Health and Safety
Below you will find some outline from relevant authorities on the duties and responsibilities of individuals
The information below is drawn from the EU Directive 2009/104/EC. However in general terms they will apply to the majority of jurisdictions in which products of this type are sold.
Duties of Employers (PCBU’s)
Under the EU Directive 2009/104/EC. It is stated that,
” An employer shall take the measures necessary to ensure that the work equipment made available to workers in the undertaking or establishment is suitable for the work to be carried out or properly adapted for that purpose and may be used by workers without impairment to their safety or health”
Also;
“In selecting the work equipment which is proposed for use, the employer shall pay attention to the specific working conditions and characteristics and to the hazards which exist in the undertaking or establishment, in particular at the workplace, for the safety and health of the workers, and any additional hazards posed by the use of the work equipment in question”
The employer shall take all measures necessary to ensure that, throughout its working life, work equipment is kept in good working condition, by means of adequate maintenance
Duties of Manufacturers
It is also a requirement for Designers, Manufacturers and Suppliers that any product supplied is in so far a practicable free from risks when correctly used, and that information about correct use of the product is provided.
Designers, manufactures or suppliers of plant or equipment for use by people at work must:
(a) ensure that the plant or equipment is safe and without risks to health when properly used, and
(b) provide, or arrange for the provision of, adequate information about the plant or equipment to the persons to whom it is supplied to ensure its safe use.
Product Risk Assessments for CLC products are provided for this purpose. See “Standards”
It must be understood that the Risk Assessments provided do not ensure the suitability of the associated item for any given task. The decision to purchase and use the item for any given task is solely the responsibility of the PCBU. Any decision to purchase should be proceeded by the employer undertaking a Workplace Risk Assessment of the task, and the product risk assessments given here form part of the Workplace Risk Assessment.
Similarly, manufacturing standards such as EN 131-7:2013 (the European standard for ladders-mobile ladders with platform) does not ensure the suitability of any product manufactured under the standard for any given task. See “Standards”
Additional information may be found on the following links;