive list of other publications that address more specialised aspects of health and safety.

Anyone who is looking at health and safety for the first time or who needs to formalise information that they have acquired in a piecemeal fashion over time will find this book invaluable.

You can purchase copies of Essentials of Health and Safety at Work or view a selection of other Health & Safety Publications