Health and Safety in the Workplace

Employer’s duties

·         To provide a safe workplace which uses safe equipment

·         To prevent any behaviour likely to put the safety, health and welfare of employees at risk, including bullying

·         To provide training to employees on health and safety

·         To appoint a competent person as the organisation’s Safety Officer

Employees’ duties

·         To take reasonable care to protect the health and safety of themselves and of other people in the workplace

·         To not be under the influence of drink or drugs in the workplace

·         To undergo any reasonable medical or other assessment if requested to do so by the employer

·         To report any defects in the place of work or equipment which might be a danger to health and safety

Bullying

It is the employer’s duty to prevent bullying in the workplace. There should be established procedures for dealing with complaints of bullying in the workplace and complaints should be dealt with immediately.

Harassment

If an employee feels they have been a victim of harassment in the workplace due to gender, civil status, family status, sexual orientation, age, disability, race, religious belief or membership of the Traveller community, they can bring a claim to the Equality Tribunal.

An employer may not penalise an employee by dismissal or in some other way for making a complaint.

 

See the Health and Safety Authority website to find out more about Health and Safety in the work place or call (01) 614 7000