New Health & Safety Poster

The current version of the Health & Safety Poster has been revised by The Health and Safety Executive (HSE). Employers can now purchase copies of the HSE’s new health & safety poster (http://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/books/lawposter.htm). The new posters, according to the HSE, are “modern, eye-catching and easy to read. They set out in simple terms, using numbered lists of basic points, what employers and workers must do, and tell you what to do if there is a problem.”

Under the Health and Safety Information for Employees Regulations (HSIER) employers have a legal duty to display the poster in a prominent position in each workplace or provide each worker with a copy of the equivalent leaflet outlining British health and safety laws. In other words it is the employer's duty to ensure their employees are fully aware of workplace health & safety requirements. The leaflet that employers can give to workers, instead of displaying the poster, will be in the form of a pocket card that is better suited to the workplace.

The current poster and leaflet from 1999 are not visually attractive enough to prompt it to be read, according to recent research. There should be a significant benefit to employers and employees by increasing awareness and understanding of this area of law. The new design should also mean less admin work and cost for employers.

Existing versions of the poster and leaflet can be used for up to 5 years from the effective date of the new poster which came into existence on 6 April 2009 ie. until 5 April 2014 but only if they can be easily read and the relevant contact information is kept up to date. You can get this information from Infoline on 0845 345 0055.

As from 6 April 2009 only the new health & safety poster and new pocket cards are available to purchase.

Disclaimer: the contents of this blog are not intended form the basis of legal advice. Independent legal advice should be taken from your own solicitor for all cases.