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Legislation

BCAS and its members have an active input into proposed UK and European legislation and standards. The information given here only covers the legislative items in brief – for more information click here go to our fact sheet page or refer to the European Website http://www.newapproach.org. For specific help or direction contact us on 020 7935 2464 or send an email to legislation@bcas.org.uk

Regulations

• Health and Safety at Work Act (1974) H&SAW A general piece of legislation used by the Health & Safety Executive to prosecute organisation for failing to comply with Regulations & EC Directives
• Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations (1998) PUWER Cover the ‘in use’ responsibility of the employer to ensure the safety and health of workers by the provision of safe equipment and conditions for use.
• Management of Health & Safety at Work Regulations Require risk assessments of the workplace to be made by the employer of the work practices to identify potential risks to the H & S of the worker.
• Pressure System Safety Regulations (2000) PSSR A significant piece of legislation which seeks to prevent or minimise the dangers arising from the uncontrolled release of stored energy from a pressurised system. It sets out the requirements for periodic, formal inspection of pressurised systems by a competent person, and for the keeping of detailed inspection records.
• Noise at Work Regulations (1989) Require employers to provide protection for employees who are exposed to noise levels in excess of 85dB(A).
• Manual Handling Operations Regulations (1989) Seeks to reduce the risk of injury due to manual handling of loads by applying a limit to the maximum weight which can be handled without the aid of lifting equipment.
• Personal Protection Equipment at Work Regulations (1998) - PPE Employers are required to provide personal protective equipment for their employees’ use and the employee is required to make adequate use of the equipment provided to ensure protection against one or more health and safety hazards.

Directives

• Machines (Safety) Directive – Directive No: 98/37/EC Covers the safe manufacture and supply of new machinery and equipment, harmonised standards exist where use gives ‘presumption of conformity’.
• Pressure Equipment Directive – Directive No: 97/23/EC Covers the responsibility of Manufacturers, Suppliers and Users in the provision of safe equipment where the working pressure exceeds 0.5 bar.
• Low Voltage Directive – Directive No: 73/23/EEC Covers the requirement of electrical equipment designed generally for use with a voltage rating of between 50 and 1000 v for AC and between 75 and 1500 v for DC.
• Simple Pressure Vessels Directive – Directive No: 87/404/EEC Covers the manufacture of simple series produced welded pressure vessels where the pressure volume capacity is below 10,000 bar litres.
• Potentially Explosive Atmospheres Directive – Directive No: 94/9/EEC Covers equipment and protective systems (mechanical and electrical) intended for use in potentially explosive atmospheres, includes Safety, controlling and regulating devices used outside potentially explosive atmospheres.

Other Legislation

• The Environmental Protection Act 1990 contains a legal framework for the regulation of contaminated land and contamination or potential contamination of groundwater. It has been implemented in England, Scotland and Wales. It has implications for those who contaminate land or cause land to be contaminated or who own contaminated land. Discharge any liquid wastes or effluents to a foul sewer must have prior written authorisation from the Statutory Sewerage Undertaker in the form of a trade effluent consent.