Health & Safety as a Sole Trader?

[BennyC]

Hi Guys,

I have to create a handout for my year group on Health and Safety mostly aimed at Sole Traders. I've found plenty of information about what the legal requirements are when you become an 'employer' however am not quite sure about if you're working on your own say for example in an industrial unit as a craftsman/woman.

As far as I can tell there are no legal requirements if you don't intend on having an open workshop day and can use machines as you wish, though obviously ventilation is advisable.

Does anybody work as a Sole Trader or have any ideas?

Thanks

Benny C

 

[BennyC]

Thanks for that.

But what does it actually mean? I've sort of sumarised it that the sole trader in question does not expose people nearby or not in his employment are affected by his practice.

 

[BennyC]

You will have to have regular 15 min meetings with yourself.
Focused Q&A sessions etc

I've got all about risk assesments, PPE, COSHH etc.

Other than just common sense? I just wanted to check that you don't need to have an inspection from the local council and things like that. As I'm giving a presentation I don't want to look like a tit!

 

[BennyC]

Can we please not turn this into a Health and Safety bashing thread?

I've learnt the importance of health and safety by many near misses with machines. I've had bit's of wood thrown back at me from tablesaws, crosscut saw blades jam, peices of wood explode in the thicknesser and 2 years ago when I was in my first year a third year lost his fingertip to the planner

 

[BennyC]

'Near misses' in an office environment are a bit pathetic though, what you are supposed to report. Someone bumping a chair into another persons chair for example.

I used to be on a union Branch Exec Committee, and the H&S guy bored me to tears.

Oh I agree. Health and Safety in an office environment is a bit silly. For environments where there are real risks to health/life it isn't.