Employer’s general duty includes providing systems of work that are, so far as is reasonably practicable, safe and without risks to health. Components of a system include:
• the organisation and co-ordination of the work of those involved;
• training, instruction and supervision;
• layout of plant and appliances;
• methods to be used, and;
• general conditions of work.
Present legislation is that employers are expected to manage hazards with the same degree of attention and with the same allocation of resources and priorities as they manage other subjects such as quality control, industrial relations and budgetary matters. Furthermore, as part of management commitment to the principles, employers have a duty to establish and maintain, so far as is reasonably practicable, safe systems of work. Safe systems of work must be identified through the risk assessment process.
The IOG offers a number of completed safe systems which are listed below.
